NeuralShield
AI Content Filtering for Schools
A purpose-built appliance that sits inside your school, classifies every DNS query in real-time with AI, and keeps all student data on-premises. No cloud. No per-student licensing. No blocklist gaps.
Student Device
DNS query
NeuralShield
AI appliance
Allowed
safe site
Blocked
harmful site
Features
What it does.
AI-Powered Classification
Custom DistilBERT model trained on school-specific DNS patterns. Not a blocklist — real-time AI inference on every query. New threats caught the moment they appear.
100% On-Premises
All data stays inside the school building. No student browsing data sent to the cloud. Ever. GDPR compliance by architecture, not policy.
Automated Safeguarding Reports
Weekly PDF reports emailed to the headteacher. KCSB-compliant incident register generated automatically. Ofsted and ISI inspection-ready documentation.
Threat Intelligence Feeds
Integrated with URLhaus, PhishTank, and OpenPhish for known-bad domains. DGA detection catches algorithmically generated domains used by malware.
Device Identity Mapping
Maps IP addresses to specific devices and users. Know exactly which device accessed what, when. Full audit trail for safeguarding investigations.
Self-Healing Network
Dual watchdog system monitors the bridge. Automatic recovery within 60 seconds if issues arise. 10+ months production with zero downtime incidents.
How it works
4 simple steps.
DNS Interception
Pi-hole captures every DNS request from every device on the school network.
AI Classification
A custom-trained DistilBERT model analyses each domain — safe, explicit, gaming, VPN, streaming, and more.
Instant Blocking
Harmful domains are blocked before the page loads. The student never sees the content.
Automated Reporting
Weekly safeguarding reports emailed to the headteacher. Incident register generated automatically.
The Problem
Your current filter is already behind.
Smoothwall, Securly, Lightspeed — they all rely on the same approach: URL blocklists. Static lists of known-bad domains, updated periodically. Here's why that's not enough.
New Threats Slip Through
A new harmful domain goes live. Your blocklist won't know about it for hours or days. AI classifies it instantly.
Your Data Leaves the Building
Cloud-based filters route student browsing data through third-party servers — often in the US. That's a GDPR risk you don't need.
Per-Student Costs Scale Up
£3-8 per student per year adds up. Enrollment grows, costs grow. NeuralShield is one appliance — no per-student licensing.
Traditional Filters vs NeuralShield
Why AI beats blocklists.
URL blocklists (static, always behind)
AI model classifies in real-time
Student data routed through US cloud servers
100% on-premises — nothing leaves the school
£3-8 per student per year (scales with enrollment)
One-time hardware — no per-student fees
New threats missed until list is updated
AI catches new domains the moment they appear
Manual safeguarding reports
Automated weekly PDFs to the headteacher
Limited customisation
Model trained specifically for your school
The Hardware
Purpose-built. GPU-accelerated.
NeuralShield runs on a dedicated server with NVIDIA GPU acceleration for real-time AI inference. It connects inline between your router and network switch — completely transparent to existing infrastructure.
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D (8-core/16-thread) |
| Memory | 64GB DDR5 |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super (12GB VRAM) |
| Storage | 400GB NVMe |
| Network | Dual Gigabit NICs — active-backup bond, transparent bridge mode |
| Installation | Zero changes to student devices, software, or network configuration |
Compliance
Built for UK schools. Built for inspectors.
KCSB Part 2 Compliance
- Appropriate filters and monitoring systems
- Every DNS query logged and searchable
- Automated incident register
- Screenshot evidence capture for DSL investigations
GDPR & Data Privacy
- No student data transmitted to third parties
- No reliance on external cloud services
- Complete data ownership and control
- Simplified GDPR compliance by architecture
Deployment
What your school gets.
Standard Deployment
- Pre-configured appliance — tested and loaded before arrival
- On-site installation (1-2 days) — zero disruption
- AI model training on your school's network patterns
- Staff training — DSL and IT walkthrough
- Ongoing remote support and monitoring
- Automated weekly safeguarding reports
- Threat feed updates and model improvements
Optional Add-Ons
- +Custom Kibana dashboards for senior leadership reporting
- +Real-time safeguarding alerts via email, Slack, or Microsoft Teams
- +Multi-site deployment for school groups and MATs
- +Custom AI model training for school-specific filtering needs
- +Integration with school MIS (SIMS, iSAMS)
Proven in Production
10+ months protecting a UK prep school.
Zero downtime. Zero student data in the cloud.
Read how Vita Et Pax School deployed NeuralShield alongside 7 other AI systems — from bursar automation to camera monitoring — all built and managed by Drakon Systems.
Read the NeuralShield case study10+
Months in production
0
Student data sent to cloud
24/7
Automated protection
<60s
Self-healing recovery
Pricing
Simple, transparent pricing.
NeuralShield Appliance
From £4,999
Hardware + on-site installation and configuration
- ✓Pre-configured GPU-accelerated server
- ✓On-site installation (1-2 days)
- ✓AI model trained on your school's network
- ✓Staff and DSL training walkthrough
- ✓Dashboard and reporting setup
- ✓30 days post-install support included
Ongoing Support
From £299/mo
Monitoring, updates, and continuous improvement
- ✓Remote monitoring and incident response
- ✓Threat feed updates (URLhaus, PhishTank, OpenPhish)
- ✓AI model retraining and improvements
- ✓Automated weekly safeguarding reports
- ✓Priority support for DSL and IT staff
- ✓Compliance documentation updates
Frequently Asked Questions
How does NeuralShield differ from Smoothwall, Securly, or Lightspeed?+
What happens if NeuralShield goes down?+
What hardware is required?+
How long does installation take?+
Is NeuralShield GDPR compliant?+
Can the AI model be customised for our school?+
Do you support multi-site deployments?+
Protect your school with AI that actually works.
NeuralShield has been protecting students at a UK independent school for over 10 months. If you want smarter filtering, better safeguarding reports, and complete data sovereignty — book a demo.