ICT Policy

RATIONALE

AIMS

EQUIPMENT GUIDELINES

STAFF TRAINING

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

TEACHING AND LEARNING STYLES

PROGRAMS

CONTINUITY AND PROGRESSION

ICT AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

ACCESS TO ICT

SCHOOL WEBSITE

USE OF ICT FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

RATIONALE

The use of ICT is raising the demand for a technological knowledge and awareness among the population as a whole. It is essential that we prepare children in schools to be confident and competent in its application, so that they grow up feeling comfortable with this rapidly developing technology. Back to top

AIMS

In addressing the requirements of the National Curriculum it is the aim of our school that all children shall receive equal instruction in Information Technology. They should be given the opportunity to use it creatively in its own right and in support of their learning in other curriculum areas. We will aim to:

? Encourage enquiry based approaches to learning
? Use ICT to improve motivation and enjoyment
? Stimulate the development of creativity
? Encourage the communication of ideas in a variety of ways
? Design, develop, explore and evaluate models of real and imaginary situations
? Provide access to the curriculum for children with special educational needs
? Enable children to understand the importance of ICT in society Back to top

EQUIPMENT GUIDELINES

As a result of building work carried out in the summer of 2002, space was created for a class ICT suite. This has been fully equipped with a modern network of fifteen computers and server. The use of the room is timetabled to allow access to all class groups, with the older children having proportionally more hours than younger children so that the room can be used to reduce overall class sizes for literacy and numeracy. The Key Stage Two classrooms both have projectors and interactive whiteboards for whole class teaching across all subjects.

To give children the opportunities they need, each class also has their own computers, monitors, and printers. In addition we have the facility to expand class resources with a bank of six laptop computers, and a video projector. Black out facility is available in the hall and in the ICT suite. All computers are protected by the ?Mc Afee? virus checker. Equipment and software review is ongoing, and needs are identified each year and incorporated into the School Improvement Plan. Updating and upgrading of equipment and software is an implicit part of this annual review, as is the identification of technical support required for the coming year. The school currently receives curriculum and technical support from QECC, whilst the administrative system is supported through SCOMIS.

It is important to recognize that although most of the equipment for Information Technology is associated with computers, other equipment such as cameras, video recorders, tape recorders, radios and TV also have their place. The school has purchased a digital camera, a video camera and an APS camera for school use, and each class has a CD/radio-cassette player. There is a TV and video recorder in class 1, a combined TV/video system for use in class 2 and DVD/video recorders available for use in classes 3 and 4. Microphone CD and Tape facilities for recording are also available via two Coomber systems. Two electronic microscopes and two eco log timing and sensing equipment are available for use in Science investigations. Back to top

STAFF TRAINING

Staff are encouraged to take computers and other ICT equipment home at evenings, weekends and during holidays for familiarization with programs and for use in lesson preparation. Each class teacher has access to a laptop for the preparation and delivery of lessons. They have completed their NOF training using an ICAA NOF training provider. The Advanced Skills Teacher from QECC provides an INSET programme based on need. Back to top

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Every member of the teaching staff has joint responsibility for the successful use of ICT in their own administration and teaching. The particular responsibility of the Head teacher, with regard to ICT is as follows:

? Ensuring that the school meets with statutory requirements for ICT.
? Overseeing the purchase of resources and health and safety issues.
? Ensuring staff access to ICT courses as needed.
? Monitoring of implementation of ICT policy in order to oversee improvement in practice.
? Ensuring continuity and progression in ICT
? Leading staff and governor review of ICT policy and development plan. Back to top

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

Areas within classrooms are made available for computers to be stationed so that children can work individually, in pairs or in groups. Ideally, children should be able to recognize when it is appropriate to use the computer to assist their work or further their studies. However, until they have a good working knowledge of programs and are confident in their use it will be necessary to devise timed activities to ensure equality of experience. Using the computer should enable children to feel free to make mistakes, to experiment, to draw upon experiences, to have a sense of ownership in what they are doing, to work co-operatively and to be able to select appropriate software to achieve success.

The organization within each classroom is adapted to the program in use, taking into consideration the time children may need to fulfill a task. This is not to say that ICT takes priority over other arrangements within the classroom but requires that teachers recognize that it has an integral part to play in the programme of activities. Back to top

TEACHING AND LEARNING STYLES

Teachers are expected to employ a range of strategies and to use their professional judgment to decide on the most appropriate. These will include:

? Using the computer to demonstrate to a group of pupils or the whole class
? Leading a group or class discussion about ICT
? Individual or paired work
? Collaborative work in groups
? Groups will be selected to ensure that pupils all have equal access to the computer keyboard.
? Keyboard skills will be taught.
? Activities will be differentiated where necessary to allow for varying levels of achievement.
? Teachers will endeavor to intervene where appropriate to reinforce an idea or teach a new point. Back to top

PROGRAMS

Teachers are expected to employ a range of strategies and to use their professional judgment to decide on the most appropriate. These will include:

? Using the computer to demonstrate to a group of pupils or the whole class
? Leading a group or class discussion about ICT
? Individual or paired work
? Collaborative work in groups
? Groups will be selected to ensure that pupils all have equal access to the computer keyboard.
? Keyboard skills will be taught.
? Activities will be differentiated where necessary to allow for varying levels of achievement.
? Teachers will endeavor to intervene where appropriate to reinforce an idea or teach a new point. Back to top

CONTINUITY AND PROGRESSION

It is essential that children develop greater confidence and competence in the use of various programs as they progress through the school. They should be able to progress from simple instructions to more complex operations whilst still experiencing the same programs. Before undertaking anything on the computer children will be given experience of activities that will naturally lead on to relevant programs. For example, before undertaking 'Logo' a child may enjoy activities that introduce and reinforce the concepts of direction and distance (such as directing a blindfolded friend through a course of obstacles). Similarly, databases might be introduced using actual record cards for filing and sorting. Progression through the stages will be reflected by greater demands and expectations on the use of programs. Children should become more independent and confident in the use of ICT and be able to use more sophisticated software as they progress through the school. Back to top

ICT AND SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

All children should have access to ICT in order to develop their personal ICT capability. Some pupils with intellectual, emotional, physical or communicational difficulties can gain further from the use of ICT. The benefits can include heightened motivation, improvement of the accuracy and appearance of their work, better access to information and the development of creativity. When purchasing software, Staff take into account the language skills and needs of all pupils. Software written to help motivate children with special needs is used as part of the planned additional support for particular children and recorded within their IEP?s. Able children are encouraged to use ICT for independent research and extension work. Back to top

ACCESS TO ICT

Children with computers at home are encouraged to use them for educational benefit and parents are offered advice on what is appropriate. Children without such access are encouraged to use school facilities to support their additional learning. They have access to computers at playtime, to complete work by arrangement with their class teacher, and during wet playtimes. Generally there is a free choice of activities at this time.

Members of the school and local community are invited to work alongside children during school hours, once police checks have been completed. Their help is appreciated and often mutually rewarding. The governors have discussed the opening of the school ICT facilities outside school hours, but decided against this. It was felt that general security issues and the risk of hardware and software damage prevented its viability as an option. Back to top

SCHOOL WEBSITE

The school successfully launched its own website in March 2001, facilitated through the ? ik.com? internet kit. The address of our website is www.nscprimaryschool.ik.org. The site has a general ?Welcome? page, followed by a section ?About Us? that includes individual class pages written by teachers with their children. There is also an ?Art Gallery? which displays a small selection of the children?s work. Important dates for the school year are posted on the ?Calendar? and copies of the school?s Newton Wonder articles can be found under the ?Newsletter? section. All available school policies are posted on the site, (including the ICT policy and the school?s policy for the use of the Internet)and the school Ofsted report is linked. Only group photographs of children are included, and these are left unnamed. Parents have the right to request the removal of any photograph that includes their child, and they are asked to inform the Headteacher in writing if they feel strongly on this matter. Back to top

USE OF ICT FOR SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION

ICT forms an integral part of management and administration in school. Upon entry, data on each pupil is registered as required for the DFES Pupil Level Annual School Census returns. The administration computer is linked to the Internet via Eclipse service provider, and correspondence utilizes Webmail. Regular backup information is taken using a tape streamer. School hardware and software is updated in line with Devon County Council recommendations.







Policy agreed at Premises and Curriculum meeting on 06 02 06


Policy to be considered for renewal during Spring Term 09 Back to top