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?

It was blocked ny our LA but dd came home with some stuff with the logo. I mentioned it to the head and it turned out that a few staff had not realised why it was banned and had been printing it out at home.

Now not used at all throughout the school.

A lot of nurseries and schools have spent money and time printing these resources out (before we knew about his convictions) and although many refuse to use to use the website anymore they do continue to use the already made resources.

I use Twinkl now and find it really good!

I much prefer Teacher's Pet (tpet.co.uk/#/home) to Twinkl. Twinkl is too 'cute' and EYFS/KS1 centered in my view, while TPet is far more broad ranging.

TPet is also MUCH less expensive (£12 a year for Activities), with more stuff for free. Twinkl charges £30+ for their full service.

tpet.co.uk/#/home with a working link this time!

Reception teacher here. :)

I use Sparklebox occasionally from home (can't get on it at school, as it's blocked).

Mostly though, teachers use Twinkl these days. The graphics aren't quite as good as on Sparklebox, but it's a good substitute. That being said, they are charging for more things these days, I've heard. Which teachers aren't happy about it.
Because of that, some are switching to Mrs Pancake, which is taking off slowly.

Why would anyone continue to use Sparklebox once they knew they were lining the pockets of a convicted pedophiles every time they went in to it?

Genuine question: If he's served a prison sentence, has he not 'paid' for any crimes he committed? Is the stance on here/ with the LAs that once a paedophile, you forfeit the right to earn any money, ever again, or is it just when in a capacity that is related to children. Does this moral stance apply to all criminals?

I know my DCs old school used it, I raised it and was treated like a loon.

Not sure about new school but I would be really grateful for an article that sets out the issues so that I can pass it on should the issue arise again

yes twinle is charging more and you have to log in every time you want something... which is annoying... not easy to remember passwords issued either. do like the resources thought. Dont use spaklebox and is blocked anyway.

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8462650.stm

BBC Inside Out prog re Sparklebox vimeo.com/9017250

I didn't know about this - our school uses forests of Sparklebox. I may raise it next time a certificate makes its way home.

There are literally dozens of on line resource sites to use as well as Twinkl

just a few

www.communication4all.co.uk/

displays.tpet.co.uk/#/ViewLatest

www.earlylearninghq.org.uk/

mrspancake.com/

primarytreasurechest.com/

www.mrprintables.com/free-preschool-printables.html

www.pencilstreet.org/

Thanks mrz

If the teachers still use old or new resources from Sparklebox it means either they are unfortunately completely ignorant or they do not care about the victims and their families. Some people get pleasure by looking at the pictures where the child is seen being abused but it is a demand for more abuse. It means more pictures like that will be produced in the future. More children will be abused because some "humans" like the owner of the Sparklebox sexually enjoy by looking at the victims.
I would throw all those old or new printouts from Sparklebox and make new one by myself or find a reputable website to print them out. I do not see anything that exceptional in any printouts my children bring home. I could make a better alphabet poster than the one from Sparklebox. I do remember my child bringing it home and could not understand why was the necessity for the teacher to print it out from the Sparklebox owned by a pedophile.

I fail to understand why a teacher, a highly-educated person, meant to teach our children different subjects fail to get why it is perverse to use the resources from websites like Sparklebox.I suspect there is more to it than ignorance. This issue has been discussed many many times.

What are you implyingcherryblossom? That teachers who use the rresources are all embroiled in the "paedo ring of evil".

If the teachers still use old or new resources from Sparklebox it means either they are unfortunately completely ignorant or they do not care about the victims and their families.

^^ This

Cherryblossoming isn't implying anything, jinglebitch - she's made her point extremely clear.

I suspect there is more to it

What then? This is not clear.

Thanks Feenie.
jinglebitch, I am not implying what you say but I fail to understand why teachers would use these resources knowingly. What is the point in working with children if you use the website owned by a pedophile, an enemy of youngsters. You need to think deeply to understand why it is insulting to families. It is heartless I would say but I would not call all teachers nurturing. Some of them just should not work with children. May be jinglebitch you do not have children of your own and that is why it is hard for you to understand this issue with Sparklebox.
Perhaps you could justify your point. Yes, he served his time but he will always remain a pedophile because this illness is incurable.

Not only that, but police suspicions linked directly to the website led to his second conviction - he was asking teachers to send in pictures of children, and police investigated and secured his second conviction.

I suspect there is more to it

That means heartless, not caring about the victims of child abuse and their suffering families.
There are resources so why not to use them. They are really good. He was punished, served his time. Blah-blah-blah.

You can justify your point why you think it is all right to use old and new resources from a website owned by a twice convicted pedophile.

I see that the majority think it is unethical to use this website.

jinglebitch, I do not think there are recovering pedophiles. Does anyone know? Is there anything that will stop them thinking about children in a sexual way? Still, I would not use his resources. I would not be able to look into parents' eyes.

Do you think schools and parents should be funding the hobby of a twice convicted paedophile jinglebitch?

Our school stopped using Sparklebox a couple of years ago. We missed the resources initially but there are so many alternatives out there now. We use Twinkl, Mrs Pancake, Primary Plan, Chalk Face etc instead now.