Is there still an issue with Sparklebox?

[Tailtwister]

DS1 has been sent home with writing worksheets which have 'Sparklebox' written on them. I recalled reading about there being an issue with the owner of the company, but wondered if he's still involved.

Does anyone else's school use Sparklebox resources? I was under the impression from previous threads that most schools had stopped using them, but maybe something has changed since?

Daniel/Samuel Kinge is still a registered director and profits directly each time the site is visited.

Some schools don't know this - some don't care.

Incredibly, it's not illegal for him to continue running a site which indirectly links to children, because he has now served his second sentence for downloading child pornography (the first sentence he received for the same offences but in his school laptop - he was a Reception teacher). But the authorities were alerted the second time when he began asking teachers to post pictures if children on his website.

It's a moral issue, then.

Not used at our school.

Blocked by my LEA

I've used sparkle box for my own children and liked the resources... but agree, not keen on visiting it again.

Are there any good alternative sites then?

Blocked by the council in my school. Resources not allowed from home printers either.

banned in my lea

twinkl is the new sparklebox

Thanks for all the replies. I'm reluctant to rock the boat at the school, but feel the serious nature of the charges against the owner warrant some investigation. DS1 has just started in P1 and as such I don't want to mark myself out as being a trouble maker or busybody, but I will ask the school about their policy regarding the site.

Thank you for noting an alternative soapboxqueen. I find it hard to believe the school aren't aware of the situation with Sparklebox, but you never know...

I wouldn't be at all surprised if the school didn't know, I found out through mumsnet NOT from the LEA or school.

Our LEA blocked Sparklebox and let us all know why, I assume still blocked although haven't tried it recently!

Ours is blocked still. Checked it out again after a recent thread on here. Our Head said we could use resources if we'd already got them previously, or printed them off at home. Surely if one objects on moral grounds then we shouldn't be using them wherever/whenever they're from?
Can't get on with Twinkl, however. Have to say that Sparklebox was better, but hey ho, too bad!

They are such lovely resources, but no way would I use them.

Our school just recommended them, I didn't know there was an issue, eek.

Really? Do any schools not know? Honestly? I very much doubt it. I agree - there's plenty of stuff on Twinkl.co.uk

I wouldn't use any of their resources at home or school.

My dc has just come home from school with sparklebox printouts. We're in Edinburgh, anyone else local seen the same? I'm surprised the LEA allow it.

I am sure all schools know about Sparklebox. This has been discussed so many times and even blocked by many LA. One teacher I remember said they would use the printouts anyway. Feel disgusted.
And who in their right mind would name a similar site as Twinkle? The name reminds me of Sparklebox so for this reason I do not use Twinkle.

Not a teacher just a mum. Didn't know this. I have had problem with virus from sparkle box on computer after downloading stuff. Will not use now I know about this man. horrid!

I didn't know. my school and indeed my classroom is full of sparklebox.

I suspect that the similarity between the name 'Sparklebox' and 'Twinkl' is deliberate; people are looking for those sorts of resources and know that Sparklebox used to be a good source but is ill-advised nowadays (if not totally blocked by many LEAs), Twinkl looks and sounds similar. Which it is.

Interesting reading. I'm a mum and teacher and in the interests of transparency I work for twinkl too! It's good to know that people like our resources because that's why we do what we do. We know there is a need for free resources and we try to make as many as we can simply to make people's lives easier and (hopefully!) help children make good progress. I'm certainly open to feedback about our site and what we can do to help even more people, please let me know what we can do! I really love my job, we are a small (but growing!) company and we're all really passionate about what we do. We also work with lots of bloggers so if anyone has a blog and is interested in reviewing our site, please let me know!

So, jetheather, did you (or your company) deliberately name Twinkl to attract those from Sparklebox who couldn't, in all conscience, use it anymore?

(genuine question)

If the word 'Sparklebox' was blocked out you wouldn't know where the worksheet had come from!

It's not easy to block out the logo - they deliberately incorporate it into the page design.

I don't think the issue is blocking out the logo. It's ensuring that convicted paedophile doesn't profit from people clicking on his website. He'll still be getting advertising revenue.
I had to bring it up with my DC's old nursery as the walls were littered with sparklebox resources.

They thought I was being over zealous initially until I sent them an article that had been linked on here and agreed to stop using them.

and you would still be supporting a twice convicted paedophile