hantsweb

Logging onto OWL

When logging onto OWL you will see this screen.

After entering your user name and password you will be presented with two additional options for ‘Client’ and ‘Security’. We are unable to remove or hide these options from the OWL login screen as they are required by non-school council users of the system.

• Client - the default option is Premium this can be left as is. The Basic option provides a cut down version of the system and is designed for users logging on from non-broadband data lines.
• Security - select the Private option (as shown above) when logging on from school. The Public or Shared Computer option is designed for use in less safe environments and will automatically disable your OWL connection after 15 minutes of inactive use.

These options need to be selected each time you log onto OWL.

OWL mailbox sizes

The OWL mailbox storage limit is 100MB. If you exceed this limit you will receive an email warning and will need to undertake some OWL housekeeping (deleting unwanted folders, emails, etc).

Allocation of Accounts

Each school is entitled to three free accounts. These will be for the Headteacher, Admin Officer and Chair of Governors. Depending on your number on role you may also be entitled to additional free accounts:

Additional chargeable mailboxes can be requested via the IT Help Desk and the administrator at each school has to create the new account.

Setting up and deleting new OWL accounts within the school

Local school Administration Officers are responsible for all local OWL user administration within the school (i.e. setting up, changing and deleting OWL user accounts, etc). Online learning material is available from Learn IT.

OWL email account for Governing Bodies

The OWL service is a fully managed and secure email service for communication between Hampshire County Council and schools. It is a cut down version of MS Outlook and all inbound email is centrally scanned for viruses and unsolicited main (spam) before delivery.

Free OWL accounts have been set up for each school headteacher and administration officer and additional chargeable mailboxes can be requested via the IT Help Desk.

Schools are responsible for managing the local access of these boxes and any problems can be reported direct to the IT Help Desk.

New mailboxes can be requested via the IT Help Desk.

All OWL users are included in the IT Services Active directory and the OWL email addresses form the basis of centrally maintained school distribution lists.

OWL/OWA Training material can be found can be accessed by going to the Learn IT site.

More information

• Headteacher and Admin Officer logons are provided free of charge, additional users incur a charge of £20 per mailbox
• the Administrator at each school has to create the new account
• recipients of each mailbox must familiarise themselves with the OWL System Administrators Information.

before accessing or using OWL

• OWL requires a minimum of Internet Explorer V6
• mailbox size has a limit of 100MB.
• the mailbox is part of an Educational Software Licence and must not be used for personal emails (use for personal emails will breach the terms of licence)
• the Admin Officer at each school is responsible for support in the event of any issues that that Governors representative may have (if they are unable to sort the problem, then the AO should call the IT Help Desk and the time will be deducted from the Schools SLA hours)
• Hampshire IT is not responsible for OWL when used on home computers.

To set up a Governing Body account

• An OWL account is available for the Governing Body of each Hampshire school - find out from your Chair of Governors who in the Governing body is to use the account and set up an OWL account in their name as normal (e.g. john.smith@schoolname.hants.sch.uk).
• Assign this to the Governing Body role - this account should have the generic address of gb@schoolname.hants.sch.uk, so you can use this to email the Governing bodies of any school, e.g. using headteacher@ or adminoffice@.
• This account is to be “owned” and accessed by one governor for the whole body and administered by schools in the same way as they administer other OWL accounts.

If you require any further information regarding OWL email accounts for Governing Bodies please call the IT Help Desk