Learning Shop Information Page on:

How to develop a whole school ICT Development Plan

This section aims to provide:

· a general introduction to the development of a School ICT Development Plan
· guidance on preparing a School ICT Development Plan
· a listing of some sources of further information

What background information do I need to know?

Recently the term IT (Information Technology) has expanded to ICT (Information Communications Technology) which rightly recognises the growing importance of communications technology. IT has evolved from being a discrete subject delivered by specialists, to ICT which has far more potential across the curriculum. Many schools have in place an IT policy and have updated it to take into account the communications element. There are now many opportunities for schools to make the most of ICT benefits from the private and public sector, perhaps the most exciting of which is the NGfL, National Grid for Learning.
This embodies the Government's commitment to lifelong learning and creating a learning society. Details of the NGfL including targets and funding opportunities can be found in the consultation paper, Connecting the Learning Society. Connecting Schools, networking People, provides detailed advice on ICT planning, purchasing ICT and good practice in using ICT.
To aid schools realise their ICT Development Plans some financial aid is available through various sources.

What constitutes a School ICT Development Plan?

The successful investment and use of ICT in school is underpinned by strong leadership, good planning and having an awareness of where to getinformative advice as can be found at the end of this information sheet.
There are many different planning methods used by schools, some being more elaborate than others. The best ones go beyond "what can be done with the present budget?" to "where to do we want go?" Listed below are a number of steps that will help you in devising a School ICT Development Plan:

· Rationale
· Mission Statement
· Audit
· Objectives
· Recommended Changes
· Action Plan
· Implementation
· Monitor
· Review

Why have a School ICT Development Plan?

The act of creating and developing a School ICT Development Plan produces many benefits:

· focusses very effectively the individual ICT solutions of a school which aids communication both internally & externally
· part of the school improvement process
· meets the requirements of LEA's ICT Development Plans
· meets the criteria of the DfEE set out in Connecting the Learning Society as part of the NGFL
· meets needs of New National Curriculum Orders and Key Skills
· meets needs of the Teacher Training Initiative administered through the TTA (Teacher Training Agency)
· pupils enjoy improved teaching and learning, are better prepared for employment, and it promotes positive outcomes such as co-operation and teamwork, planning and pupil centred learning. It also provides support to pupils with disabilities or specific educational needs
· staff are supported in teaching and learning and it offers personal development
· school has direction and will ultimately help attract more pupils. It will also improve administration
· community use of school ICT develops skills in the community and improves relationships.

Why have a Mission Statement?

A Mission Statement is a visionary statement and states what you want to achieve as regards ICT and education and how you are going to achieve it. A Mission Statement is individual as it refers to your school and is a summary of its aspirations. There is no reference to a time-scale and it must complement the Whole School Plan.

An example Mission Statement:

" To enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum through the use of fully integrated ICT and through the contribution of well trained, skilled and motivated staff as well as the support of parents and other groups and agencies within the community"

"To enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum "- this refers to what you want to achieve.

"through the use of fully integrated ICT and through the contribution of well trained, skilled and motivated staff as well as the support of parents and other groups and agencies within the community" - this refers to how you are going to achieve it.

Some Mission Statements refer to equal opportunities, building partnerships with industry and commerce, or the wider community.
Key people need to be involved in the creation of the Mission Statement. They include the Head Teacher, IT Co-ordinator, Senior Management Team, Key Governors and any applicable staff.

What should be included in an ICT Audit?

It is essential to assess where the school is now, in terms of ICT provision. The audit shouldn't just be a physical count of the ICT resources in the school but record management details, pupil attainment, staff attainment, curriculum and delivery models as well as administration and community involvement.

Let's deal with each one of these in turn:

· ICT Resources
An accurate and up to date inventory is required of the infrastructure, hardware and software and connectivity in the school and it must be maintained on a regular basis. It will reflect any changes such as upgrades, new hardware and software or the removal of any equipment. The inventory or database should also record resource costs. These can include the initial cost of hardware and software, any maintenance contracts, technical support and repairs, on-line and connection charges, as well as consumables. It is useful to compare the cost of the resource with the level of usage and identify if it is being made available and used to maximum effect. Probably the best way to record usage is via a booking system and staff and pupils should be regularly interviewed to see whether the facilities are available when required, whether they are appropriate and whether they are available for all. It is also useful to record the use of ICT resources outside of school hours and the associated costs. Only by accurately recording costs is it possible to budget realistically for maintaining current levels of ICT as well as new developments.

· ICT Management and Funding
· The audit should record how ICT is presently managed in school and identify key personnel and their responsibilities. A number of key questions need to be answered. Who manages ICT within the school? Does the school have an ICT policy statement? Who controls the funding? What is the ICT budget for the school? What is the source of funding? Who assesses new requirements and authorises new purchases? How are ICT developments communicated to others? What educational benefits can be ascertained from the present use of ICT? This information can be obtained by observation, interviewing staff and senior management as well looking at appropriate school documentation.

· Staff attainment
An accurate audit of staff ICT skills and training is needed so that it can form the basis of determining what is required to improve skill levels. Again a number of questions need to be asked. What is the budget for ICT Inset? Is there a system for evaluating and recording the outcome of training received? Who delivers ICT Inset? It is also essential to record staff perceptions about ICT. Do they feel that ICT training is adequately supported? How comfortable are they about using ICT? Do they feel that their knowledge and experience is limiting their use of ICT with their pupils? What are their attitudes towards curriculum innovation and the use of ICT? Schools can undertake their own staff ICT audit or get detailed ICT survey questionnaires through the Building Teacher's ICT Skills document from the Technology Colleges Trust or the TTA.

· Pupil attainment
How is attainment assessed and recorded? How is progression measured?

· Curriculum and Delivery Model
How is ICT delivered? across the curriculum or as a discrete subject? Which subject areas use ICT? Is it possible to avoid ICT provision within the school? How is progression in ICT ensured through the key stages? Is there reference to ICT in other school curriculum and policy documents? Has the application of ICT changed the organisation of lessons?

· Administration
Does ICT support the management and administration of the school? Which staff use it? What software is used? Are there links between the curriculum and administrative systems?

· Community
Does the school make available to the local community their developing technologies? Does the school open up longer and more often to pupils and community groups?

What are the Objectives?

Objectives put the mission statement into practice with time-scales and should cover all aspects of ICT provision. They should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) and technology independent, since over a very short period of time technology solutions and opportunities change. Each of the objectives should be prioritised according to the importance that the school gives to them and refer to the elements identified in the audit.

What recommendations should be made?

Since we now know where we want to go and the starting point it would make sense to identify any gaps. They then could form the basis of any recommended changes. Each part of the ICT audit should be compared with the school's ICT Objectives and any differences recorded along with recommendations for change. It will form the basis of an Action Plan and take into account not only the needs of the school but be in tune with the National grid for Learning's aims and funding conditions.

Example recommendations determined after the gap analysis from the previous stage:

· Management
maximise funding opportunities and support ICT initiatives

· ICT Provision and Support
produce a detailed program of hardware and software maintenance and development with associated support / continue to use stand-alone computers in a variety of delivery models / investigate the possibility of introducing a network / plan for connectivity to the NGfL / make greater use of parents for support / Integrate administration and curriculum systems /

· Staff Development and Training
determine individual ICT training needs and receive training in
ICT, both Cross-curricular and in the Curriculum / create independent learning centres / make greater use of Independent Learning Systems /

· Administration
use and development a Management Information System, with appropriate training for all staff / link it with external agencies

· Community
use ICT facilities to promote greater links with the local and wider community

How do you produce an Action Plan?

The recommended changes should be prioritised according to:

· criticality in achieving the ICT vision, the requirements of the school's development plan, the LEA plan and the National Grid for Learning
· the impact on teaching and learning
· the cost associated with the changes
· the potential problems in bringing about change

Each Action should have a person assigned to someone who is responsible for it and a target completion date should be set. At this point the subject of technology has to be addressed. It is advised that schools spend a lot of time and effort in evaluating the correct technology for the appropriate action. This will ensure value for money.
A simple spreadsheet has been produced by ACITT - the Association of IT Co-ordinators and IT Teachers to plan IT expenditure and costs over a 5 year period. This can be downloaded from the RM web-site.

The Action Plan should include reference to :

· Management issues
· ICT Provision and Support
· Staff Development and Training
· ICT in the Curriculum
· Administration issues
· Community issues

What is the most effective way of Implementing the Action plan?

If the previous steps have been followed and everyone has played their part then the Implementation stage should produce the minimum of problems, especially if it is gradually phased into the workings of the school.

What should be monitored and how should it be carried out?

All elements of the Action Plan should be monitored and a formal method for measuring the impact of the ICT Development plan should be devised. It isn't sufficient just to put in place the new technology that fulfils an action created in the Action Plan. It must be monitored to check that it is having the desired effect on teaching and learning. If it is successful then it will justify the investment made and help determine future actions. Methods of monitoring can vary from simple observation to elaborate evaluation procedures via classes such as the completion of a skills checklist. Pupils can be tested within school or through national tests and can store evidence of their ICT usage in folders, or take part in an award scheme. Whatever the method, it is important to track the skills, knowledge and understanding gained, rather than just record the hardware and software used and the output of the tasks undertaken.
It is possible to track pupil performance via ICT. More and more software allows the teacher to track pupil progress and attainment, offering in-depth analysis of the data and modelling future performance. It is possible to recognise "value added" to pupils across departments and the collection and analysis of accurate data can lead to effective target setting, thus raising achievement.

Why is it necessary to review the ICT development plan?

The ICT development plan needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that the Objectives reflect current thinking and practice. Annual reviews are popular and are an opportunity to change the ICT plan. Anything can be changed, including the Objectives, though the Rationale and perhaps the Mission Statement should stay the same. It is essential that any changes be explained to everyone concerned so that they can understand why there has been a change and how it will affect them. By doing this they will continue to have a sense of ownership and a realistic view of what is achievable.

What makes for a successful ICT development plan?

· Sufficient time and expertise should be allocated for the ICT plan to be completed and developed.
· dynamism. A dynamic ICT development plan delivers more effective IT, which allows you to achieve your goals in a world where technology is changing fast as are the needs of the school. As staff become more skilled in the use of ICT for instance, they will be more creative in its use and create greater demands, thus affecting future ICT planning.
· strong leadership and representation at a senior level. Not only should the Head teacher drive the development plan, supported by the IT Co-ordinator, so should the senior management team. Further essential support should come from the Governors. It is recommended that a Governor be appointed to take responsibility for ICT developments and that ICT issues are a regular item on the Governor's agenda. It is essential that the key players within school not only understand the benefits of ICT to teaching and learning but actively seek information and advice best suited to them from appropriate sources.
· good presentation. The ICT plan must involve many groups and people, and any developments or changes need to be communicated to all in a clear and informative manner. All staff should receive ICT training and share in the vision iterated in the Mission Statement.
· the role of ICT should not only address issues such as the delivery of the National Curriculum within the school, but also the wider community at a local level and also at a national level through such initiatives as the National grid for Learning. The idea of community should be explored and the concept of lifelong learning.

How can I find out more about ICT Development Planning?

Most Secondary schools have concerns about sustained funding, training, staff resistance to change, security, the speed of technological change and access to good information and advice. The latter can come from a variety of sources including other schools, industry, the LEA and organisations such as BECTA, the VTC, the DfEE and the NGfL. Regularly viewing the latest DfEE press releases are a good idea too.

There are many opportunities for teachers to communicate with each other
and exchange ideas and knowledge on specific topics through discussion
groups. They can be found for instance in the Virtual Teacher Centre and other web-sites such as SENCO and the Standards Site.

Specific help and advice on IT Policies ICT Development Planning can be found at a number of sites.

Relevant sites:

· BECTA Information Sheets

· BECTA - ICT Development Planning

· Strategic IT Planning - RM

· Preparing ICT Plans for Schools

· IT Planning - Best Practice

· IT in Schools: Guide to Producing an IT Strategy

· Improving Schools with ICT - RM Seminars 98

· IT Across the curriculum - RM Seminars 97

· ICT in schools

· Advice on the production of School ICT Plans

· Connecting Schools, networking People

· Connecting the Learning Society

· Funding

· DfEE Press Releases

· Lifelong Learning

Useful Publications:

· Heading for the Superhighway (free) BT - call 0800 622 302
· Schools ICT Handbook (free) XEMPLAR - call 0181 364 5220
· Implementing IT - for primary ICT co-ordinators (£35 + £2.95 postage) BECTA - call 01203 416 994
Other titles include: Reviewing IT / Access Technology / Making the right choice / ILS
· ICT Guide for Schools (£30.00) Technology College Trust - call 0171 802 2300 Other titles include: Seeking Sponsorship: A Guide for Schools (FREE) / Sponsorship in Practice (£7.50) / Educating for Tomorrow (£7.50) / Building Teachers' ICT Skills: The problem and a framework for the solution (£7.50) & Joined-Up Education: Making best use of the Internet and other ICT in schools (The first 10 copies are £7.50 each)

Other background reading:

· The Future of Information Technology in UK schools: McKinsey & Company, 1997 (McKinsey report)
· Information and Communications Technology in UK schools: an Independent Inquiry Independent ICT Commission, 1997 (Stevenson report)
· The Learning Age: a Renaissance for a New Britain, Stationery Office, 1998. ISBN: 0101379021
· Lifelong Learning Green paper - (Cm3790)
· Survey of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in schools 1998 DfEE Statistical Bulletin 11/98. The Stationery Office, November 1998. ISBN 0-11-271048-4
· University for Industry: engaging people in learning for life: pathfinder prospectus DfEE, 1998. ISBN: 0855227478
· OFSTED 1997
Gabriel Goldstein, HMI Information Technology: Information Technology in English Schools. A commentary on Inspection findings 1995 - 1996.
· Preparing for the Information Age: Synoptic Report of the DfEE Superhighways Initiative, 1997. ISBN: 0855226404
· Excellence in Schools: Government White Paper, DfEE July 1997

Organisations:

· LEA's - Local Education Authorities

· NGfL - National Grid for Learning

· NGfL - National Grid for Learning - England

· NGfL - National Grid for Learning - Northern Ireland

· NGfL - National Grid for Learning - Scotland

· NGfL - National Grid for Learning - Wales

· TTA - Teacher Training Agency

· ACITT - the Association of IT Co-ordinators and IT Teachers

· Standards Site

· DfEE - Department for Education and Employment

· BECTA - British Educational Communications and Technology agency

· VTC - Virtual Teacher Centre

· OFSTED - The Office for Standards in Education

· TCTrust -Technology Colleges Trust

· SENCO - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators

· SCET - Scottish Council for Educational Technolgy

· QCA - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority



		Learning Shop Information Page on: How to develop a whole school ICT Development Plan This section aims to provide: · a general introduction to the development of a School ICT Development Plan · guidance on preparing a School ICT Development Plan · a listing of some sources of further information What background information do I need to know? Recently the term IT (Information Technology) has expanded to ICT (Information Communications Technology) which rightly recognises the growing importance of communications technology. IT has evolved from being a discrete subject delivered by specialists, to ICT which has far more potential across the curriculum. Many schools have in place an IT policy and have updated it to take into account the communications element. There are now many opportunities for schools to make the most of ICT benefits from the private and public sector, perhaps the most exciting of which is the NGfL, National Grid for Learning. This embodies the Government's commitment to lifelong learning and creating a learning society. Details of the NGfL including targets and funding opportunities can be found in the consultation paper, Connecting the Learning Society. Connecting Schools, networking People, provides detailed advice on ICT planning, purchasing ICT and good practice in using ICT. To aid schools realise their ICT Development Plans some financial aid is available through various sources. What constitutes a School ICT Development Plan? The successful investment and use of ICT in school is underpinned by strong leadership, good planning and having an awareness of where to getinformative advice as can be found at the end of this information sheet. There are many different planning methods used by schools, some being more elaborate than others. The best ones go beyond "what can be done with the present budget?" to "where to do we want go?" Listed below are a number of steps that will help you in devising a School ICT Development Plan: · Rationale · Mission Statement · Audit · Objectives · Recommended Changes · Action Plan · Implementation · Monitor · Review Why have a School ICT Development Plan? The act of creating and developing a School ICT Development Plan produces many benefits: · focusses very effectively the individual ICT solutions of a school which aids communication both internally & externally · part of the school improvement process · meets the requirements of LEA's ICT Development Plans · meets the criteria of the DfEE set out in Connecting the Learning Society as part of the NGFL · meets needs of New National Curriculum Orders and Key Skills · meets needs of the Teacher Training Initiative administered through the TTA (Teacher Training Agency) · pupils enjoy improved teaching and learning, are better prepared for employment, and it promotes positive outcomes such as co-operation and teamwork, planning and pupil centred learning. It also provides support to pupils with disabilities or specific educational needs · staff are supported in teaching and learning and it offers personal development · school has direction and will ultimately help attract more pupils. It will also improve administration · community use of school ICT develops skills in the community and improves relationships. Why have a Mission Statement? A Mission Statement is a visionary statement and states what you want to achieve as regards ICT and education and how you are going to achieve it. A Mission Statement is individual as it refers to your school and is a summary of its aspirations. There is no reference to a time-scale and it must complement the Whole School Plan. An example Mission Statement: " To enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum through the use of fully integrated ICT and through the contribution of well trained, skilled and motivated staff as well as the support of parents and other groups and agencies within the community" "To enhance teaching and learning across the curriculum "- this refers to what you want to achieve. "through the use of fully integrated ICT and through the contribution of well trained, skilled and motivated staff as well as the support of parents and other groups and agencies within the community" - this refers to how you are going to achieve it. Some Mission Statements refer to equal opportunities, building partnerships with industry and commerce, or the wider community. Key people need to be involved in the creation of the Mission Statement. They include the Head Teacher, IT Co-ordinator, Senior Management Team, Key Governors and any applicable staff. What should be included in an ICT Audit? It is essential to assess where the school is now, in terms of ICT provision. The audit shouldn't just be a physical count of the ICT resources in the school but record management details, pupil attainment, staff attainment, curriculum and delivery models as well as administration and community involvement. Let's deal with each one of these in turn: · ICT Resources An accurate and up to date inventory is required of the infrastructure, hardware and software and connectivity in the school and it must be maintained on a regular basis. It will reflect any changes such as upgrades, new hardware and software or the removal of any equipment. The inventory or database should also record resource costs. These can include the initial cost of hardware and software, any maintenance contracts, technical support and repairs, on-line and connection charges, as well as consumables. It is useful to compare the cost of the resource with the level of usage and identify if it is being made available and used to maximum effect. Probably the best way to record usage is via a booking system and staff and pupils should be regularly interviewed to see whether the facilities are available when required, whether they are appropriate and whether they are available for all. It is also useful to record the use of ICT resources outside of school hours and the associated costs. Only by accurately recording costs is it possible to budget realistically for maintaining current levels of ICT as well as new developments. · ICT Management and Funding · The audit should record how ICT is presently managed in school and identify key personnel and their responsibilities. A number of key questions need to be answered. Who manages ICT within the school? Does the school have an ICT policy statement? Who controls the funding? What is the ICT budget for the school? What is the source of funding? Who assesses new requirements and authorises new purchases? How are ICT developments communicated to others? What educational benefits can be ascertained from the present use of ICT? This information can be obtained by observation, interviewing staff and senior management as well looking at appropriate school documentation. · Staff attainment An accurate audit of staff ICT skills and training is needed so that it can form the basis of determining what is required to improve skill levels. Again a number of questions need to be asked. What is the budget for ICT Inset? Is there a system for evaluating and recording the outcome of training received? Who delivers ICT Inset? It is also essential to record staff perceptions about ICT. Do they feel that ICT training is adequately supported? How comfortable are they about using ICT? Do they feel that their knowledge and experience is limiting their use of ICT with their pupils? What are their attitudes towards curriculum innovation and the use of ICT? Schools can undertake their own staff ICT audit or get detailed ICT survey questionnaires through the Building Teacher's ICT Skills document from the Technology Colleges Trust or the TTA. · Pupil attainment How is attainment assessed and recorded? How is progression measured? · Curriculum and Delivery Model How is ICT delivered? across the curriculum or as a discrete subject? Which subject areas use ICT? Is it possible to avoid ICT provision within the school? How is progression in ICT ensured through the key stages? Is there reference to ICT in other school curriculum and policy documents? Has the application of ICT changed the organisation of lessons? · Administration Does ICT support the management and administration of the school? Which staff use it? What software is used? Are there links between the curriculum and administrative systems? · Community Does the school make available to the local community their developing technologies? Does the school open up longer and more often to pupils and community groups? What are the Objectives? Objectives put the mission statement into practice with time-scales and should cover all aspects of ICT provision. They should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) and technology independent, since over a very short period of time technology solutions and opportunities change. Each of the objectives should be prioritised according to the importance that the school gives to them and refer to the elements identified in the audit. What recommendations should be made? Since we now know where we want to go and the starting point it would make sense to identify any gaps. They then could form the basis of any recommended changes. Each part of the ICT audit should be compared with the school's ICT Objectives and any differences recorded along with recommendations for change. It will form the basis of an Action Plan and take into account not only the needs of the school but be in tune with the National grid for Learning's aims and funding conditions. Example recommendations determined after the gap analysis from the previous stage: · Management maximise funding opportunities and support ICT initiatives · ICT Provision and Support produce a detailed program of hardware and software maintenance and development with associated support / continue to use stand-alone computers in a variety of delivery models / investigate the possibility of introducing a network / plan for connectivity to the NGfL / make greater use of parents for support / Integrate administration and curriculum systems / · Staff Development and Training determine individual ICT training needs and receive training in ICT, both Cross-curricular and in the Curriculum / create independent learning centres / make greater use of Independent Learning Systems / · Administration use and development a Management Information System, with appropriate training for all staff / link it with external agencies · Community use ICT facilities to promote greater links with the local and wider community How do you produce an Action Plan? The recommended changes should be prioritised according to: · criticality in achieving the ICT vision, the requirements of the school's development plan, the LEA plan and the National Grid for Learning · the impact on teaching and learning · the cost associated with the changes · the potential problems in bringing about change Each Action should have a person assigned to someone who is responsible for it and a target completion date should be set. At this point the subject of technology has to be addressed. It is advised that schools spend a lot of time and effort in evaluating the correct technology for the appropriate action. This will ensure value for money. A simple spreadsheet has been produced by ACITT - the Association of IT Co-ordinators and IT Teachers to plan IT expenditure and costs over a 5 year period. This can be downloaded from the RM web-site. The Action Plan should include reference to : · Management issues · ICT Provision and Support · Staff Development and Training · ICT in the Curriculum · Administration issues · Community issues What is the most effective way of Implementing the Action plan? If the previous steps have been followed and everyone has played their part then the Implementation stage should produce the minimum of problems, especially if it is gradually phased into the workings of the school. What should be monitored and how should it be carried out? All elements of the Action Plan should be monitored and a formal method for measuring the impact of the ICT Development plan should be devised. It isn't sufficient just to put in place the new technology that fulfils an action created in the Action Plan. It must be monitored to check that it is having the desired effect on teaching and learning. If it is successful then it will justify the investment made and help determine future actions. Methods of monitoring can vary from simple observation to elaborate evaluation procedures via classes such as the completion of a skills checklist. Pupils can be tested within school or through national tests and can store evidence of their ICT usage in folders, or take part in an award scheme. Whatever the method, it is important to track the skills, knowledge and understanding gained, rather than just record the hardware and software used and the output of the tasks undertaken. It is possible to track pupil performance via ICT. More and more software allows the teacher to track pupil progress and attainment, offering in-depth analysis of the data and modelling future performance. It is possible to recognise "value added" to pupils across departments and the collection and analysis of accurate data can lead to effective target setting, thus raising achievement. Why is it necessary to review the ICT development plan? The ICT development plan needs to be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that the Objectives reflect current thinking and practice. Annual reviews are popular and are an opportunity to change the ICT plan. Anything can be changed, including the Objectives, though the Rationale and perhaps the Mission Statement should stay the same. It is essential that any changes be explained to everyone concerned so that they can understand why there has been a change and how it will affect them. By doing this they will continue to have a sense of ownership and a realistic view of what is achievable. What makes for a successful ICT development plan? · Sufficient time and expertise should be allocated for the ICT plan to be completed and developed. · dynamism. A dynamic ICT development plan delivers more effective IT, which allows you to achieve your goals in a world where technology is changing fast as are the needs of the school. As staff become more skilled in the use of ICT for instance, they will be more creative in its use and create greater demands, thus affecting future ICT planning. · strong leadership and representation at a senior level. Not only should the Head teacher drive the development plan, supported by the IT Co-ordinator, so should the senior management team. Further essential support should come from the Governors. It is recommended that a Governor be appointed to take responsibility for ICT developments and that ICT issues are a regular item on the Governor's agenda. It is essential that the key players within school not only understand the benefits of ICT to teaching and learning but actively seek information and advice best suited to them from appropriate sources. · good presentation. The ICT plan must involve many groups and people, and any developments or changes need to be communicated to all in a clear and informative manner. All staff should receive ICT training and share in the vision iterated in the Mission Statement. · the role of ICT should not only address issues such as the delivery of the National Curriculum within the school, but also the wider community at a local level and also at a national level through such initiatives as the National grid for Learning. The idea of community should be explored and the concept of lifelong learning. How can I find out more about ICT Development Planning? Most Secondary schools have concerns about sustained funding, training, staff resistance to change, security, the speed of technological change and access to good information and advice. The latter can come from a variety of sources including other schools, industry, the LEA and organisations such as BECTA, the VTC, the DfEE and the NGfL. Regularly viewing the latest DfEE press releases are a good idea too. There are many opportunities for teachers to communicate with each other and exchange ideas and knowledge on specific topics through discussion groups. They can be found for instance in the Virtual Teacher Centre and other web-sites such as SENCO and the Standards Site. Specific help and advice on IT Policies ICT Development Planning can be found at a number of sites. Relevant sites: · BECTA Information Sheets · BECTA - ICT Development Planning · Strategic IT Planning - RM · Preparing ICT Plans for Schools · IT Planning - Best Practice · IT in Schools: Guide to Producing an IT Strategy · Improving Schools with ICT - RM Seminars 98 · IT Across the curriculum - RM Seminars 97 · ICT in schools · Advice on the production of School ICT Plans · Connecting Schools, networking People · Connecting the Learning Society · Funding · DfEE Press Releases · Lifelong Learning Useful Publications: · Heading for the Superhighway (free) BT - call 0800 622 302 · Schools ICT Handbook (free) XEMPLAR - call 0181 364 5220 · Implementing IT - for primary ICT co-ordinators (£35 + £2.95 postage) BECTA - call 01203 416 994 Other titles include: Reviewing IT / Access Technology / Making the right choice / ILS · ICT Guide for Schools (£30.00) Technology College Trust - call 0171 802 2300 Other titles include: Seeking Sponsorship: A Guide for Schools (FREE) / Sponsorship in Practice (£7.50) / Educating for Tomorrow (£7.50) / Building Teachers' ICT Skills: The problem and a framework for the solution (£7.50) & Joined-Up Education: Making best use of the Internet and other ICT in schools (The first 10 copies are £7.50 each) Other background reading: · The Future of Information Technology in UK schools: McKinsey & Company, 1997 (McKinsey report) · Information and Communications Technology in UK schools: an Independent Inquiry Independent ICT Commission, 1997 (Stevenson report) · The Learning Age: a Renaissance for a New Britain, Stationery Office, 1998. ISBN: 0101379021 · Lifelong Learning Green paper - (Cm3790) · Survey of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in schools 1998 DfEE Statistical Bulletin 11/98. The Stationery Office, November 1998. ISBN 0-11-271048-4 · University for Industry: engaging people in learning for life: pathfinder prospectus DfEE, 1998. ISBN: 0855227478 · OFSTED 1997 Gabriel Goldstein, HMI Information Technology: Information Technology in English Schools. A commentary on Inspection findings 1995 - 1996. · Preparing for the Information Age: Synoptic Report of the DfEE Superhighways Initiative, 1997. ISBN: 0855226404 · Excellence in Schools: Government White Paper, DfEE July 1997 Organisations: · LEA's - Local Education Authorities · NGfL - National Grid for Learning · NGfL - National Grid for Learning - England · NGfL - National Grid for Learning - Northern Ireland · NGfL - National Grid for Learning - Scotland · NGfL - National Grid for Learning - Wales · TTA - Teacher Training Agency · ACITT - the Association of IT Co-ordinators and IT Teachers · Standards Site · DfEE - Department for Education and Employment · BECTA - British Educational Communications and Technology agency · VTC - Virtual Teacher Centre · OFSTED - The Office for Standards in Education · TCTrust -Technology Colleges Trust · SENCO - Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators · SCET - Scottish Council for Educational Technolgy · QCA - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority