This informal CPD article, ‘Filtering and Monitoring in Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)’, was provided by Computeam, who provide IT products and services to schools and Multi Academy Trusts (MATs) across the UK, with the aim of improving educational outcomes through technology.
Understanding digital safeguarding requirements
Every year, Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE)1 provides updated statutory guidance for schools and colleges in England. While covering a broad spectrum of safeguarding measures, its digital expectations continue to evolve – with particular focus on filtering and monitoring.
As technology becomes more deeply embedded in both classroom teaching and school administration, the guidance recognises the increasing importance of protecting pupils from online risks. With that in mind, filtering and monitoring systems are no longer seen as optional enhancements for schools, but essential safeguards that support wider child protection policies.
What do schools need to know about KCSIE’s filtering and monitoring guidance?
The 2023, 2024, and now 2025 updates to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) reflect a growing emphasis on clear responsibilities, technical confidence among school leaders, and emerging online threats – particularly cybercrime. Schools must have effective mechanisms to reduce exposure to harmful online content and review these systems regularly.
This includes:
- Clear roles and accountability: Senior leaders must understand who is responsible for managing filtering and monitoring systems, including how decisions are made about what is blocked or flagged.
- Risk assessment and review: Schools are required to regularly assess their filtering and monitoring provision against potential risks, rather than relying on default settings or supplier assurances.
- Age-appropriate filtering: Settings should reflect the developmental needs of pupils, considering different risks for primary and secondary phases.
- Monitoring that protects and respects: Staff must be able to detect potential concerns without overstepping privacy boundaries – ensuring pupils feel safe, not surveilled.
- Focus on cybercrime threats: Schools should review how filtering and monitoring systems detect signs of cybercrime, such as hacking attempts, phishing, or unauthorised access efforts.
The link between CPD and safeguarding technology
While schools often focus on the technical installation of filtering and monitoring systems, these tools are only as effective as the staff using and reviewing them. The KCSIE guidance points toward a shift in culture — where ongoing professional development is key to building awareness and capability.
Staff need to understand:
- The scope and limitations of their current systems
- How alerts are generated and acted upon
- What risks might go undetected
- How to balance access to educational content with pupil safety
This is where Continuing Professional Development (CPD) becomes a vital component of any safeguarding strategy. Further, CPD ensures that designated safeguarding leads (DSLs), IT staff, and school leaders stay aligned in their understanding of digital safeguarding responsibilities, and can confidently interpret data or adjust settings when needed.
Creating a culture of safe digital use
Effective filtering and monitoring should be viewed as part of a broader safeguarding culture. When staff are trained and confident, systems can inform wellbeing strategies, highlight emerging behavioural trends and provide valuable insights to support individual pupils.
Regular training also helps staff communicate clearly with parents and carers about the school's approach to online safety, supporting a consistent message between school and home. In some schools, staff use monitoring trends to adapt PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic) lessons or to address emerging issues such as inappropriate search behaviour or online peer conflict.
Supporting every staff member
Although much of the filtering and monitoring oversight may fall to IT professionals or safeguarding leads, all staff should understand the principles. Teaching assistants, cover supervisors, admin teams and lunchtime staff are often in positions where they witness digital behaviour firsthand.
CPD plays a central role in ensuring that everyone — regardless of role — knows when and how to raise concerns. Equally important, it helps staff avoid false assumptions or overreliance on automated tools. An alert may indicate a safeguarding issue, but without training, staff may not feel confident interpreting it or taking the next step.
Looking ahead
KCSIE will continue developing its expectations around online safety and technology, and schools should expect further guidance on tools like AI monitoring, cybercrime, digital wellbeing metrics and more nuanced user-level reporting.
By embedding filtering and monitoring into regular CPD cycles, schools can remain responsive to these changes — ensuring that their approach stays technically sound, human-centred and inclusive.
For schools looking to develop their confidence in this area, CPD-accredited training can provide support by reflecting the latest guidance and helping staff across roles to understand and manage filtering and monitoring systems effectively.
We hope this article was helpful. For more information from Computeam, please visit their CPD Member Directory page. Alternatively, you can go to the CPD Industry Hubs for more articles, courses and events relevant to your Continuing Professional Development requirements.
Reference:
- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/keeping-children-safe-in-education--2
