Block harmful content.
Keep every student safe, on school or at home.
Senso Web Content Filtering goes beyond URL blocking. Category intelligence, DNS protection, content-aware inspection, application controls, circumvention blocking and off-network coverage, all governed by one policy hierarchy from trust level down to individual group.
On + Off Network
Filtering wherever students go
Policy Hierarchy
Trust → School → Group → User
DNS + Agent
Dual-layer network and device protection
Safeguarding Linked
Filtering events visible to DSLs
Web filtering for schools
Content-aware school web filtering, on-network and off
Senso Web Content Filtering controls which websites, content categories and applications students and staff can access on managed school devices. Policy operates across a hierarchy from organisation to school to group to individual user, giving IT administrators precise, layered control without managing separate tools per school or cohort.
Filtering is enforced by a combination of agent-based policy on the device and DNS-level protection on the network. This dual-layer approach means students are covered whether they are in school, at home, or on mobile data.
Because Filtering runs on the same Senso platform as Safeguarding Monitoring, filtering events share context with safeguarding detections. A blocked harmful search and a flagged typed keyphrase are visible together, giving designated safeguarding leads a complete picture, not separate siloed reports.
How it works
How Senso Web Content Filtering works
URL and category intelligence
Matches requests against a broad, continuously updated URL category database
Content inspection
Examines page content beyond URL matching to catch harmful material on otherwise permitted domains
DNS controls
Blocks domain lookups at the network level before connections are established on the school network
Device enforcement
Agent-based policy applied directly on the managed device, enforcing rules wherever the device is used
Off-network protection
Filtering continues at home, on public Wi-Fi or mobile data -- enforced by the agent, not the network
Policy cascade
Filtering policy -- from organisation to individual
Rules set at a higher level cascade downward. Exceptions are applied at the level where they are configured, without overriding the levels above.
Organisation rules cascade to every school. Schools apply site-level exceptions. Groups refine rules for cohorts. Individual users can be given permissions within the limits set by their group.
Trusted by schools
Web filtering deployed across more than 12,000 schools
Schools and trusts across the UK rely on Senso Web Content Filtering to protect students on and off network.
Core capabilities
Multiple filtering layers. One policy framework.
Each capability below works as part of an integrated system, not a collection of bolt-ons.
URL and category intelligence
Filtering policy is applied against a broad URL database organised into content categories. Administrators enable, disable or customise category rules at organisation, school, group or individual level, with central policy cascading down and site-level exceptions applied where needed.
- Broad URL category database continuously updated
- Allow and block lists applied at any policy tier
- Custom category overrides per school or cohort
- Safe search enforcement on major search engines
Content-aware inspection
URL categorisation alone cannot catch every harmful page. Content-aware inspection examines what is actually on a page or in a search query, allowing more nuanced filtering decisions beyond simple domain matching, reducing both over-blocking and under-blocking.
- Inspects page content beyond URL-only matching
- Catches harmful content on otherwise permitted domains
- Reduces false positives that disrupt learning
- Works alongside category and DNS filtering
DNS filtering
Applies filtering at the network level by blocking domain lookups for restricted content before any connection is established. Provides an on-network protection layer that acts independently of the device agent, covering all devices on the school network, including those without the Senso agent installed.
On-network filtering
When a managed device is on the school network, filtering is enforced through both DNS controls at the network edge and the agent on the device. The combination provides defence in depth, network filtering catches unmanaged devices; agent-based filtering enforces per-user and per-group policy on managed devices.
Off-network filtering
Because the filtering agent runs on the managed device, policy is enforced even when students are at home, on public Wi-Fi or using mobile data. School-issued devices continue to apply school filtering rules wherever they are used, removing the gap that purely network-based filtering leaves after students leave the building.
Policy hierarchy and group-based policies
Trust-wide rules. School exceptions. Cohort precision.
A rigid one-size-fits-all approach to web filtering creates unnecessary friction. Senso supports a layered policy hierarchy so IT administrators can set baseline standards centrally and delegate controlled exceptions downward, without giving up oversight.
- Organisation-wide baseline policy set at trust or council level
- School-level exceptions without overriding central safeguarding rules
- Group-based policies for year groups, SEND cohorts or sixth form
- Teacher-adjustable class filtering within IT-defined boundaries
- Individual user overrides where operationally required
- Policy inheritance: rules cascade downward, exceptions apply at the level configured
Organisation / Trust
Baseline filtering policy, mandatory categories, reporting
School
Site-level exceptions, local allow/block lists, staff overrides
Group / Cohort
Year group, subject class, SEND or sixth-form rules
User
Individual permissions within group boundaries
Applications and circumvention
Control apps. Block the bypass routes.
Application-aware controls
Web content filtering addresses browser-based access but students also use installed applications. Senso includes application-aware controls so IT administrators can define which applications are permitted on managed devices, complementing URL and category filtering with application-level enforcement.
- Allow and block installed applications by policy
- Application rules set at organisation, school or group level
- Prevents access via apps that bypass browser-based filtering
- Integrated with software and application inventory data
VPN and circumvention blocking
URL and category filtering is only as effective as the controls that prevent students from routing around it. Senso includes agent-based controls to detect and block VPNs, web proxies and other circumvention tools, enforced at the device level, not just at the network edge.
- Blocks known VPN applications and proxy services
- Agent-based enforcement applies off-network as well as on
- Complements DNS filtering to prevent network bypass techniques
- Reduces the arms race between filtering and circumvention
Reporting, safeguarding and image safety
Evidence, alerts and image analysis
Platform coverage
Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, iOS
| Platform | On-network | Off-network | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Windows (managed) | — | ||
| macOS (managed) | — | ||
| ChromeOS (managed) | — | ||
| iOS (managed) | — | ||
| Android (managed) | , | , | Contact Senso for current Android support details |
Contact Senso for full OS version requirements, browser-level coverage details and Android roadmap.
Integrations
Web Content Filtering, frequently asked questions
See Senso Web Content Filtering in action
Book a demonstration and see how category intelligence, DNS filtering, off-network coverage and circumvention controls work together.