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Does your school use SparkleBox?

116 replies

Octavia09 · 15/03/2011 10:18

Mine does. Do not the schools receive information regarding which websites not to use?

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kayc86 · 26/03/2011 18:42

There seems to be an awful lot of moaning on here, lots of you people seem to be going on about not using the website and that the guy is stil profiting from it, how would you know what is on the site if you hadnt accessed it yourself!!!
Seems that you are all too busy moaning about some guy who has been caught and imprisoned, when there are loads more out there!!
Each to their own, if people what to use it they will.
I personally use resources from the site and have found them very beneficial in the nursery in which i work, they are bright and imformative and the children love them!!! Especially the rhymes, colours and numbers. For all of you people that are cynical towards the site, there are NO ACTUAL images of children on there, some schools/nurseries do upload photos of there display boards (generally u do not see children names, and most schools black out photographs on the displays) these display board photographs, help to share ideas and promote ideas on how other schools/nurseries can help to teach and display YOUR childrens work!

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

Goblinchild · 26/03/2011 18:45

My opinion is that you are a deeply dim person and I hope some of your parents object to your use of inappropriate resources.

withagoat · 26/03/2011 18:45

imagien when he comes out and spends all your money on a nice new hard drive

Hulababy · 26/03/2011 18:48

kayc - you appear to have missed the point about the site entirely.

By using the site you are directly enabling the owner, a twice convicted paedophile, to benefit financally. You are giving this criminal money in order for him to fund his interests.

I personally am not happy with the idea of supporting a convicted paedophile. I have a real issue re paedophiles and their crimes. I couldn't give such a man my support.

As you say though, each to their own. if you are happy to support a convicted paedophile it is indeed, as you say, your choice.

mrz · 26/03/2011 19:38

kayc perhaps you didn't bother to follow the links but here's an extract from the [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8462650.stm BBC]]

Internet safety officials have told the BBC they became concerned after a blog and pictures of children also started appearing on the Sparklebox website, which offers colourful teaching materials such as numeracy posters for teachers and children's bedroom posters for parents.

It led officials responsible for ensuring the safety of internet technology in schools in south-west England to block the site.

E-safety officer at the South West Grid for Learning Trust David Wright said: "We were first alerted to the problem in the summer of 2009 when our filtering and monitoring system disclosed to us that there were potential concerns with the website Sparklebox.

"There were areas where pictures of children were being published and up until recently there was an active blog.

"The concerns were about the interactive technology on the site and the previous conviction of the owner."

no pictures???

Kinge, 28, was jailed for nine months in 2005 for downloading pornographic images of children from the internet while working at a Warwickshire school, but reinvented himself as ?Samuel? after changing his name by deed poll.

Last week he was jailed for a year at Worcester Crown Court after admitting making more than 400 indecent and pseudo photographs of children. A judge had lifted his internet ban back in 2005, after which Kinge set up Sparklebox. But he remained a registered sex offender and cannot work with children.

Or you might want to watch the Inside Out programme

Feenie · 26/03/2011 20:31

My opinion matches Goblinchild's - deeply dim indeed. But I would add ignorant and ill informed.

Octavia09 · 26/03/2011 20:35

I think there would always be people taking the site of such perverts as paedophiles. I never understand people who support them unless they are extremely thick or perverts themsleves.

OP posts:
Feenie · 26/03/2011 22:39

It's a very odd first time MN post, kayc86. I wonder why you would choose to defend a twice-convicted paedophile in your very first post?

Jezabelle · 28/03/2011 16:52

He's out of prison now isn't he? Maybe he's MNing under the name of Kayc86. Either that or a employee willing to sell his/her sole for this shameless advert.

How do you sleep at night?

ninamag · 30/03/2011 16:34

My daughter's school sent out a email recommending the use of Sparklebox. I met with the headmistress outlining my concerns she said she said she was fully aware of it being banned in schools but thought it was an useful website. she said they don't use it but thought parents should at home. I am outraged. What do I do now? I want to warn other parents but don't want to start a riot. Is the board of governors the next step?

mssunshine35 · 30/03/2011 18:02

Kayc86 - Ask the victims of peadophiles what all the moaning is about! I think it is outragous that you would find it ok to use resources that would in any way directly or indirectly fund a known and convicted peadophile! Do you not stop to think that the benefits to the children you use the resources for overshadow the fact that there is a child out there that could be the victim of abuse?? once a peadophile always a peadophile! it concerns me that you are working with children and that you would make light of a serious issue I believe you to be no better than one! - stong I know and also very much aware of rights to opinions however yours was not an informed one! I bet you have never spoken to a victim and I sincerely hope you never have to!

I have just discovered my school have use one of the resources and I will be informing the head how unhappy I am about this!

Hulababy · 30/03/2011 18:10

ninamag - yes, I would write a letter to the Board of Governers and CC to the Head as well. Ask for a written reply. If no luck, LEA. You could alway CC original letter to LEA.

KatyCustard · 30/03/2011 21:58

I think it's appalling that it's still being used at all, by anyone. Yes, they were good resources and yes, when I was teaching I used up a good few colour cartridges and laminates on them. But in my opinion using the resources now we know more about the man who designed them is totally wrong.

(And, on a slightly less serious note, my job now involves visiting lots of primary schools, and it was all getting a bit "identikit" classroom to be honest.)

SuePurblybilt · 22/06/2011 20:40

Dragging up an old-ish thread I know - I've just done a sparklebox search as DD came home with a worksheet and it rang a bell. Sad
Looks like I'm going to be cementing my reputation as militant Mummy Grin. Does anyone have any new information on this or any boycott groups - I'm thinking FB as I don't use it? I'd like to include it in my email to the school.

Mum2be79 · 22/06/2011 20:54

A lot of my resources are sparklebox. I downloaded and printed them off BEFORE it became apparent about the owner's convictions. The website was 'access denied' at school but for weeks nobody had the decency to tell us why as up North, the news hadn't filtered through. So for a time afterwards, teachers used their USB sticks to print off at work. I still use the resources only because they are there and it would take a very long time (and a lot of money to replace the phonic resources - hundreds of pounds per class) to replace everything. As far as I am aware, teachers at my school no longer use it.

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