ICT Department Policy
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Introduction
Vision Statement
ICT is a powerful tool in the new age of discovery. It prepares pupils to participate in a rapidly changing world. It promotes initiative and independent learning.
The ICT Department at Mount Tamar School believes that all pupils and staff have the entitlement to quality ICT education and provision. The skills, knowledge and understanding developed in ICT will enable pupils and staff to achieve to the highest level of their capabilities and thereby increase their opportunity for successful searching, learning and employment.
At Key Stage's 1, 2 & 3 the latest National Curriculum guidance is followed with units of work being developed and revised which form a wide ranging overview of the skills, knowledge and understanding associated with the subject.
At Key Stage 4 pupils are given the opportunity to develop their knowledge and use of ICT even further. They are introduced to the impact ICT has in the world of work, further education and life in general. Pupils have the option to achieve several qualifications, AQA Entry Level Certificate in ICT, AQA Functional Skills in ICT and Mount Tamar School is looking to develop a new Diploma course at Level 1.
Aims
Mount Tamar School's aims for ICT are:
- ICT should be taught so that pupils can use ICT confidently and purposefully;
- The ICT programme of study should provide continuity and progression;
- ICT, though taught as a discreet subject at Mount Tamar School, should also be taught and accessed throughout the whole curriculum;
- The use of ICT should be used to promote access to otherwise less accessible areas of the curriculum;
- ICT should be used to present information in new ways that may help pupils to understand, assimilate and use the information more readily;
- ICT should be used to develops skills in decision making, cause and effect, and understanding the elements of control;
- ICT should be used to help children to focus and concentrate;
- Pupils should be taught to use the vast information resources of the Internet in a safe, structured, meaningful and increasingly independent way;
- Finally - ICT should be fun.
Time Allocation
At key stage 1 pupils use the facilities at Tamerton Vale School.
At key stage 2 the JCC has access to the ICT Room on Thursday mornings between 9:30 and 12:00. The scheme of work is overseen by the JCC staff. Pupils are also able to use the classroom based computers for their own personal work in-between times.
At key stage 3 all classes have access to ICT through a discreet programme of ICT study each week. During the lessons pupils are guided through the programme of study. Pupils are initially introduced to ICT and the Mount Tamar School Network before moving on to looking at e-Safety and the essential ICT skills used throughout the curriculum. Pupils are introduced to the Internet and learn how to use its facilities in a safe and rewarding manner.
Throughout the school within other subject areas ICT is used to support the teaching and learning process.
At key stage 4 those pupils not out on work experience and / or college placements work towards the Entry Level Certificate in Information and Communications Technology through the AQA.
Pupils are encouraged to maintain their own email accounts which can then be accessed both in school and at home.
Teaching and Learning Services
Mount Tamar School has setup and subscribed to a number of Internet services to support the learning processes at the school:
- Espresso - content server - available via the Intranet
- MTSOC - Online Classroom and Learning Platform
- MTsocNet - Garden walled social networking for Mount Tamar School
- MTS Trafficlights - developing behaviourial software
- Merlin - Developing SWGfL software
- i-Plymouth - Pupil profiling
- ThinkQuest.com - Social networking for primary pupils
- RM Easymail - Pupil email
- SamLearning - KS3 and KS4 revision courses
- BBC Bitesize - KS3 and KS4 revision courses
- Google Docs - document sharing
Cross Curricular Links
Members of staff are encouraged to use software packages to enhance the teaching and learning experiences in their subject area. Staff are also encouraged to use curriculum resources available from the Intranet and Internet.
Within English and Maths at Key stage 2 the RM Success Maker software packages is used to enhance the scheme of work in Literacy and Numeracy. At key stage 3 and 4 the Mathematics department has pioneered the use of on-line content so that pupils can follow study units on-line either at home or in school.
All departments use ICT to support their teaching and learning work through the use of software packages to present written, graphical and tabular forms of information. Staff use the Intranet and Internet for research purposes and use the information that they find in support of lesson planning and lesson content. Pupils use the Intranet and Internet for research purposes and use the information they find in support of the learning and teaching they are carrying out within tasks and project work.
All teachers and classroom support staff are encouraged to use ICT where appropriate and include this in their planning.
Access to computers will normally be class based and integrated as part of normal class based activity but equally so, it may also include individual, paired and small group based activities.
It is the responsibility of teachers and learning support staff to ensure that all pupils have access to IT using appropriate specialist equipment and in a manner which looks after the equipment.
Most classrooms are equipped with IWB's or data projectors to enhance the learning environment. Suitable resources are being developed and collected by departments and staff.
Extra-Curricular Activities
ICT is used on Friday afternoons as part of the Mount Tamar School's Behavioural Traffic Light System when pupils can choose to use the equipment to learn about things that they are unable to look at under normal classroom situations. Often this takes the form of the playing of computer games but many pupils use the time to update and learn more about things that they have learnt about in the classroom over the previous weeks.
Pupils have supervised evening access to the school services, the Intranet and the Internet when they are staying in the Hostel during the week.
The majority of the pupils at Mount Tamar School live outside a three mile radius of the school and are transported to and from school. The idea of running any after-school activities, though looked into on a number of occasions by the staff, would be very difficult with major problems of transportation.
Computer Location and Availability
Every classroom in the Primary, Secondary and the Hostel has at least two computers connected to the school network, the Intranet and access to the central file server and the Internet. In addition a number of classrooms in the Primary Department have stand alone systems running departmental software for the use of pupils in the teaching and learning process.
There are plans to increase the number of network points in those classrooms where this is needed and new network points installed into any new teaching rooms created as part of the works carried out.
A wireless network has been installed throughout the school which is available to staff who have laptops. Within the Primary Department there is just one node covering the whole of the area. Within the Secondary Department there are five nodes but even so the coverage is still poor in some areas. This will be addressed over time with either further wireless points or additional network points.<br.
The school now runs four servers; two based in the original server cupboard, the Espresso content server in the Primary Department and one in the ICT Room cupboard.
Responsibilities of ICT co-ordinator
- To liaise with other members of staff to draw up the ICT policy;
- Draw up an acceptable policy for Internet access;
- Advise on the training and support for whole staff and individual teachers;
- Ensure ICT is included in all school policies and schemes of work for the various curriculum areas;
- Ensure that end of year level data or each pupil is analysed or strength and weaknesses so that individual pupils performance can be promoted in the year to come.
The ICT co-ordinator will in addition:
- hold an inventory of computers and peripherals, software licenses, serial numbers and approximate purchase date.
- maintain a co-ordinating role in the purchase of suitable hardware and software and maintain inventory including licenses;
- support teachers and LSA's in the use and development of ICT in the curriculum;
- Keep the network running in respectable order calling on outside agencies when necessary to come in and sort out problems that cannot be solved in house;
Responsibilities of the Subject Specific teachers
- Integrate ICT throughout curriculum (as teacher capability develops);
- Discuss rules for Internet Use with pupils using the Internet;
- Display a “Computer Safety Guide” in the classroom;
- To keep the ICT co-ordinator informed of the use of ICT within the classroom;
Schemes of Work
At Key Stage 3 pupils follow a scheme of work which introduces them firstly to the Mount Tamar School network and the software and hardware which is available via it. This is followed by an e-Safety course which introduces pupils to using ICT for constructive rather than 'destructive' purposes.
As Key Stage 3 progresses pupils are introduced to further and more complex features through the use of in-house ICT Units written in accordance with local authority and national guidance. Initially this is through the use of combining text and graphics in presentations, set up simple spreadsheets for themselves, investigate control situations before using ICT to create things for themselves.
At Key Stage 4, those pupils not involved in college and work placements work towards their Entry Level Certificate in Information and Communications Technology from the AQA, usually in Year 10. Mount Tamar School is a pilot school for ICT Functional skills and key stage 4 pupils now follow a prescriptive course in functional skills which covers English, Mathematics and ICT. It is hoped to offer a Diploma course in future years at Level 1.
Monitoring of Pupils Progress
Pupils are monitored using the 1993 National Curriculum Guidelines which are more spread out than the current 1999 Guidelines. A mapping process was carried out soon after the introduction of the latest level descriptors and as they are a merging of the original guidelines the 1993 recording process was continued. (see appendix 1)
The 1993 recording process allows pupils to make more shorter steps in their progress towards the next National Curriculum level and these small progressive steps can be more easily recorded for pupils who have difficulties in achieving whole level steps each year.
Pupil Attainment – I.E.P.’s
Pupil I.E.P.’s are updated twice yearly and are now centralised using a standardised electronic form.
Pupil Attainment – Portfolio
Copies and originals of pupils work are kept in the pupils’ folder. Work that is subject based is kept within the subject department and work that arises from discrete ICT lessons is kept by the ICT Department. The pupils on their area of the network retain electronic copies of their work though they are encouraged to file manage 'out of date' work.
Analysis of Pupil Achievements
With the large turnover of pupils at both Key Stage 3 & 4 it is often not possible to track group progresses over the years. Individual pupils can be tracked and aspects of their learning identified but this only reflects on the progress and development of the individual.
Audit of Hardware
- A 10 station PC Network was installed in the summer 1999 under the guidance of Viglen Computers Ltd; these were taken out of use in 2006.
- A further 14 network stations were purchased in 2002 to complement and add to the network;
- Further network stations have been purchased in subsequent years and added to the network such that each teaching room now has a minimum of two computers available;
- Currently there is a suite of 9 network computers available for discrete Information and Communications Technology lessons;
- All teaching classroom have access to at least one networked computer with other stand-alone PC systems around the school.
- During the summer of 2001 Plymouth City Authority was successful in bidding for money to provide all teachers in the authority with a laptop computer. In June 2005 the last of the laptops under this scheme were assigned to the school. Every teacher in the school now has access to a laptop for development and teaching purposes. As Mount Tamar School was slow to receive its allocation of laptops for teachers the school made it a priority to purchased a number of laptop computers so that all the teaching staff had laptop computers as soon as possible. A plan of replacement is now in place to replace any broken or low specification laptops.
Audit of Software
The network servers and network stations all run Gentoo Linux as their operating systems. On top of this all the network computers run a selection of Open Source software to cover all aspects of ICT as listed below. See the software pages for more information.
In addition to the computer based open source software Mount Tamar School also maintains its own web pages based around MediaWiki, learning platform based around Moodle (MTSOC), social networking platform based around Elgg (MTSocNet), staff productivity tools based on eGroupware and behaviourial management software written by Magicka Interactive.
Professional Development
All staff are encouraged to undertake ICT training and learning. Much of the training is carried out in house on a one-to-one basis between more and less experienced staff though local authority AST's are used for specific subject based software.
Professional Development – Learning Support Staff Training
Learning Support staff attend courses to enhance their knowledge and understanding of particular software packages and the use their knowledge to support the teaching staff in the classroom.
Professional Development – Administration Staff
All Administration staff attend SIMs training courses in the different aspects of the SIMs software as and when they come up.
Professional Development – ICT Coordinator
The ICT Coordinator is encouraged by the senior management team to attend suitable courses which will give him greater insights into the subject. Currently the ICT Coordinator is a Principal Moderator for the AQA ELC Syl A ICT examination and as part of his roll he travels the country training other ICT teachers in the examination. In his role as Principal Moderator he also has the responsibility for the syllabus, the collection setting the standards and marking of course work across the country.
Internet Safety - Access to the Internet
Today millions of people regularly use the Internet and e-mail to communicate. Their usage is predicted to continue to rise, as global communications become part of our daily and social economic life. Already there is a huge wealth of educational resources available on the Internet and this too will continue to grow. At Mount Tamar School we believe that pupils should have the opportunity to access these resources to support their learning.
The Internet provides access to a greater library of resources than could ever be provided in school. However, whereas the resources in school are carefully designed to be consistent with national and school policies those on the Internet are not. Teachers and/or learning support assistants will therefore always be on hand to help pupils choose appropriate Internet resources.
The Internet also contains materials of a potentially offensive nature. The school will only connect to the Internet through a service provider (Legend) that will employ measures that will make access to such material difficult through both the ISP's blocking procedures and Mount Tamar Schools own blocking list. The school will take appropriate action against anyone attempting to or succeeding in accessing such materials using school facilities. The school will therefore reserve the right to monitor pupil folders and work stored on the school ICT equipment. Pupils will not be allowed to access the Internet or e-mail unsupervised. Electronic media is not to be brought in from home.
Parental permission will be sought for each child before they access the Internet or electronic mail. Pupils will need to have understood the school rules concerning Internet and e-mail use. Teachers will regularly remind pupils of the rules.
Internet e-Safety
Each classroom will have a "Computer Safety Guide" on display near to the computer equipment. Creation of Content – Curriculum Software
Currently the only area of the curriculum to have its own software is Careers who use the SID Careers database to look at the requirements for different jobs and career paths.
Within next years budget funding is being set aside to look into software specific to individual departments. Departments will be encouraged look into different pieces of software and experiment with them before purchasing either a departmental licence or a whole school site licence.
Creation of content – Espresso
The school has brought into the Espresso software with its weekly update via satellite download. The resources, though aimed at Keystages 1 & 2, can be adapted for use at Keystage 3 (and for some of our pupils at Keystage 4) at Mount Tamar School.
Creation of Content – The Internet
Steve Kemsley, through his company Magicka is setting up web based content for the school.
The proposed school web site will contain suitable photographs of the pupils at work and taking part in all other aspects of the life at Mount Tamar School. As a school policy the faces of the pupils will not be shown and pupils will not be identified by name. Permission will be sort from parents and guardians before photographs are put onto the web site.
Creation of Content – School Intranet
The ICT co-ordinator is working towards the development of a school Intranet with suitable content and access points for staff and pupils both inside and out of school. Currently only a few staff can access the network from outside school and this only via a secure shell link. Progress is being made towards using a graphical user interface for staff (and pupils) to access the school network at a suitable level.
Through think.com all pupils are encouraged to build and develop their own web content pages of things which interest them. All pupils go through a sequence of lessons which helps them understand how to use think.com. Using ICT to Raise Standards – Development Plan
Using ICT to Raise Standards – Innovations
Electronic interface devices will be purchased to connect to the computers so that electronic information can be downloaded for manipulation, saving and outputting.
At a basic level this will be via digital cameras but with evermore hardware and software developments coming out this will include in the future, digital imagery (still and moving), sound, voice communication with the computer, mobile network communications (PDA’s, G3 technologies etc)
Using ICT to Raise Standards – Inclusion
Mount Tamar School is a school for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties and as a result all pupils who attend the school have access to the school hardware and software via the school computers.
Using the subject specific software pupils who might otherwise have difficulties in accessing some aspects of the curriculum can do so with confidence and increasing self believe.
Using the School Behavioural Management System pupils’ good behaviours and successes can be celebrated in the Friday Options System.
Using ICT to Raise Standards – Out of School Use
The pupils at Mount Tamar School are all bussed into school and bussed home again at the end of the day. Few pupils live within walking distance of the school.
The hostel on site caters for up to 16 pupils at any one time and there are development plans to extend the school network, and hence Internet and pupil access to work files, into the hostel.
Upgrades, Maintenance and Replacing Equipment
Within the school budget money is set aside for the maintenance of the major items of network hardware and software. There is now no contract for this (formally it was with Viglen Computers Ltd on a forty-eight hour call out). Investigations are being made to employ Magicka on the same basis but at a far lower cost to the school.
Within the school budget money is set aside for the Internet connection charges and the hardware and software associated with it.
The latest version if software is purchased and subsequent revisions are purchased as and when new computers are added to the network.
Over the next few years replacement costs for some of the more expensive hardware of the network will be set aside for replacement as and when it becomes necessary.
AJB (September 2008)
