Revising the ICT policy

Philosophy

We believe that the pupils of this school must be able to recognise and adapt to a society which is served by an ever increasing use of ICT related processes. To enable pupils to prepare for this we believe that all pupils must have equal and appropriate access to ICT resources.

There is a need for pupils:

• To develop a set of coherent ICT skills so that they may, in time, be able to use ICT effectively, creatively and autonomously across the whole range of the curriculum.
• To be able to take advantage of ICT opportunities to promote learning outside the classroom.
• To develop an awareness of their personal responsibilities when using ICT to access wider resources and when communicating with others.

• To promote learning and experiences with ICT and to promote the development of ICT skills in all pupils in accordance with their individual capabilities.
• To take into account the issues relating to inclusion and to allow for differentiation with pupils that need additional help to access learning.
• To promote learning opportunities which conform to the National Curriculum guidelines.
• To produce programmes of work which may be based on the DfEE/QCA exemplar schemes of work to enable continuity and progression of ICT capability throughout the broad range of curriculum experiences offered to pupils in the core and foundation subjects.
• To ensure the health and safety of the pupils of this school with regard to using ICT and when having access to the wider world.

Outcomes

• To develop the knowledge, skills and understanding as identified in the programmes of study in the following four aspects:-

1. Finding things out

1. searching the Internet or CD-ROM
2. preparing information for development using ICT, such as creating a class database
3. interpreting information to check it is relevant and reasonable and to think how the outcome may be affected by errors.

1. Developing ideas and making things happen

1. developing and refining ideas, combining text, tables, images and sound as appropriate e.g. in desktop publishing or in a multimedia presentation
2. creating, testing, improving and refining sequences of instructions to make things happen and to monitor events and to respond to them
3. use simulations to explore models and test hypotheses e.g. trying to solve a problem posed by a simulation or use a spreadsheet model.

1. Exchanging and sharing information

1. share and exchange ideas in a variety of forms, including e-mail e.g. posters, displays, animations or musical compositions
2. be aware of the needs of the audience and to consider content and quality when communicating information e.g. work to be presented to other pupils, parents or for publication on the Internet.

1. Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses.

1. review their own and others' work to help them to develop ideas
2. describe their work and compare with other methods
3. discuss how they could improve future work.

• To use ICT to specifically support the literacy and numeracy within the school. This may be through the use of dedicated integrated learning systems (ILS); specialist targeted resources or a structured focus on these areas of learning and key skills.
• ICT systems in working life and society. This will include its effect on the individual and the development of a critical awareness of the positive and negative aspects of ICT resulting from its use and misuse respectively.
• To enable pupils to develop their ICT capabilities in a range of situations which help to promote group activities as well as independent learning skills.

Implementation

This strategy is written to reflect a practical approach to implementing the school’s policy statements. An ICT review should be undertaken to include: -

• Pupils’ progress and continuity
• Staff INSET requirements including the new opportunities funding initiative for ICT training (NOF)
• Resource ramifications
• Programmes of work
• Current assessment, recording and reporting
• Liaison

This will lead to the following year’s implementation strategy in order to:-

• Build on the previous year's achievements.
• Strengthen those aspects of ICT capability, which were found to be weak.
• Extend the ICT themes to include new ICT capabilities in the programmes of work.
• Include targets and outcomes that are consistent with the National Grid for Learning (NGFL) initiative.

Teaching and Learning

Pupils’ progress and continuity

• The programmes of work are designed with the ICT aspects clearly identified.
• Where possible pupils will be encouraged to train and assist their peers.
• Each pupil will be introduced to the basic ICT skills required to operate effectively with the computers in this school.
• Pupils will use ICT to support curriculum areas including literacy, numeracy, core and foundation subjects.

• Staff will use a range of teaching styles with ICT i.e. whole class, small group and individual use of ICT equipment.
• Provision will be made for differentiation in order to develop the potential of the ICT capable child as well as that for the less able pupil.
• The staff will meet regularly to monitor and evaluate current ICT practice within the school, including pupils’ continuity and progress. From this, planning for future programmes of work and staff INSET will be undertaken.
• The staff will review both the provision of ICT as a cross-curricular process and as a core subject within the National Curriculum. This review will take place at the completion of the year’s work.

Training

There are four distinct areas for consideration:

• Curriculum training.
• Technical support and training for teachers including a strategy for optimising the opportunities fund allocation. On induction to the school all new members of staff will be encouraged to develop their own confidence and competence in ICT.
• Administrative user support.
• Management of ICT within the classroom environment.

A number of activities will be planned according to the staff’s changing needs.

Resources

The effective use of ICT within the curriculum requires that pupils have appropriate access to a range of ICT equipment.

• It is proposed that equipment will be available to the pupils in a way that meets their curriculum needs.
• A variety of strategies may be used, including single computers in classrooms, clusters, dedicated computer suites and learning resources based in libraries.
• It is proposed to maintain and update the equipment as required and as specified in the school’s financial development plan. This includes current and future strategies, such as fund-raising activities and access to central LEA, DfEE and leasing schemes.
• There is a programme to ensure the replacement of obsolete computer equipment that does not wholly meet the requirements of the National Curriculum.
• It is proposed to improve pupils’ access to electronic communications resources over a period of time to maximise the access to this important resource.
• Maximum access to ICT resources will be achieved. This will link to any provision by the school of additional learning opportunities offered through out-of-school and cross-phase liaison.

Management

The school will ensure that:

• A strategy will be in place for the use of ICT in administration and the curriculum that demonstrates complementarity. This does not mean that systems are required to be identical or share software platforms. However care must be taken to ensure best value for money in the purchase of ICT resources.
• Effective use will be made of the information provided through the authority’s school profiling programme to assess their effectiveness and to identify areas of potential development.

• Areas of administration and management information processes that may be enhanced further by the appropriate use of ICT will be identified. This will include areas such as use of secure electronic mail and secure file transfer facilities.
• It has an ICT Co-ordinator who will oversee the development of all curriculum aspects for ICT. (For larger schools an ICT steering group including its link to the Senior Management Team.)
• Planning will indicate how staff will be supported in response to the dynamic nature of ICT and the increasing range of opportunities and applications for its use across the curriculum.
• There is clear guidance for supervising and monitoring Internet users. Suitable systems will be employed compliant with authority guidelines when accessing the Internet or using Electronic Mail. The authority will ensure that the Internet service provider offers protection to pupils and staff from the unsuitable material present on the Internet.
• It ensures virus protection for all systems, both for curriculum and administration.

Assessment, Recording and Reporting

The following strategies are in place:

• The programmes of work identify clear opportunities for the monitoring and recording of the pupils' progress.
• A clear recording mechanism.
• Programmes of work include related tasks that assist the teacher to assess the pupils' ICT capabilities (at Key Stage 3 it must be clear if ICT capability is to be assessed across the curriculum and/or within specific ICT lessons).
• Differentiated assessment for pupils with high levels of ICT capability, or special needs.
• Progress in ICT will be reported as a separate subject at least once a year.

Bedfordshire ICT Team 02/00