New web site for kids

[dack]

Don't RM (who have a virtual monopoly on school IT in England) offer a communications portal on their education intranet thingy?

They do but it's not individual school specific , all registered schools have access.

[Troll]

Genuine pupils are gonna want to register with their school so they can communicate with friends.

Problem:

Schoolkids will not know any (many) kids in other schools as most of their circle of friends will be at their own schools - so if your business model depends on inter-school comms may not be such a take-up

[DaveB]

Payment by paypal could be a problem for the initial school registration. Schools, as far as I am aware, dont have company credit cards etc. so you are relying on a member of staff being willing to pay up on their card and reclaim the costs. Accepting BACS or CHAPS transfers from the schools would be better.

You might also want to add an option for the school to register all it's pupils in one go for a discount on the annual rate.

Finally you dont give any incentive for the kids to join up since they can already talk to eachother online via MSN, Myspace, chat forums etc. Why would they want to use a school sponsored, and moderated, service and pay for it? The reason they use the other alternatives is frequently because they don't want adults/teachers moderating or monitoring who they are and what they can say.

[dack]

Problem:

Schoolkids will not know any (many) kids in other schools as most of their circle of friends will be at their own schools - so if your business model depends on inter-school comms may not be such a take-up

I agree, that's why it doesn't. Users can only communicate with kids from their own school. Each school site is seperate.

[Troll]

I agree, that's why it doesn't. Users can only communicate with kids from their own school. Each school site is seperate.

Ah right ... I'm afraid this makes it worse

[dack]

Ah right ... I'm afraid this makes it worse

Howcome?

[oraclesmith]

So you can't communicate outside your own school ? Good for security, not so good for functionality.

What is your policy on collecting data for pupils under the age of 13 ?

You will be holding children's details, presumably in a database, so are your staff CRB checked ? Do you have the necessary security arrangements in place to prevent misuse ?

Also, have you discussed the arrangements with the LEA's, the DfES and others ?

[dack]

Payment by paypal could be a problem for the initial school registration. Schools, as far as I am aware, dont have company credit cards etc. so you are relying on a member of staff being willing to pay up on their card and reclaim the costs. Accepting BACS or CHAPS transfers from the schools would be better.

You might also want to add an option for the school to register all it's pupils in one go for a discount on the annual rate.

Finally you dont give any incentive for the kids to join up since they can already talk to eachother online via MSN, Myspace, chat forums etc. Why would they want to use a school sponsored, and moderated, service and pay for it? The reason they use the other alternatives is frequently because they don't want adults/teachers moderating or monitoring who they are and what they can say.

Pupils & staff pay for their own subscription, obviously parents will be paying for the pupils. Yes, other places are free, but Schools Only provides forums, blogs etc for 'your' school only. Free sites can contain just about anybody and most will be unknown.

I disagree, forums & chat rooms are changing. Derrogative comments can land individuals in trouble. People (and kifds) are more careful with what they say 'electronically' as it can sometimes have consequences.

[Ardesco]

It has to be said it seems slightly pointless as any school could just get a freebie copy of phpBB and do all this themselves.

You need the ability to import PLASC files and create accounts for all pupils using PLASC file data.

Secondly I would get a professional designer to update your logo and photographs, they look slightly grainy and you are going to have your work cut out breaking into schools.

Also bear in mind that the reason RM has a virtual monopoly on schools is that they are all mainly ex-teachers, all are encouraged to become governers and get as involved with local schools as possible and they have very good links with LEA's. In the vast majority of cases schools do what thier LEA tells them to do when it comes to IT so you have to market this to the LEA as well.

[Ardesco]

Pupils & staff pay for their own subscription, obviously parents will be paying for the pupils. Yes, other places are free, but Schools Only provides forums, blogs etc for 'your' school only. Free sites can contain just about anybody and most will be unknown.

I disagree, forums & chat rooms are changing. Derrogative comments can land individuals in trouble. People (and kifds) are more careful with what they say 'electronically' as it can sometimes have consequences.

Oh looks like i got the wrong end of the stick, you are expecting random schools and pupils to pay you?

All I will say is good luck, I doubt the parents are going to want to pay a yearly subscription so that thier little darlings can post on a school only forum/blog/gallery when you can get all this for free.