Tell us about your school…
York High School is a medium-sized community secondary school catering for approximately
735 students between Years 7 – 11.
What are some of the main IT challenges you faced prior to DNA?
One of our main challenges was to encourage staff to be as independent as possible, to enable them to do the tasks they needed to carry out and to encourage them to problem solve. It’s not just about fixing problems but empowering people and reducing their reliance on requesting support.
How has DNA helped at your school?
DNA has enabled teachers and other staff to be able to carry out various tasks that they may have otherwise asked the IT team to do. The SoftLINK element also ensures teachers can get the attention of the whole class instantly and keep their students focused. Staff have found DNA easier to use then our previous solution – and the integration with Group Policy is a bonus for the IT team. We find it’s a well-supported product that is easy to use and it has increased our productivity by saving us time with its automated tools.
Do you use DNA to support your safeguarding efforts?
Yes, it has enabled safeguarding staff to be able to view internet history independently without having to ask the IT team to look at any logs or reports. They are also able to follow up on any safeguarding alerts that come in.
DNA includes SoftLINK classroom management. What do your teachers find are the main benefits?
Some teachers just want to see the SoftLINK element to help them with delivering lessons. It also helps them to improve students’ behavior, with the ability to monitor their activity and ensure they are working on the task set for the lesson.
What do the staff think of DNA in terms of usability?
The staff who see it and try it like it, but the biggest problem we have is that staff do not always have time to learn how to use new systems. However, once they start using DNA, they do find it intuitive and easy to use.
What do you think of the DNA support team?
The support has always been excellent!
How do you see DNA and SoftLINK supporting your school in the future?
We have no plans to use anything else, as it does what we need it to do. We’d definitely recommend it to others.
