PS ICT Policy

 

(Primary School Information Communication Technology Policy)

The children of our school are part of a world that has an ever increasing knowledge of, and demand for, technological skill and awareness. They will be entering a world of work and leisure that will expect an ever greater degree of ICT literacy.  It is essential that we prepare children in our school to be confident and competent in ICT in all its varied forms.

 

Aims

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

 

Equipment

To give children the opportunities they need each class will have their own computer / laptop. Some classes will have a printer but all will have access to a printer.  Equipment will be reviewed annually, with the intention of improving the provision and network that exists and developing the ICT Suite to meet the needs of the curriculum. Updating and upgrading of equipment and software will be an implicit part of the above.

 

It is important to recognise that although most of the equipment for Information Communication Technology is associated with computers, other equipment such as cameras and tape recorders also have their place.

 

Auditing & In-Service Training

The introduction of new hardware and software has implications for in-service training and it will be part of the school's development plan to address the needs of all staff in the use of ICT. This includes training staff on school wide administration systems, for example, Schoolbase.

 

A regular audit will be undertaken to establish the availability and use of programs and it will be the specific duty of the named ICT Co-ordinator to ensure that all staff are suitably equipped and informed of any developments. It will also be the responsibility of the co-ordinator to ensure that planned advice and assistance is given throughout the school and that programs are correctly installed and maintained, liaising with the school technician.

 

Classroom Management

Ideally, children should be able to recognise when it is appropriate to use the computer to assist their work or further their studies. However, until they have a working knowledge of programs, and are confident in their use, it will be necessary to devise timed activities to ensure equality of experience. Software will be accessible to them and they will be given their own login which they have the responsibility to use effectively. All children are expected to use the computers in the ICT suites sensibly and to load, save and print work properly.

Using the computer will 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 select appropriate software to achieve success.

 

Programs

To achieve these aims suitable software will be available and progression through levels of competence will be explicit. A balance of programs will ensure that some give children valuable keyboard and process experience whilst others may be more open-ended. To meet the requirements of the National Curriculum we will follow the strands identified: data handling, communication, control & measurement, and modelling. We will concentrate upon using the following minimum number of programs:

 

Data Handling

  • MS Excel
  • MS Access
  • Black Cat Numberbox
  • Black Cat Information Workshop
  • Black Cat Decisions 3
  • 2Simple 2investigate
  • 2Simple 2graph+
  • 2Simple 2question

 

Communication

  • Publisher
  • MS Word  
  • MS PowerPoint 
  • Paint
  • Black Cat Fresco
  • Black Cat Paw Prints
  • Black Cat Write Away!
  • 2Simple 2create a story
  • 2Simple 2paint

 

Control & Measurement

  • RM Logo
  • Black Cat logo
  • 2Simple 2go

 

Modelling

  • Musical Instruments
  • My World

 

Children will be introduced to a touch typing course in Year 2 as we consider it important that competency is achieved in this most basic of skills at an early stage.

 

Special Educational Needs

Pupils with intellectual, emotional, physical or communication difficulties can benefit from 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. Staff should recognise these needs and plan accordingly for such children.

We aim to encourage all children to reach their full potential through the provision of various opportunities. Tasks and learning opportunities are therefore provided for all children that are at the appropriate level - to consolidate understanding and to lead to greater levels of competence. 

 

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.  Our Programme of Study is derived from the QCA Scheme of Work and this provides for a structured and orderly progression of skills and understanding.
 

Progression through the stages will be reflected through greater demands and expectations upon the use of programs - e.g. at Key Stage 1 children may be expected to express themselves upon the computer using Black Cat or 2simple software and also be required to save, recall, amend and represent their work and explain their reasoning. By Key Stage 2 they may be expected to make several drafts of their work and present it through more than one program in a collaborative or individual manner. Children will become more independent and confident in the use of ICT and be able to use more sophisticated software as they progress through the school. It is important that progression is acknowledged by each teacher in their planning and assessment.

 

In their planning, teachers will also consider the balance they are achieving in the various strands so that children do not spend too much time on any one area to the detriment of the others.

 

Recording

Keeping records of the children's experiences in ICT is vital. Evidence supplied in the form of a portfolio of children's work will be kept for both Key Stage 1 & 2 on the server. These will be updated termly and the children will play an active role in recording their achievements. Some children’s work will be made available on the school’s website.