Gwernyfed High School ICT Policy

Gwernyfed High School

ICT Policy

Contents

The significance of Information and Communication Technology .................................... 2

The school's aims for ICT ................................................................................................ 2

Curriculum organisation .................................................................................................. 2

Current delivery of ICT as a discrete subject: .................................................................. 3

Delivery of ICT as a discrete subject from September 2010: .......... Error! Bookmark not
defined.

Access to ICT .................................................................................................................. 3

ICT Clubs. ....................................................................................................................... 3

Inclusion .......................................................................................................................... 3

Email ............................................................................................................................... 4

Recording, assessment and reporting ............................................................................. 4

Monitoring and review ..................................................................................................... 4

Health and Safety/Security .............................................................................................. 4

Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 5

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 Gwernyfed High School ICT Policy

The significance of Information and Communication Technology

The growing importance of ICT skills is well documented. The CBI report Working on
the three Rs recognises ‘the steadily growing significance of IT in so many aspects of
working life’. The Leitch Review of Skills final report: Prosperity for all in the global
economy-world class skills acknowledges ‘skills that were once seen as high level are
increasingly seen as basic skills. The ability to use a computer is one of the most visible
and widely used generic skills. The past few decades have seen a rapid expansion in
the need for IT skills across all occupations and sectors’. The Digital Britain Final Report
recognises that ICT skills are not just for work, stating that ‘In an increasingly ICT-
mediated society, digital life skills underpin both employability and social inclusion’.
(Information and communication technology at Key stage 4 DCELLS/WAG 2009)

The school's aims for ICT

The overall aim for Information and Communication Technology is to enrich learning for
all pupils and to ensure that teachers develop confidence and competence to use
Information and Communication Technology in the effective teaching of their subject.
Information and Communication technology offers opportunities for pupils to:

Develop their ICT capability and understand the importance of information and
how to select and prepare it.
Develop their skills in using hardware and software so as to enable them to
manipulate information.
Develop their ability to apply ICT capability and ICT to support their use of
language and communication.
Explore their attitudes towards ICT, its value for themselves, others and society,
and their awareness of its advantages and limitations.
Develop good Health and Safety attitudes and practice.

Curriculum organisation

Pupils arrive in school with variable ICT experiences: the systems are different and
sometimes the software is different. We view these prior achievements as an advantage
and aim to build on them.

ICT discrete lessons are taught in all years, in addition ICT capability will also be
delivered within subjects in every year group, each subject area has its own I.C.T. policy
written within its handbook. (see cross curricular audit and subject specific orders.)
I.C.T. skills and knowledge are developed most effectively, and in a more relevant and
purposeful way when I.C.T. is used as necessary during learning activities, which are an
integral part of work in various subjects and themes. The school curriculum as a whole
provides a variety of opportunities for the use of I.C.T. For example pupils might learn to
make enquiries of a database containing information about population for a geography
project. Work in mathematics could involve the use of spreadsheets for a variety of
purposes, such as solving wage and salary problems or exploring number patterns and
sequences.

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 Gwernyfed High School ICT Policy

Through frequent use pupils can learn to select appropriate I.CT. tools for a task and
employ them effectively, taking proper account of their limitations. Being skilled in the
application of I.C.T. tools also means being able to judge when and where their use is
not appropriate.

Through using I.C.T. themselves and through studies of applications of I.CT. in society
pupils should understand how the concepts and skills of information technology
(handling information, communicating ideas, modelling, measuring and controlling),
when used appropriately and effectively, can enhance the quality of learning, living and
working. At the same time, they should become aware of ways in which the application
of I.C.T. can have adverse effects on people, organisations or society in general.
Working with I.C.T. in schools helps develop confidence in their ability to use I.C.T. tools
successfully, and to derive satisfaction and pleasure from that success. Pupil's I.C.T.
experiences in school should also encourage them to be flexible and open-minded in
their response to technological change, whilst developing a healthy scepticism about
how far change actually represents an "advance" for individuals and societies.

Current delivery of ICT as a discrete subject:

Year Programme of Study Lessons (2 week cycle)

7 National Curriculum Key Stage 3 Two 45 minute lessons
8 National Curriculum Key Stage 3 Two 45 minute lessons
9 National Curriculum Key Stage 3 Four 45 minute lessons
10/11 Cambridge Nationals and ESW level 2 Five 45 minute lessons
12/13 GCE Applied ICT Eleven 45 minute lessons

Access to ICT

The school has a three main ICT rooms primarily for the teaching of discrete ICT
lessons, ( but are also available for booking by other subjects). In addition, there is a
sixth form computer suite, laptop trolleys situated in the Art department and the ALN
room, netbook trolleys in the Science, Maths, English and Welsh departments, a desktop
computer, projector and/or interactive whiteboard in every classroom.. A full audit of ICT
equipment is held on the ‘P’ drive.

ICT Club.

Lunch time ICT club runs Monday – Wednesday 1-1.40pm, pupils’ may check their
emails, use the Internet for research, complete and or print out homework and
coursework.

Inclusion

All pupils, regardless of race or gender have the opportunity to develop ICT capability.
The school will promote equal opportunities for computer usage and fairness of
distribution of ICT resources. Pupils with a computer at home are encouraged to use it
for educational benefit and efforts are made to ensure that pupils are able to transfer

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documents produced on a home computer to a classroom computer and vice versa. In

addition, all pupils should be given access to printer facilities when hard copies of
homework/coursework are required. Pupils are also made aware of the ICT resources
available within the community, including those offered by local libraries.

Positive images of computer use by people of both sexes will be promoted. The school
also recognises the advantages of the use of ICT by children with special educational
needs. Using ICT can address children's individual needs, increase access to the
curriculum and enhance language and communication skills

Email and Moodle

Key Stage 3, 5 and /Essential Skills Wales require all pupils show evidence of
communicating via electronic means, to this end all pupils are offered access to a school
email account and the school VLE.

Recording, assessment and reporting

ICT work will be marked in line with school policy and this assessment will be used to
support teaching and learning. Reporting is also in line with whole school policy.

Monitoring and review

Departmental monitoring is carried out by the ICT link member of the Senior
Management Team and the ICT coordinator, in the following ways:

Informal discussion with staff and pupils

Observation of ICT displays
Looking at the work in their individual paper files or notebooks
Classroom observation
There is an annual review of this policy by the ICT coordinator

In addition reviews are undertaken by the Senior Management Team.

Health and Safety/Security

A copy of the evacuation route and fire alarm assembly points are displayed in the
computer suites.

All electrical equipment is tested in accordance with the school Health and Safety
document, please Staff Handbook.

Pupils are also made aware of the importance of the correct way to sit when using the
computer and the need to take regular breaks if they are to spend any length of time on
computers. This information is also displayed in the main ICT suites.

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 Gwernyfed High School ICT Policy

The school has an Acceptable User Policy document a copy of which is given to all
pupils and their parents/guardians. All pupils are made aware through the their ICT
lessons of e-safety when using both home and school computers

The files and network system are backed up regularly. The virus checker is updated
regularly.

Conclusion

This policy document sets out the school's aims, principles and strategies for the delivery
of Information and Communication Technology. It will form the basis for the development
of ICT in the school over the next ** years.

This policy was revised in the Spring term 2013.

It was formally adopted at a Governors meeting.

Reference is made to the whole school policies to be found in Staff Handbook. Full
details of our software and hardware resources and maintenance procedures are also
included in the ICT handbook.

Signed by chair of governors on behalf of the governing body:…..................

Date approved: March 2013

Date Approved: March 2013 ICT 1.1