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Information and Communication Technology Policy (ICT)
Aims:
- To stimulate and promote the use of Information and Communication Technology in order to support, enhance and extend learning opportunities.
- To develop pupil’s IT capability, including their knowledge and understanding of the importance of information and of how to select and prepare it.
- To teach ICT as a specific curriculum area in accordance with the National Curriculum.
- To use ICT as a tool to enhance teaching and learning throughout all curriculum areas.
- To help both pupils and staff to develop confidence and competence to use ICT in a range of situations and contexts appropriate to the task.
Provision:
Hardware
- The school has a Windows NT network and all the teaching rooms have access to the network and the Internet.
- The computer suite is equipped with 15 multimedia machines; two laser jet printers and a colour printer.
- Every classroom has two computers and a colour printer. Years 1 to 6 have Smartboards.
- Every classroom has a listening centre and there are three digital cameras per Key Stage.
- There are two digital camcorders and two digicams that can be used by staff and pupils.
Software
- Microsoft Office 2000 is the standard office application used throughout the school and all documentation is produced using this to ensure compatibility.
- A consistent suite of software is available throughout the school (both in the computer suite and classrooms). Both computer suite and classrooms have access to a wide variety of the other programs including a CD-ROM library.
- A range of software to support Special Educational Needs is available.
Teaching and Learning
- Class teachers spend at least one hour a week in the ICT suite and make use of the ICT suite, classroom computers or other IT resources where necessary and when appropriate.
- Nursery and Reception children experience ICT through computer tasks integrated into the foundation stage stepping-stones.
- It is crucial that ICT is seen as a tool that can be used across the whole curriculum. Staff members are encouraged to plan ICT related tasks for all curriculum areas.
- Pupils will have an opportunity to work individually, in pairs or in groups of children throughout the year.
· Excellence in ICT use is celebrated in displays around the school, including in the IT Suite; of text, pictures, graphs and charts produced by pupils using computers.
· All staff and pupils should regard the use of a computer primarily as a tool not a toy, with access as a right not a reward.
Planning and Assessment
- We use the QCA schemes of work for ICT implemented with further units of work to ensure full courage of the National Curriculum (LCP files are available as an extra resource).
- Personalised planning is used for the ‘Exceptionally Able’ students in ICT.
- Class teachers are expected to plan ICT tasks for Literacy, Numeracy, Science and Foundation subjects, these are detailed on the medium and weekly planning sheets.
- Assessments are made about each child’s ICT capability at the end of each unit of work and recorded as a level. The annual report to parents contains a section about their child’s ICT capability.
Internet Access
- All children have access to the Internet with supervision.
- The Internet system is provided by Westminster Grid for Learning and is protected from unsuitable material by “Smartfilter”.
- All parents and pupils will sign an Internet Access Agreement to show that there is an understanding and acceptance of the rules governing the use of the Internet.
Access and Privacy
The school’s servers should not be used at any time for storing illicit or offensive material, nor should any user attempt to install any software of any kind onto the school’s network or onto any workstation connected to it.
If a member of staff wishes to have software installed the agreement of the ICT Coordinator or Headteacher should first be sought, the licence checked and the relevant media handed to the ICT Coordinator to arrange for installation.
All users of the network must be aware that the network administrators may on occasion access their user areas.
(Refer to the Acceptable Internet Use Policy)
Health and Safety
It is imperative that all electrical equipment is kept in good working order. To ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff the following guidelines must be adhered to:
- Pupils should not be allowed to switch off computers at the mains.
- Equipment should be situated away from water.
- Pupils should always be supervised when using electrical equipment.
- All plugs, leads and electrical equipment should be checked regularly and tested for electrical safety in accordance with LEA guidelines.
· Children should be encouraged from the earliest age to consider and adjust their posture when using the keyboard in order to avoid strain to the arms and back.
· Pupils are not allowed to have food or drink in the ICT suite.
Equal Opportunities
All pupils regardless of race, gender or ability should have the opportunity to develop their ICT capability.
We ensure that all our pupils:
- Have equal access to ICT resources
- Have equal opportunity to develop their ICT capability
- Use software that is appropriate to their ability
Pupils with Special Educational Needs benefit from using ICT as it enhances access to the curriculum and this in turn encourages motivation and the development of skills ensuring significantly higher achievements. Therefore, the opportunities to utilise ICT should be maximised.
Pupils who are gifted in ICT are likely to:
- Demonstrate ICT capability significantly above that expected for their age
- Learn and apply new ICT techniques quickly
- Use initiative to exploit the potential of more advanced features of ICT tools
- Transfer and apply ICT skills and techniques confidently in new contexts
- Explore independently beyond the given breadth of an ICT topic
- Initiate ideas and solve problems, use ICT effectively and creatively, develop systems that meet personal needs and interests
When identifying pupils who are gifted in ICT, it is important to remember that they may not be gifted in all aspects of the subject. For example, some pupils may be able to use high-level programming skills to solve control problems, but may not be as good at constructing and investigating databases.
Teachers should:
- Use a variety of challenging questioning strategies to encourage pupils to draw on previous experiences and to apply their thinking to new situations.
- Set extension tasks that avoid repetition -- extension work should encourage pupils to pursue a greater depth of understanding of the subject or to apply their ICT skills in new contexts, including other subjects.
- Provide a more complex problem as a stimulus for developing ICT systems, for example, a control problem with an increased number of inputs and variables.
- Encourage pupils to discuss the suitability of different approaches, the tools to be used, and the range of possible outcomes.
- Encourage pupils to refine their product by reviewing and evaluating the process undertaken, the ICT tools used, and the effectiveness of the end product in meeting the specified needs of the task.
- Discuss with pupils what they are learning, and encourage them to identify their own learning needs.
- Provide opportunities for gifted pupils to learn new ICT skills together and/or with older pupils, in order to accelerate their learning and give them an opportunity to challenge each other.
- Provide personalised learning plans for exceptionally able pupils.
Role of the Coordinator
The role of the coordinator is to:
- Take the lead in policy development and the integration of ICT into schemes of work.
- Support colleagues in their efforts to include ICT in their development of detailed work plans, in their implementation of those Schemes of work and in assessment and record keeping activities.
- Monitor progress in ICT and advise the head teacher of action needed.
- Take responsibility for the purchase and organisation of central resources.
- Provide and supervise technical support for colleagues in their use of ICT.
- Take appropriate steps to keep up-to-date with developments in this rapidly changing field.
- Manage the school network on a daily basis.
Links with other policies:
- Acceptable Internet Use Policy
- Teaching and Learning Policy
- Equal Opportunities Policy
Acceptable Internet Use Policy
The purpose of Internet use (Internet use includes accessing the World Wide Web and the use of electronic mail.) in school is to promote pupil achievement, to support the professional work of staff and to enhance the school’s management, information and business administration systems.
Benefits of using the Internet in Education include:
- Access to worldwide educational resources
- Inclusion in government initiatives such as the National Grid for Learning (NGfL)
- Educational and cultural exchanges between pupils world-wide
- Cultural, vocational, social and leisure use in libraries, clubs and at home
- Access to experts in many fields for pupils and staff
- Staff professional development through access to national developments, educational materials and good curriculum practice
- Communication with support services, professional associations and colleagues
- Improved access to technical support including remote management of networks
- Exchange of curriculum and administration data with the LA and DfES.
Pupil access to the Internet
The statutory curriculum requires pupils to learn how to locate, retrieve and exchange information using ICT. Consequently, in delivering the curriculum teachers need to plan to integrate the use of communications technology such as web-based resources and e-mail to enrich and extend learning activities. Effective Internet use is an essential life-skill for all pupils to master.
The school encourages pupils to use the Internet, and to develop appropriate skills to analyse and evaluate the resources found on it. These skills will be fundamental in the society our pupils will be entering. We also believe the Internet can give our pupils access to a huge variety of information which will stimulate and enrich their learning.
In order to match electronic resources as closely as possible to the national and school curriculum, teachers will review and evaluate resources in order to offer web addresses and menus of materials that are relevant and appropriate to the learning objectives, age range and ability of the group being taught.
The school’s web site is to celebrate children’s work, promote the school and publish resources for projects or homework. The point of contact on the web site is the school address, school e-mail and telephone number. Staff or pupils’ home information will not be published. Written permission from parents or guardians will be obtained before photographs of pupils are published on the school web site. All web site photographs will be selected carefully to ensure that individual pupils cannot be identified.
Internet Safety
In common with most technologies, Internet use presents risks as well as benefits. Pupils could be placed in inappropriate and even dangerous situations without mediated Internet access.
Internet safety depends on staff, governors, advisors, parents, and where appropriate, pupils themselves taking responsibility for the use of the Internet and its associated technologies.
The use of the Internet, which brings with it the possibility of misuse, will be regulated. Fair rules, written for pupils to read and understand, will be prominently displayed as a constant reminder of the expectations regarding Internet use (See below for the rules governing Internet use).
Parents will be informed that pupils will be provided with supervised Internet access and will be required to sign and return a form acknowledging their understanding of the school's policy on Internet use. The school will keep a record of all staff and pupils who are granted Internet access. The ICT Co-ordinator will monitor the record.
In common with other media such as magazines, books and video, some material available via the Internet is unsuitable for pupils. The school, with the support and guidance of the LA, will take all precautions to ensure that users only access appropriate material.
However, due to the international and linked nature of Internet content, it is not possible to guarantee that unsuitable material will never occur on a school computer. Neither the school nor Westminster LA can accept liability for the material accessed, or any consequences of Internet access.
If staff or pupils discover unsuitable sites, the URL (address) and content must be reported immediately to the Internet Service Provider via the ICT Co-ordinator or the Headteacher.
Staff will be encouraged to use this resource to support and enrich their own teaching and professional development. Staff will observe all restrictions and policies with regards to the appropriate use of the Internet. Any complaint about staff misuse must be referred to the Headteacher.
Pupils must not reveal details of themselves or others, such as their addresses or telephone numbers, or arrange to meet anyone in an e-mail communication. Pupils must immediately tell a teacher if they receive an offensive e-mail.
Rules for Responsible Computer Use
The school has installed computers with Internet access to help our learning. These rules will keep us safe and help us to be fair to others.
- I will only access the system through the proper login and will keep any passwords secret.
- I will not access other people’s files.
- I will only use the computers for schoolwork and homework.
- I will not bring CDs or other storage devices from outside school unless my teacher has given me permission.
- I will ask permission from a member of staff before using the Internet.
- I will only E-mail people I know, or people that my teacher has approved.
- The messages I send will be polite and responsible.
- I will not give my home address or telephone number, or arrange to meet someone.
- I will report any unpleasant material or messages sent to me to my teacher. I understand this report would be confidential and would help protect other pupils and myself.
- I understand that the school may check my computer files and may monitor the Internet sites I visit.
Sanctions
- Violations of the above rules will result in a temporary or permanent ban on Internet use.
- Additional disciplinary action may be added in line with existing practice on inappropriate language or behaviour.
- When applicable, police or local authorities may have to be involved.
Links with other policies:
· Information and Communication Technology Policy
· Acceptable Internet Use Parent and Pupil agreement forms
October 2006
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