Microlink PC (UK) Ltd

Microlink - ALPACA Early Years Literacy Screening Tool

ALPACA is a unique game-based screener, giving early years professionals an effective and efficient way to catch potential literacy challenges at the onset of phonic awareness. The data supports evidence-based early intervention and resource allocation, leading to significant savings in later interventions, resulting in improved learning outcomes for identified children.

Features

• Evidence & Research informed enables evidence based decision making
• Real-time-reporting Results appear instantly within a teacher’s whole class dashboard
• User friendliness Children engage positively within a game-based testing environment
• Easy-Set-up Cloud platform, no local IT installation issues/additional costs
• Easy administration Whole school data can be easily exported
• Time-efficient testing 4-12 children at a time within 20-30 minutes
• Progressive 3 assessment points a year informs progress checking
• Saving-Teacher-Time Testing can be overseen by TAs rather than teachers/SENCOs
• EAL-friendly works with children where English is not the first-language

Benefits

• Early Identification Catching literacy gaps early results in better learning-outcomes.
• Immediate Results Action led insights aide swift response/informed planning
• Time savings Can be administered in-school by Teaching Assistants
• Resource allocation Supports evidence-based targeting of local resources, saving-time/money
• Fast Screening 20-30 minutes per group of 4-12 children
• Promoting Teamwork Evidence-informed dialogue between teachers, SENCOs and Teaching Assistants
• Parents Informs dialogue with parents/carers to maximise home support
• Validity - All children hearing and responding to one voice
• Ease-of-Use child centric & engaging with minimal teacher training required
• Unbiased - Results are automatically and objectively generated

£10 to £11 a user a year

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sam@microlinkpc.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.

Framework

G-Cloud 14

Service ID

770424702800936

Contact

Hazel Knights
02380240300
sam@microlinkpc.com

Service scope

• Software add-on or extension: No
• Cloud deployment model: Public cloud
• Service constraints: No service constraints - the platform is cloud based and can be accessed through tablets and laptops with broadband connectivity.
• System requirements: Late-release internet browser

User support

• Email or online ticketing support: Email or online ticketing
• Support response times: 9-5 Monday to Friday - 2 hours
• User can manage status and priority of support tickets: Yes
• Online ticketing support accessibility: None or don’t know
• Phone support: Yes
• Phone support availability: 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
• Web chat support: No
• Onsite support: Yes, at extra cost
• Support levels: Microlink works with each of our individual clients to agree upon an appropriate support structure for the service in scope of that contract. Support services are aligned to meet unique needs and preferences as Microlink recognises that each client will be different.
• Support available to third parties: No

Onboarding and offboarding

• Getting started: The ALPACA platform has been created to achieve maximum efficiencies in deployment, configuration and use. A comprehensive data management front-end ensures that participating schools can quickly create accounts, assign children to teachers to classes. Screening, and data analysis, can begin immediately.
• Service documentation: No
• End-of-contract data extraction: Under this system personal data is obtained directly from data subjects by direct informed and transparent consent at the very outset of each case. Microlink acts as a Data Controller in relation to that personal data. There is no Buyer Data on the system save for incidental Business Card contact data of stakeholders within the Buyer with whom Microlink deals in the course of delivering the services and implementing recommended adjustments. Data Subject rights to access or delete data operate under and in full compliance with Data Protection Legislation. Any residual Buyer Data can be returned to the Buyer at the end of the contract in such format as may be agreed (usually as a .csv file).
• End-of-contract process: Upon end/termination of contracts, user accounts, are automatically de-activated and the user is notified via email or other means as selected by the user. Any user-specific application data within the platform (note this excludes personal/sensitive data held by Microlink as a Data Controller) will be only be retained in accordance with our data retention policy to facilitate any specific requirements for extraction of data.

Using the service

• Web browser interface: Yes
• Supported browsers:
  • Microsoft Edge
  • Firefox
  • Chrome
  • Safari
• Application to install: No
• Designed for use on mobile devices: Yes
• Differences between the mobile and desktop service: The layout of the user interface adapts depending on the screen size utilised by the end user.
• Service interface: No
• User support accessibility: WCAG 2.1 AA or EN 301 549
• API: No
• Customisation available: No

Scaling

• Independence of resources: Microlink utilise and configures our environments within Microsoft Azure and have designed the service automatically to allocate additional resources depending on demand. Microlink also make use of Azure’s Web Application Firewalls and monitoring tools to detect Distributed Denial of Service and respond appropriately.

Analytics

• Service usage metrics: No

Resellers

• Supplier type: Not a reseller

Staff security

• Staff security clearance: Conforms to BS7858:2019
• Government security clearance: Up to Security Clearance (SC)

Asset protection

• Knowledge of data storage and processing locations: Yes
• Data storage and processing locations: United Kingdom
• User control over data storage and processing locations: No
• Datacentre security standards: Managed by a third party
• Penetration testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Penetration testing approach: Another external penetration testing organisation
• Protecting data at rest: Physical access control, complying with another standard
• Data sanitisation process: Yes
• Data sanitisation type: Explicit overwriting of storage before reallocation
• Equipment disposal approach: Complying with a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v.30, CAS (Sanitisation) or ISO/IEC 27001

Data importing and exporting

• Data export approach: The Customer Portal is expressly configured to allow for the end-user to store their workplace adjustment documentation there. This can be downloaded by that end-user to their own system at any time.
• Data export formats:
  • CSV
  • Other
• Other data export formats: As agreed with the Buyer in any Exit Plan
• Data import formats: Other
• Other data import formats: Direct Input

Data-in-transit protection

• Data protection between buyer and supplier networks: TLS (version 1.2 or above)
• Data protection within supplier network: TLS (version 1.2 or above)

Availability and resilience

• Guaranteed availability: As per published availability and resilience data for Microsoft Azure.
• Approach to resilience: Resilience is underwritten by our service provider, Microsoft Azure.
• Outage reporting: Any outage is reported by dynamic email alerting. Outage alerts are sent to pre-registered user(s) at the client by the support desk

Identity and authentication

• User authentication needed: Yes
• User authentication: Other
• Other user authentication: Microlink provides access to the Customer Portal using either 2-factor authentication OR by allowing Buyers to bring their own identity provider (SSO and SAML 2.0).
• Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels: We implement comprehensive access control policies, defining and restricting who can access data based on their role and the necessity of access. These policies are enforced through robust authentication and authorisation mechanisms, including multi-factor authentication and the principle of least privilege. Regular audits and compliance checks are conducted to ensure that logical segregation controls are effectively implemented and maintained. These audits also help identify potential vulnerabilities and enforce continuous improvement in our security posture. Continuous monitoring and logging of access and activities related to client data help in detecting and responding to potential security incidents promptly.
• Access restriction testing frequency: At least every 6 months
• Management access authentication:
  • 2-factor authentication
  • Other
• Description of management access authentication: Microlink utilises an Identity Federation with an existing provider. More specifically Microsoft Entra ID which is a cloud-based identity and access management service that end users can use to access external resources.

Audit information for users

• Access to user activity audit information: No audit information available
• Access to supplier activity audit information: No audit information available
• How long system logs are stored for: At least 12 months

Standards and certifications

• ISO/IEC 27001 certification: Yes
• Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001: NQA
• ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date: 18/08/2022
• What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover: Covers all Microlink work in relation to disability in work or education.
• ISO 28000:2007 certification: No
• CSA STAR certification: No
• PCI certification: No
• Cyber essentials: Yes
• Cyber essentials plus: Yes
• Other security certifications: No

Security governance

• Named board-level person responsible for service security: Yes
• Security governance certified: Yes
• Security governance standards: ISO/IEC 27001
• Information security policies and processes: Microlink is ISO 27001:2013 certified and maintains information security policies accordingly. This includes the Business Management System Manual, which details the scope, the objectives, the responsibilities and the risk rating and management, as well as the mobile device policy, clear desk, access, teleworking and encryption management policy. Several other policies are also in force, including Change and Release procedure, document retention policy, incident management procedure, information classification and handling policy and the physical security policy. Finally, Microlink maintains a detailed Risk register for logging of events and triggering any preventative/remedial measures. There is a documented escalation path from operator level right through to our board with dynamic stakeholder alerting at each level.

Operational security

• Configuration and change management standard: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example CSA CCM v3.0 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Configuration and change management approach: Microlink utilises and tracks all changes within our case management system. This system ensures that the change and justification for the change is recorded as well as impacted areas including potential security impacts are recorded. Once a change has been defined the system facilitates getting approval signed by all the owners of the impacted areas. Once a review is approved it is implemented on a staging environment for review and once accepted it meets the criteria deployed to production.
• Vulnerability management type: Supplier-defined controls
• Vulnerability management approach: Through Microsoft Azure we have a number of systems in place including automated container vulnerability scanning, monthly patching of servers, and annual penetration testing of the service.
• Protective monitoring type: Supplier-defined controls
• Protective monitoring approach: Microlink utilises a combination of tools such as static application security testing, dynamic application security testing as well as human lead testing in the form of manual security tests and penetration testing to identify potential compromises. When a compromise is discovered, the compromise is recorded, and impact measured so it can be categorised appropriately: • Info / None • Low • Medium • High • Critical.
• Incident management type: Conforms to a recognised standard, for example, CSA CCM v3.0 or ISO/IEC 27035:2011 or SSAE-16 / ISAE 3402
• Incident management approach: Whether you have pre-defined processes for common events Yes, Microlink have pre-defined processes for common events. How Users Report Incidents Microlink utilises an incident management system, that allows any staff to report and record incident’s as and when they occur. This process ensures appropriate recording and remediation of incidents is performed. Incidents are actively monitored and allow Microlink to record new controls and risks within our risk register. How you provide Incident reports Incidents that affect our buyers are communicated directly to the buyer from the buyers “account manager”.

Secure development

• Approach to secure software development best practice: Independent review of processes (for example CESG CPA Build Standard, ISO/IEC 27034, ISO/IEC 27001 or CSA CCM v3.0)

Public sector networks

• Connection to public sector networks: No

Social Value

• Social Value:

  Social Value

  • Fighting climate change
  • Covid-19 recovery
  • Tackling economic inequality
  • Equal opportunity
  • Wellbeing

  Fighting climate change

  Microlink has a published Carbon Reduction Plan available on our website. We are publicly committed to achieving Net Zero by 2050.; ; Approximately 80% of our employees are currently working in a hybrid manner which is reducing our impact on the environment due to the reduction in commuter miles.; We are currently working with our supply chain to produce a sustainability index on all catalogue items. This will enable our customers to purchase products and services with all the information they need to make an informed choice about the sustainability of those items. It will also encourage suppliers to improve their own sustainability index in comparison with any of their competitors.; ; We are reducing the use of plastic in our packaging, using cardboard, paper or wool instead and changing our delivery provider to a company committed to electric-only delivery vehicles by 2025.; ; We have audits underway in our premises to monitor and reduce hearing lighting and cooling usage and plan to institute automatic monitoring and adjustment of heating and lighting to operate automatically when personnel are present and shut down when they are not. We also plan to implement a substitution of gas heating with heat-pumps and the installation of a solar panel array.; ; We are now working with our sub-contract partners to assist them with improvements in sustainability and carbon reduction plans in line with our own Carbon Reduction Plan published in November 2021.

  Covid-19 recovery

  Microlink’s products and services have enabled a quarter of a million people to alleviate their health conditions and disabilities, across both the education and employment sectors. This has never been more relevant than now in the post-COVID environment.; ; During the pandemic, we consulted with our employees and implemented a Safe Working Policy which affects every employee when they work or visit the building. Since the loosening of restrictions, our employees voted to retain the testing put in place. Typically, each Monday, those working in the building provide a negative LFT and we request any visitors to do the same in advance of their physical presence at our premises. Microlink supplies its staff, free of charge, the LFT testing kits.; ; If an employee tests positive, they are asked to work from home if they feel well enough to do so and we encourage the relevant isolation periods before returning to work in the building. We do not promote presenteeism. Only ten employees are unable to work from home. In addition, to avoid viruses from spreading, we advocate working from home if employees show symptoms or contract the common cold.; ; During lockdown, we adhered to guidance given by the Government regarding safe working and we still maintain an upstairs/downstairs approach when working in the building. We wear masks when leaving our desks to visit common areas. We distribute hand sanitiser for individuals to use alongside the hand sanitiser dispensers located throughout the building and we have provided cleaning products so employees can clean their workstations at the end of each working day.; ; The company cleaner regularly wipes communal surfaces every day (e.g. stair rails) and the seating area in the canteen.

  Tackling economic inequality

  Microlink are an equal opportunities employer with a strict policy applied to employees; our processes are conducted on merit and suitability. Recruitment procedures and employment conditions are aligned to the Good Work Plan and our Equality and Diversity policy and regularly reviewed to ensure they remain non-discriminatory.; Over 45% of Microlink’s current workforce are self-declared as being disabled. These staff members are at the forefront of our management team, our client-facing activities and our market leading research and development team.; ; Microlink is a Disability Confident employer and look to assist other businesses to become Disability Confident. We have won a range of awards related to this, including the National Diversity Award 2015 and have been recognised as a Disability Champion by the Business Disability Forum.; ; As a business we value education greatly –three members of our Senior Management Team act as school governors in their local area. We strongly believe that the delivery of quality services is reliant on providing workplace opportunities to graduates to train into the levels of experience that our business requires. Therefore, it is important to us to give back and help younger people gain valuable experience within a technical and consultative environment such as ours. We are always open to accommodating graduates and provide work experience to local students.; ; We routinely maintain an innovation and research programme targeted at ensuring that the company’s knowledge and expertise is completely up to date and researching technology-based methods for enhancing our service. This entire programme encompasses evaluation, testing, trial and marketing of new innovative assistive technologies as they become market-ready.; ; We also routinely host, participate in and attend various marketplace forums and events as speaker and panellist, and utilise learnings from these to underpin the research and innovation drive towards our overall service excellence.

  Equal opportunity

  Our vision is to create an inclusive society which embraces diversity and releases the potential to advance humanity. We are an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all groups of society. We regularly review remuneration surveys to ensure that pay is fair and relevant to location.; ; We adhere to policies such as Employment Standards, Ethics, Equality & Diversity, Recruitment & Retention, Reasonable Adjustment and the Equality Act 2010.; ; Candidate CV’s received for any role are anonymised. The recruiter will review the qualifications and experience required to fulfil a role to remove unconscious bias. When inviting a candidate for interview, we are clear about its format, time, length, how many people will be on the panel and their roles. We typically do not publish the interview questions in advance but will forward to candidates if requested.; ; We use language that can be understood by all. We ask if we can make an adjustment for the interview itself and to share information about a disability, health condition or communication difference e.g additional time to respond to questions, BSL support or closed captioning (subtitles) if there is a hearing challenge for example.; ; DSE for all new employees and Access to Work applications are made within the first six weeks of employment. We supply the right tools to enable the individual to carry out their duties.; ; Career progression is available via on the job learning or gaining further qualifications. Mentoring and coaching is available. We accept students for work experience and have and will use apprenticeship initiatives. We give our employees every opportunity to succeed as they are the future of the company.; ; We value every contribution that our employees make. Employees succeed due to their individual performance efforts. Individuals undergo a monthly 1-1 to discuss their performance and identify any skill gaps.

  Wellbeing

  The pandemic taught us that loneliness and social isolation has a devastating impact on our health and wellbeing. Microlink is an extension of an employee’s family, not just an employer. We listen and help in whatever way we can.; ; We strive for contentment and have a transparent relationship with employees. We are signed up to Mindful Employer and implement the 6 standards in the Mental Health at Work commitment including promoting an open culture around mental health, a systematic programme of activity and providing mental health tools. We use scientifically designed impact studies to build employee engagement and foster wellbeing in Microlink.; ; We encourage open discussions about what the problems may be via 1-1’s with line managers, HR and Mental Health Champions. We embrace wellbeing initiatives and we regularly train our line managers in how to begin conversations. For employees who need specialist 1-1 counselling, we signpost them to the Company Counsellor for confidential help and guidance.; ; We have a clear communication practice in place to advise staff . we do this weekly and our messages are recorded akin to daily news bulletins on the TV which are then subsequently circulated in an accessible video.; ; We take part in group activities. Bake off days and other events, for example. We volunteer to help local communities such as local colleges and schools by giving our time to undertake mock interviews or opening up our workplace for specific work experience.; ; We are open to volunteering ventures to make the lives better for our local communities and have, in the past painted and gardened. We have raised money and donated to local charities.

Pricing

• Price: £10 to £11 a user a year
• Discount for educational organisations: No
• Free trial available: No

Service documents

• Pricing document

  PDF

• Skills Framework for the Information Age rate card

  PDF

• Service definition document

  PDF

• Terms and conditions

  PDF

Request an accessible format

If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need versions of these documents in a more accessible format, email the supplier at sam@microlinkpc.com. Tell them what format you need. It will help if you say what assistive technology you use.