The Implementation of This Policy Is the Responsibility of All Teaching Staff

Policy for ICT.

The implementation of this policy is the responsibility of all teaching staff.

Policy Statement and Rationale

It is the policy of this school that I.C.T. is not seen as a separate subject but that it is used as an integral part of and ‘linked’ to all curriculum areas ( including S.E.N. ) and that it is used repeatedly to enhance and support various aspects of the learning process. It is to be used, when appropriate, alongside other resources such as books, video recorder, T.V., tape recorder, etc. The particular strengths of I.C.T. are that its use allows and encourages children to :-

• Redraft and refine their work - ease of amendment on the screen;
• Take more risks or attempt alternative solutions to a problem – e.g. trying out alternative type styles, colours, words, pictures, sounds;
• Test hypothesis – using the speed and efficiency with which searches can be made and results displayed graphically;
• Communicate to a more varied audience – using packages to assist and/or deliver a point of view. Using e-mail to relay information.

Aims

It is the aim of this school that:

1. I.C.T. is to contribute to a learning environment that enables

children to create and to investigate.

1. Encourage teamwork and co operation.
2. Develop children’s individual I.C.T. capacity.
3. Enhance learning.
4. Learning I.C.T. skills specified within the National Curriculum.
5. Prepare each child for a future in a technological environment.

Objectives

1. To provide a wide range of experiences.
2. To match experiences offered with stages of development.
3. To provide a variety of learning situations.
4. To develop cross curricular links.
5. To provide equal opportunities for all ( see equal opportunities

policy).

1. To meet the statutory requirements of the Revised National Curriculum.

Health, Safety & Child Protection

It is the responsibility of Head Teacher to ensure that the School is registered with the Data Protection Registrar, and a valid copy of this registration retained at the school.

Back ups will be undertaken by Extrascope on a Daily basis and a copy held off site. Back ups are not held at the school. They are stored in the server room at Treorchy Comprehensive School.

All equipment present at the school will be recorded on the inventory and adequately marked for security purposes.

All staff wishing to take equipment off site should obtain the permission of Head Teacher prior to doing so. A record will be maintained containing the date of removal, item of equipment, serial number, name of the person removing it and the date it was returned.

Confidential data is to be kept in a secure environment and should not be written to the hard disk drive unless password protected.

It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure that only authorised software is used, and systems are in place to safeguard school software and data against computer viruses.

Access to all systems (i.e. FMS and System Manager) will be restricted to areas of responsibility, and also by the use of personal identity references linked to a users authorised requirements.

All computer systems are password protected to ensure that only authorised staff have access. Staff are reminded that passwords must not be shared and are changed on a regular basis.

All staff will be issued with a set of guidance notes detailing the I.T. Policies of the school, to ensure they are aware of the specific requirements and procedures to be followed.

All computer equipment and electrical appliances undergo an annual safety check. Any faults with a possibility of endangering children and staff must be reported to the I.C.T. Co-ordinator immediately and the item withdrawn from use. *Be aware of the danger of trailing leads and cables.

With the increased usage of the internet and social networking as a communication tool the need for E-Safety, (including mobile phones), is recognised at Llwydcoed Primary. (SEE E-SAFETY POLICY)

Equal Opportunities

Each and every child in the school – regardless of age, gender, ability, social and cultural background – has an equal entitlement to I.C.T. provision. Teachers must be sensitive to this and try to avoid any practice which is inconsistent with this principle. Avoid for example, cultivating class ‘experts’.

Resources

The amount of time per week each child has access to I.C.T. has implications for hardware and software ‘resources’ for the school as a whole and within each class. At the present time we have the following:

• Promethean IWBs + SmartBoards in classrooms
• ipads
• A variety of laptops + PCs are available for classroom use
• A server
• Coomber recording/listening centre and access to calculators, television, DVD/video, Roamers & Bee Bots, data harvester, digital cameras, flip video camera, easy speak microphones.
• CD players.
• All PCs and laptops are networked and linked to the internet via broadband.
• All individual classes and staff have been issued with a logon password and email address.
• The school follows LA’s internet and email policy.

Resources are to be ordered by the I.C.T. coordinator according to the needs of the school, and will be reviewed and open to the discretion of the Headteacher and subject to budgetary constraints.

The Computer equipment should be maintained at all times and kept in an orderly fashion. Any faulty resources must be reported to the I.C.T. coordinator, at which time the coordinator will contact the relevant organisation to repair or replace said resources.

Organisation

It is the responsibility of each teacher to organise and timetable computer use within the classroom.

Emphasis should be placed on using computer skills learned to access all areas of the curriculum.

Pupil Observation and Assessment

The assumption should not be made that by careful grouping of the children and allocating each group the same amount of computer time, every child will be assured equal participation at the computer.

Make time to observe each group working at the computer. Try to make the first observation soon after the children have started so that there is still time to intervene.

Look out for a child in the group taking over:

• Making decision’s alone.
• Monopolising the keyboard.
• Operating the keyboard too quickly before the other children.
• Telling the other children what to do.

Look out for a child in the group being left out by:

• The other children ignoring him.
• Losing interest.
• Disagreeing with the other children.
• Not understanding what the other children are doing.

Be aware of unrest in the group.

Be prepared to intervene and stop unacceptable behaviour where the children in the group are not getting their equal turn at the computer.

Be flexible; alter groupings if they are not working.

Continual Assessment

Formative assessment will be designed to monitor progress on a continuing base, by observing and communicating with the child throughout the activities planned, in order to inform the teaching / learning process. Older pupils self and peer assess using the interactive skills ladders so that they are actively involved in their own assessment.

Summative assessment will be designed to produce evidence of achievement at the end of a period of study and show clearly what a child has learned. There will be a focus for assessment each term (see Focus for Assessment/Evidence Overview). Coordinator to collect and collate samples from each year group. These to be placed in an Evidence Portfolio to aid staff in identifying progression/levels. Pupil’s achievement in I.C.T. will be written on their annual reports to parents.

Progression

Following the Skills Ladder from Early Years to Year 6 will provide teachers with enough information about each child that will enable them to pinpoint any deficiencies in provision and to also ensure that opportunities are being given so that children are able to improve their skills. In this way we can assess the child’s progress throughout his/her primary education (these areas of learning should be repeated throughout Key Stage 1 and 2 which will allow the children to further explore the topic at a higher level and might show a new perception of that skill/topic by a child ).

Children are encouraged to enquire and use whatever strategy, or amalgam of strategies they feel necessary to achieve the learning objective successfully.

Monitoring

Monitoring of every curriculum area is an essential part of the self – evaluation process of Llwydcoed Primary School and follows a yearly cycle as set out by the Headteacher in the school’s monitoring and self – evaluation policy.

The Literacy and Numeracy Framework

All learners at Llwydcoed Primary School will experience a rich literacy and numeracy learning environment and support in achieving their potential. In line with the Welsh Government Literacy and Numeracy Programmes and the Literacy and Numeracy Framework (LNF), it is our expectation that all teachers will be teachers of literacy and numeracy, and learners will have the opportunity to apply and progress literacy and numeracy skills across the curriculum in different subject areas, and in real life contexts. All teachers and support staff, alongside other stakeholders, have a role in supporting learners’ progress in literacy and numeracy.

What is a literate student?
A literate student is able to make sense of the world around them, have an understanding of written and spoken language, be able to interpret what has been written or said, and draw inferences from the evidence that surrounds them. A literate student is also able to communicate –accurately, fluently and persuasively and apply these skills across the curriculum.
What is a numerate student?
A numerate student is able to apply mathematical skills in many more contexts than mathematics lessons and across several subject areas. They are able to identify and apply numerical reasoning skills in order to solve a problem, and to carry out numerical procedures, showing and explaining their solutions.

Key Skills

Key skills form an integral part of the makeup of all subject areas of the school’s curriculum. These are not subjects in their own right but the tools needed to access areas of learning. All staff are responsible for helping pupils develop these skills. Opportunities to develop these key skills are identified in the teacher’s planning. Along with creativity the Key Skills are:

• Information Technology Skills. (See Key Skills Policy)
• Problem Solving Skills. (Developing Thinking)
• PPersonal and Social Skills.

• Curriculum Cymreig

Pupils will be given the opportunity, where appropriate, to develop and apply their knowledge and understanding of the cultural, historical, economic, environmental, physical and linguistic characteristics of Wales through I.C.T.

Andrew Wilkinson (Head Teacher)

Signed Chair of Governors:

Andrea Hosgood

Date: 21st October 2015

Review: December 2017

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