SafeguardED Newsletter

Dear Colleague, 

As you plan for September, you may wish to incorporate these new additions to our web filtering support into your 2025/6 checks and reviews. Please share these with your DSLs and also your tech team:

1. New user-friendly test tool for your half-termly checks
2. New DSL access to the portal
3. New 2025 'appropriate filtering' submission 
4. New video explainers on how YouTube works
5. Top Tip - turn off search suggestions
6. Coming soon: at a glance filtering health check

1) Am I Filtering?

To help with your half-termly checks (remember we have templates for this at safefiltering.lgfl.net), we have built a new testing tool at amifiltering.co.uk. All you need to do is visit the site and it will tell you IF the device or account you are testing is filtered (by either SchoolProtect or HomeProtect) AND ALSO give an instant list of the categories being blocked / allowed to help your review. No logins needed!

2) DSL access to web filtering portal

We know filtering can be scary for non-technical colleagues, but now DSLs have lead responsibility (see KCSIE), it makes sense to have access. Our new DSL role doesn't bamboozle you with technical configuration pages, but just shows you what is allowed or not (and lets you change it at a click), plus reports and dashboards. If you want this new role, ask your existing admin to log in, go to >> Settings >> User Management, click 'Add User' and assign you the role of 'Policy Editor'.

3) Why LGfL filtering is 'appropriate' - 2025 update

KCSIE has long asked schools to have 'appropriate' filtering. Each year the UK Safer Internet Centre publishes definitions and asks suppliers to complete a submission. The 2025 LGfL version is now out and gives you lots of information that you can use to document your risk assessments, so make sure both DSL and tech teams are aware. You can access this document alongside more about how LGfL is also independently accredited from appropriate.lgfl.net.

4) New YouTube explainers for DSLs

We have revamped our YouTube information page to help DSLs understand how YouTube is different to every other website! It's important you know what mode you are on and how they work so head to youtube.lgfl.net for an explainer video, diagrams and more.

5) Have you turned off search engine suggestions?

Have you ever started typing and Google suggested the rest of your query? Unfortunately the suggestions are not always child-friendly, so why not ask your technician to disable the feature (we can't do this for you). If you would like to do this, here is the technical guide to disabling autocomplete.

6) COMING SOON - Health Check

We often come across schools with filtering settings that need improvements, so we will soon be releasing the new health checker tool. It will look like the messages above. DSLs can see from the colours which are most serious and need resolving, and tech teams can follow the instructions to find out more and fix.

It will be on the page you see when you log in from September. Meanwhile, if you would like to help test the new system, use this direct link (if you aren't already logged in, you may need to click that link twice) - we would love feedback here.

Please do share this newsletter with others - we need DSLs and tech teams alike to be aware of these innovations. We would love to hear your ideas on how else we can help to make overseeing filtering and monitoring easier for you.

Kind regards,

Mark, Mubina and Alex

Your LGfL SafeguardED Team