Features and benefits
SchoolZone brings together all the future-focused requirements schools like yours have told us they need...
SchoolZone provides the choice and flexibility for schools to choose the internet connectivity that suits their needs. Schools can select either dedicated symmetrical bandwidth with SchoolZone Lite, Advantage, Lite Video and Video OR a Telecom Broadband plan of their choice with SchoolZone Protect.
Connection speed is based on the service you choose - see the table below for details.
| |
Lite |
Lite Video |
Advantage |
Video |
Protect |
| Bandwidth |
512KB |
512KB |
2MB |
2MB |
Dependent on the Telecom Broadband plan |
| Video conferencing |
N/A |
1 Session |
N/A |
x2 Sessions |
N/A |
| Wireless option available? |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
The quoted speed is dedicated data bandwidth to the shared SchoolZone Internet connection.
Internet speeds can vary depending on:
- The number of other schools concurrently browsing on the internet
- How fast the website you're visiting can provide data
- The internal wiring within the school
- How your software operates
Available on SchoolZone Lite Video and Video services only.
Video conferencing enables teachers, students and other schools to connect from different locations. This technology allows you to see and hear each other in 'real time'. Video conferences are a cost-effective way for schools to share learning and resources in a stimulating environment. You can use them to:
- Expand curriculum by sharing teacher resource
- Deliver professional development without the need to travel
- Bring in guest speakers from distant locations
- Participate in virtual class tours
- Host and attend video conference events with celebrities and topical guest speakers
- Communicate with schools from around the world
Quality of Service is incorporated with the video conferencing service and ensures a high-quality video image and high-quality audio sound no matter what other demands are placed on the network, i.e. high internet usage. SchoolZone Video Conferencing gives you up to 60 hours per month of:
- point-to-point VC - two-way video conferencing between schools with SchoolZone, and
- multi-point VC - video conferencing among three or more schools with SchoolZone
Video conferencing also provides tremendous flexibility; you can even zoom in on a whiteboard or set up a special document camera to send shots of papers, graphs or overheads.
Our optional services provide video conferencing with external parties who are not part of SchoolZone. Additional usage fees may apply for this service. Schools must contact 0800 163 525 to confirm these costs.
To use the SchoolZone video conferencing service, you will need to purchase specialist video equipment which is not part of the SchoolZone package.
Schools can cost-effectively manage their ICT budgets with flat rate pricing. There are no ISP charges, no Internet usage charges**...no bill surprises!
In addition, with the Ministry of Education's Managed Internet Services programme all New Zealand public schools (State and State Integrated schools) receive SchoolZone at a subsidised price.
Optional add-on services are available at an additional cost, and you will need to pay a one-off installation fee to set-up SchoolZone.
To ensure a quality service experience for all users, SchoolZone includes monthly usage guidelines.
**Please note:SchoolZone Protect does not provide flat rate internet pricing. Internet pricing will be dependent on the Telecom Broadband plan that is chosen. Allocated Telecom Broadband charges apply.
A sophisticated managed firewall aims to protect you against hackers and malicious users on the Internet, while also designed to protect and control the communication between schools.
Our firewall screens all inbound and outbound traffic. We monitor it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. We have the response capability to respond to security threats as they arise
There's no security hardware for you to manage because the firewall is located within our Network and not at your premises.
Our optional services include customised security at an additional cost if you require either a greater level of security or more open access.
Please note: This service is not available on SchoolZone Starter.
SchoolZone helps you provide a safer online environment for students. SchoolZone filters URLs and email content and is designed to protect children from inappropriate content.
SchoolZone helps control where your school users are allowed to go on the web. It also restricts the use of offensive language in emails and helps control unnecessary and excessive usage by blocking over-sized attachments, i.e. large music (mp3) files.
The result is a controlled, but not restrictive, environment for staff and students to conduct their online activities.
SchoolZone includes features designed to protect against viruses transmitted by email and email attachments. Monitoring, managing and updating virus lists all happens automatically as part of the service. That means your risk of data loss and having to rebuild computers due to virus attacks is reduced. And there are no additional user costs, because it's part of the package.
We've included Sophos' virus scanning capabilities into Schoolzone. This is designed to protect you from viruses by detecting, quarantining or deleting viruses at the email gateway, before they enter the network. The virus protection software is regularly updated to protect against new viruses that arise.
SchoolZone includes features designed to help assist schools in managing their unsolicited emails. It has been estimated that spam email represents approximately 20% of all email received. MySpam detector is an anti-spam filter which assists schools in managing these unsolicited emails. With myspam detector, education authorities are able to adjust 'rules' to provide an email confidence level appropriate for them.
After tagging, each suspected spam message is sent to the SINA administrator of the school, who can decide to delete or forward the email on to the intended recipient. The myspam detector uses a rules-based system rather than email address based system that allows for more effective identification of spam.
With SchoolZone, it's easy for people to communicate by email. First, you can create an individual email mailbox for each staff member and each and every student. Second, emails can be accessed from any location - all you need is a browser.
All emails are virus checked and outgoing emails are scanned for offensive language. This feature also helps control unnecessary and excessive usage by blocking attachments such as mp3 large music files.
You can use Outlook Express (POP), just as you would a Yahoo! email account. The service also includes a host of features such as spell checking, address book, distribution lists and signatures.
SchoolZone uses mymail - an email system designed specifically for the education community by Editure.
SchoolZone allows you to create your own intranet; a central place where students and teachers can go to find information on school activities such as class timetables, school camps, school notices, and a school's calendar. You can even set up discussion rooms and forums, special noticeboards ('student of the week', 'art competition winner').
Monitor Internet access and activities using software included as part of SchoolZone. Editure's SINA Internet management software makes it easy to monitor and analyse online usage through standard reports (i.e. Top 100 Sites, individual user reports, search engine report etc). You can also use it to help control access to Internet websites and manage the size of email accounts.
It's easy to use and requires no specialist training. You access the tool through an Internet browser which means there is no additional investment in hardware, complicated software installation or extensive technical expertise required. Software upgrades and enhancements are part of the SchoolZone package, so you will have access to the latest versions.
Using our high-quality infrastructure to host your school's website means that high speed and high availability can be achieved - all at no additional cost*.
The package also enables each student and teacher to create their own personal website hosted on SchoolZone. Creating and experimenting with their own homepage is a great way for children to learn about the web.
* Complex websites that use databases and/or scripts may not operate effectively.
Remote access creates a secure 'tunnel' through the Internet to the SchoolZone network, providing connectivity as though the user were at school. Teachers, administrators and students can access SchoolZone from home or other locations (as long as they have a browser). This means, for example, teachers could have access to school resources when on camp with classes or while on courses.
Secure remote access is available as an optional service at additional cost.
SchoolZone is governed by an independent national body called Virtual Education Networks (VEN). VEN is a charitable company owned by the Schools Education Network Trust and with links with the education community. Our role is to implement and manage the policies and procedures developed by VEN.
VEN was set up to provide standards, governance and management over member schools' virtual private networks. VEN has guided us in developing SchoolZone to help us deliver the services you need today and in the future.
We are working to ensure that SchoolZone is 'future proof' and that the technology does not become outdated. We will continue to work with the Virtual Education Network (VEN) and the Ministry of Education in an attempt to ensure SchoolZone delivers the services you need.
SchoolZone enables groups of schools to create your own shared network, otherwise known as a Virtual Private Network (VPN). This allows schools to effectively share resources such as files and documents in a private and secure environment. The service also allows administrators to access and manage a group of schools ICT infrastructure from one central location.
Please note: This service is not available with SchoolZone Protect.
Read our terms and conditions for more detailed information on the features and benefits of SchoolZone. We've also put together detailed information on SchoolZone and what it costs.
