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THE LATEST UPDATES AND DEVELOPMENTS IN SCHOOL TECHNOLOGY
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DIGITAL DIVIDE Cyberbullying: what really happens
UPDATE 44 ›› ICT NEWS
Technology news and views for the month
IN PRACTICE 48 ›› ONE ON ONE
The results of Scotland’s Clackmannanshire Council 1-2-1 learning pilot
50 ›› SACRED ART OF LEARNING
How a learning platform helped transform a Bolton school
FOCUS ON 53 ›› LEASE OF YOUR WORRIES
Panorama tackles leasing. We do too
56 ›› DIGITAL DIVIDE
Cyberbullying: what really happens
HELP DESK 58 ›› TECHNO GEEK
How to deal with a demanding teacher
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NEWS & ANALYSIS THE POWER OF GAMESBASED LEARNING Well-structured and planned games-based learning (GBL) can engage students in activities to enhance learning and thereby increase teacher motivation. These were the findings of a recent report by Teaching Scotland Consolarium, the national centre for games and learning. “With gaming becoming more popular amongst young people, power point slides and the traditional chalkboards have a lot to compete with when it comes to engaging students in learning,” commented Gareth Davies, MD of learning platform company, Frog. “With 21st Century classrooms full of gadgets and devices, new and innovative ways to connect with students are needed. The interactive world of gaming is highly stimulating, making games-based learning one of the easiest ways to get students involved through its multisensory environment.” He also believes it “is a fantastic way” to personalise teaching and learning. “The beauty of GBL is its versatility and its application in learning stretches as far as the imagination. Mario Kart, for example, can be used in maths lessons to teach students how to work out which was the longest track by using average speeds and Bowser’s Castle for creative writing,” he concluded. “The power of GBL enables students to learn by experience, and best of all they often learn without even realising it.”
STATS
9%
OF YOUNG PEOPLE AGED 18 TO 34 CONSIDER THEMSELVES TO HAVE A LOW KNOWLEDGE OF COMPUTERS (Source: HP)
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NEW ACADEMY TRUST FOCUSES ON ICT INNOVATION The Academy Transformation Trust in Birmingham has been launched as a not-for-profit company committed to a partnership approach designed to strengthen school independence and empower pupils with a first class education in a nurturing, engaging and innovative environment. The trust received government approval in January 2012, under the leadership of sponsor Ian Cleland (pictured). In addition to outstanding pupil performance, the trust’s objectives include a diverse programme of community relations, staff engagement and development, robust learning plans linked to personalised mentoring, effective relationships with parents and a programme of technological innovation, which will give pupils access to the latest technology including hand held devices. The trust opened its first academy in August, at Mossley Primary School in Walsall, which has now become the Jubilee Academy Mossley. Other Trust academies opened in September included Bristnall Hall Technology College in Sandwell and Queensway Junior School in Thetford. New academies are also planned in Derbyshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Staffordshire and Academy Transformation Trust is planning to sponsor over 30 further academies by the end of 2013, which will include primary, secondary and special schools.
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OLD IT ‘MAKES LESS SKILLED PUPILS’ Eight in ten UK teachers think audio visual technology in classrooms is extremely important, but nearly two-thirds (60%) face problems with unreliable equipment and over a third (37%) don’t have the right training to use it. The study, undertaken on behalf of Casio Projectors by independent research house Vanson Bourne, spoke to 100 teachers at primary and secondary schools and although 82% said AV technology empowers more interactive learning and 50% said pupils leave school with better skills as a result, 42% said they don’t get adequate technical support to operate the equipment. “Teachers are clearly keen to use technology, but aren’t being given the opportunity to use it in their classrooms as schools seem to be ignoring the potential and leaving equipment to gather dust,” said Tim Gould of Casio Projectors. “The vast majority of teachers see the benefit but are being forced back to the blackboard by schools that are ignoring the modern teaching tools.” Despite being at the forefront of delivering the lessons, 42% of teachers are not involved in classroom technology purchasing decisions. As a result, 45% of teachers felt their school didn’t invest enough in AV equipment and 37% hadn’t seen an upgrade to the technology in their classroom in at least three years. When asked about the effects of AV technology on learning, 77% of teachers said there is greater lesson enjoyment, and 60% said the technology drove greater classroom participation. Catherine Marchant of Young Enterprise, which helps students set up their own businesses, said: “We are seeing more and more young people harnessing the power of technology to create their own successful companies. It is vital to ensure that students are technologically-savvy so that they have the edge when they enter the world of work.” “This study showed that decent AV technology in classrooms doesn’t only create more enjoyable lessons and more engaged kids, it empowers advanced learning and ultimately produces more skilled individuals,” added Gould. “It seems odd that we live in an age where pupils are going to be immersed in technology from day one in their first job, but their teachers are still struggling with old school problems – problems that could affect the skills our future workforce are leaving school with.”
They said... We are long overdue a completely new approach to teaching IT as a subject. Despite young people being avid users of technology, from mobile phones to video games, the number of students choosing to study computing-related courses at school continues to decline Karen Price OBE, CEO of e-skills UK, the sector skills council for the IT industry
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HELP DESK
FAST FACTS
80% of UK teachers think AV in classrooms is extremely important
42% of teachers are not involved in technology purchasing decisions
45% of teachers felt their school didn’t invest enough in AV equipment
60%
face problems with unreliable equipment
37% don’t have the right training to use it
37% hasn’t seen an upgrade to the technology in their classroom in at least three years Source: Casio
DIARY 12 OCTOBER -EduTech Showcase Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, Lancashire Probrand.co.uk/edutech
16 OCTOBER -Implementing the new ICT curriculum: an Ofsted policy update Central London InsideGovernment.co.uk
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Small wonders Last October, representatives from the Scottish Government approached Clackmannanshire Council to undertake a one-to-one learning pilot with a local school. Julia Dennison finds out what a difference a netbook made for 33 Primary 7 pupils
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hen Helen Munro of Clackmannanshire Council in central Scotland had word from the government that her area would be included in a scheme to provide every child in a local primary school year group with netbooks, she could never have predicted the impact it would have. A well-worn predecessor to flashy tablets, netbooks rarely get the credit they deserve as a transformational learning tool. However, after taking part in a recent one-to-one initiative with these small-scale laptops, Munro and the staff at Clackmannan Primary School can’t praise them enough for transforming the futures of 33 pupils.
A PROUD PROJECT
The story began in June 2011, when the Scottish Government approached Clackmannanshire Council to identify a local primary school to take part in a technology-based one-to-one learning pilot they were launching. As the council’s education support officer for ICT, Munro immediately thought to ask Clackmannan Primary, known throughout the area for its proactive approach to tech resources. Once underway, the trial saw 33 Year Six pupils kitted out with their own netbooks, provided by Intel, which they could take home. Instead of the school taking the lead, it became the 11-12-year-olds’ responsibility to use, look after and charge the laptops when needed (helping reduce staff time spent doing this kind of thing). Prior to this, the school had static computer rooms and a few netbooks to share between pupils, so a move to one computer to one pupil was a welcome one – particularly as it was a computer they could take with them everywhere and one whose screen doubled as a tablet. Schools reading this might balk at the idea of pupils taking charge – what if they get lost? The screens break? Parents sell them on eBay? Worse things may have happened elsewhere, but not in Clackmannanshire, where Munro assures me the netbooks were well looked after. “The machines themselves are designed to be robust,” she adds. “I’ve dropped it to prove it to people that you can.”
WHAT’S THE POINT?
So just what difference does 33 netbooks make anyway? Plenty, it seems. For starters, they helped keep away-with-the-fairies-prone pupils on task. Teacher Yvonne
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Fulton puts it more tactfully: “We detected that certain pupils were becoming less engaged during challenging subjects and would often procrastinate and not complete the work they had been set,” which she puts down to their feeling “uneasy with the aural-based learning approach”. Fulton believed these children would benefit from participating in class via a learning platform online and netbooks provided them with the opportunity. It also seems it’s never too early to get children ready for the workplace and Munro and the staff at the school believe the responsibility of looking after a netbook lets children experience what it might be like to work in the real world. “We’ve opened their eyes to the fact that there are different possibilities and different ways to do things,” Munro adds. In her role as education support officer for ICT, Munro wouldn’t be The pupils are willing to explain their methods to one doing her job if she didn’t try to get another, often passing their netbooks for others to learn from more for the schools she looks after. She felt the only thing that would enhance the children’s experience of the netbooks further would be by installing learner response software on them. “We have a saying in Scotland, which is: ‘No cheek, no chance’,” she tells me. “If you don’t ask, you’re not going to get.” With this in mind, and lacking the budget, she approached Promethean with fingers crossed – and got lucky. The supplier, keen to research the benefits of a one-to-one project like that in Clackmannanshire, granted the request. The combination of the netbooks and learning response software, which allows pupils to contribute anonymously to classroom discussions should they wish, further enabled them to participate in class with confidence – particularly those previously less inclined.
BENEFITS IN KIND
Helen Munro at Clackmannanshire council
A year into the project and the school is already enjoying a number of benefits. Children are more eager than ever to get involved in their schoolwork and the quality of their involvement has increased. Deputy head Brian McLaren points to mathematics, which children find more fun, and group work, which has become more productive as a result of the technology. “The pupils are willing to explain their methods to one another,” he says, “often passing their netbooks for others to learn from.” The big question is: Will the children cope without them when they move on to a different school for secondary? While this remains to be seen (a good many have already received netbooks from parents as Christmas and birthday presents, so they will be OK), but in the meantime, Munro and the staff at Clackmannan Primary look forward to bestowing the netbooks to the next generation. The rising Primary 7 class watched from the side-lines as their older schoolmates played with and learned with the kit. Eager with anticipation, the youngsters have been relishing using the technology ever since they got their chance at the start of term. For schools balancing ever tighter budgets, stories like that in Clackmannanshire go to show how focusing on getting the most from a single ICT product type can work wonders. Munro believes wholeheartedly that simple things like this scheme can make a big difference. “I don’t think it’s a great big thing,” she concludes, modestly. “I think it’s just something we’ve done and we’ve been fortunate.”
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A step-up for learning Sacred Heart RC Primary School near Bolton has won awards for its use of technology. Teacher and leader of connected learning and standards, Ben Tipton has been driving this change. Julia Dennison catches up with him to find out how a good learning platform has made
MAN BEHIND THE MOTIVATION
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hen Year 6 teacher Ben Tipton won an award recently for outstanding use of technology at his school, it was the icing on an already impressive cake. He and Sacred Heart RC Primary in Westhoughton, Bolton, where he works, have been the celebrated recipients of a whole slew of awards, including not only the most recent 2012 Pearson Teaching Award for Outstanding Use of Technology in Education in the North but a UniServity Award for Learning Platform Excellence in 2010, a runners-up prize in UniServity’s Online Learning Awards last year, and an outstanding grade from Ofsted, which the inspectorate put partly down to its innovative use of technology. The fact that Sacred Heart is the only primary in Bolton to achieve the highest grade from the watchdog is proof enough of its excellence, even without the cabinet of trophies. However, these well-deserved awards do a service in setting the school apart from even its fellow outstanding schools when it comes to ICT in the classroom.
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Alongside his role as a teacher and coach, Tipton acts as leader of connected learning and standards at Sacred Heart. His duties include maintaining a high standard of teaching and learning throughout the curriculum, while integrating ICT into everything the school does. He also works to ensure there are opportunities, resources and facilities for ICT to be used throughout the curriculum, particularly in English, numeracy and science lessons. “It’s not taught as a discrete subject, it’s integrated throughout all the different subjects that we do,” he explains of ICT. He stresses its importance not as a “fancy pants add-on” to a lesson, but as an integral part of teaching and learning. Tablets and learning platforms, in Tipton’s mind, are not mere gadgets, but tools. With this in mind, Tipton has held best practice sessions to help a cluster of nine primary schools in the area skill up in technology and is also the leader of Westhoughton local authority’s ‘No School Left Behind’ project. “A lot of the time people get a brand new toy and they think it’s all nice and shiny and new but they don’t actually do anything with it because they don’t have the time or the inclination,” he explains. “[These sessions] were there to provide lots of good ideas [on how to use the technology].” Tipton even admits to learning a fair few things himself from these gatherings.
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A PLATFORM FOR LEARNING
It was his work on the learning platform that inspired headteacher Martin Johnson to nominate Tipton for his most recent award. And the Pearson Awards judges sang his praises, admiring his contribution to connected learning. Many schools have learning platforms, but not many use it to the extent that Sacred Heart does – particularly primary schools. Since its launch in 2008, the school community has systematically used the software in much of what they do, using it to share ideas, read each other’s work or as a place to celebrate their merits. This has resulted in raised standards of teaching, learning, attainment and motivation, particularly noted in the school’s high achievement of Level 5 writing. The school is lucky that most of its pupils have access to internet at home, so uses this to its advantage. And the pupils use the software with dedication alongside their parents, who can view and access their children’s learning at all times. Sacred Heart started trialling its learning platform in Key Stage Two, but has since expanded it to the whole school, including Reception. For Key Stage One, there is a family page hosted on the learning platform that parents can use to tell the school about their child, giving Sacred Heart an idea about the whole child rather than just what the teachers see at school. “Some children that come into Reception might not show that they can do certain things that need to be ticked off in the Foundation profile, for example to sort shapes or count to a certain number, but parents might say they do it all at home,” explains Tipton. “This is an opportunity to provide us the evidence, which might be a bit of text, a picture, video or audio clip inserted into the blog, which we access on a weekly basis
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to see if we can add anything to the Foundation profile.” Parents are also given a chance to feedback their learning objectives for their child, who then can show their parents what they’re up to at school. “Gone are the days where the parents say: ‘What did you do at school?’ and the kids go ‘Nothing’,” adds Tipton. “They now say: ‘Let me show you what we did, it’s on the learning platform.’” Johnson compares a good learning platform, like the one used at Sacred Heart, to a school hall: “Our school hall is where we meet physically, but our learning platform quickly became a place where our whole school family comes together to share comments and learning.” Indeed, Tipton is not ashamed to say he “steals” great ideas he sees on the learning platform from other teachers. “It just makes everyone’s lives a little bit easier and a bit more integrated,” Tipton adds.
FUTURE FORWARD
The next step for Tipton and his school is a move from the current learning platform to a new upgrade that will let users access it anytime from anywhere by way of the cloud. The system they currently use will cease to exist in 2016, but the school believes it’s never too early to get on-board with the new system, so is already trialling its functionalities. It is little wonder, then, that Sacred Heart takes home the awards, and there will undoubtedly be more in the future. To celebrate, Tipton will be joining other winning teachers from across the country at a UK ceremony to be aired on BBC Two in the autumn. School leaders seeking further inspiration from the likes of Tipton and his colleagues should be sure to watch the digital space.
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THE PATH OF LEASE RESISTANCE Leasing has received some damning headlines this year and is seen by some as a risk. George Carey discovers the benefits of leasing and discovers how you can get the best deal
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ith a series of sensationalised horror stories in the press and a Panorama programme on the subject, the acid test of any crisis, leasing is in need of an image overhaul. One of the schools that hit the headlines was Glemsford Primary in Suffolk, which received a visit from a company called Direct Technology Solutions, which offered to take on the contract for supplying the school’s photocopiers. The company then contacted them to say that they had sourced 1,000 laptops and asked if the school wanted any. When the school explained it could not afford the equipment, they were told it would be free and part of a promotion. So Glemsford agreed to take on 100 computers on the basis that it would not cost anything. They were told they had to sign an agreement to satisfy EU regulations, but were assured that DTS would cover the cost of the equipment. In fact they had unwittingly signed long-term leases on the laptops. This meant they were effectively hiring the equipment from a finance company. Initially, this caused them no difficulties because the first few payments on the lease were covered by Direct Technology Solutions. But then the company went into administration, leaving Glemsford Primary exposed to thousands of pounds worth of liabilities owed to the bank which they could not afford. The school owes an estimated £500,000 to Clydesdale Bank after leasing equipment with a value of approximately £700,000. As usual though, it’s the sensational few stories that hit the headlines and leasing can be an excellent way for schools to source equipment, safely and cost-effectively. As James Bird, CEO of Stone, an IT supplier comments: “Across Europe, 100% of IT equipment is attained via lease arrangements, providing schools with access to technology at less than cost price with an in-built refresh model. In the UK, however, leasing remains less popular due in no small part to the burnt fingers of many bursars and business managers, incurred through poor leasing agreements for photocopy and print devices in the past.” So how do schools go about getting a good deal? Stuart Hughes is head of education at Investec, a finance specialist bank, and has some sage advice on the process. Shopping around for the best deal on the cash price of equipment, may sound like an obvious tip, but Hughes says that many schools get comfortable with a supplier and
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If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is
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take their word as gospel. His crucial piece of advice is this: “I would always advise a school to procure equipment and leasing separately. If you get best value on the equipment and then best value on the lease, you’ve got a good deal. That should be one of the basics.” He’s quick to point out that this is doesn’t negate obtaining finance from suppliers. “I’m not saying that the supplier’s finance isn’t going to be any good, because some have teamed up with very reputable finance companies and offer very competitive rates, but it’s always best to ensure that that is the case. If you compare that with somebody else’s leasing offering, and you can ensure that there’s good value, then that’s something that I think schools should always do.” Philip White, CEO of Syscap, another finance specialist thinks that preferred supplier lists are the solution to weeding out unscrupulous resellers, adding that one could be created by building on membership of the British Educational Suppliers Association, a trade association for suppliers to the education sector. He says: “Without wanting to underplay these problems, this miss-selling is perpetuated by fringe players within the ICT supply sector; businesses that are not subject to the standards or regulation of a trade association.” White concludes that: “Schools could commit to only purchasing from resellers that are willing to adhere to a proper code of conduct. The supplier’s membership of a trade association could act as a seal of quality and of their proper ethical standards.” There are plenty of people involved in supplying schools who share this view, not least, Aaron Warham, director of the National Association of photocopier and printer suppliers. The association, formed in January is working hard to protect the reputation of scrupulous suppliers. Warham describes the code of conduct that members must sign up to, which strictly prohibits the type of rogue behaviour that caused problems in the first place. “We’re very confident saying to schools that if they are dealing with a NAPPS member, they won’t run into the kind of problems they may have heard about. It’s why we are partnering with National Association of School Business Managers, and we’ve put recommendations out to schools through their membership. We’re prepared to give schools free and objective advice.” There is, according to Warham, a very important feature of the association’s membership: “You can’t become a member of NAPPS without going through a rigorous application process, it’s not simply a matter of paying a membership fee. If they’ve passed, they’ve been independently checked, so customers can enjoy peace of mind when they deal with NAPPS suppliers.” So there you have it, leasing can provide your school with real value and be an entirely safe process, as long as you go into the process in the right way. If you’re still a little unsure about pursuing it as a procurement method, just remember Bird’s parting piece of advice: “If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is”.
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MEMORY STICKS AND STONES
There has been a rising number of high profile cases of cyber bullying hitting the headlines in recent years, often with tragic results. George Carey looks at the issue of e-safety in schools
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recent study of 4,600 school children between the ages of 11 and 16 revealed that 28% had experienced bullying on the internet or via a mobile phone. The research, carried out by the charity Beatbullying and the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), highlighted the challenges that schools face in allowing their pupils access
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to the internet while keeping them safe. Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, said: “The benefits of new communications technologies in education are hard to overstate but we know that when they are abused, life can be made a misery for pupils and teachers alike.� So what are the moral and legal obligations for schools, and what technology is available to help them?
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Recognition of cyber bullying as a safeguarding issue is a helpful first step. The anti-bullying guidance issued by the government in July 2011, ‘Preventing and Tackling Bullying’, confirms that bullying should be addressed as a child protection concern where there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering or is likely to suffer, significant harm. Schools are advised to report such concerns to their local authority children’s social care services. Preventive measures should include clear and robust anti-bullying and child protection policies. Pupils and parents need to feel confident that their fears and concerns will be taken seriously. An acceptable use policy is a good starting place, setting out the framework for the use of ICT in the school, making it clear that any abuse of electronic devices will be dealt with under the school’s disciplinary procedures and that sanctions may include confiscation of mobile phones, restriction of the use of computers in school and, ultimately suspension or expulsion. Some schools may be hesitant to involve themselves in incidents occurring outside of school time, but they should not. Yvonne Spencer, of Veale Wasbrough Vizards Lawyers, is an education law specialist and says: “Some schools believe that where cyber-bullying takes place off school premises, the school has no right to intervene. This is not correct. Under common law, schools have always had the right to take disciplinary action in respect of conduct that affects the school’s reputation or the welfare of a member of the school community. Section 89(5) of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 provides an explicit right for all schools to take action in respect of misconduct whether or not pupils are on school premises or in the care of the school at the time.”
MITIGATION METHODS
There are two schools of thought among ICT specialists about the best way to keep pupils safe from outside influences, and each other. While some companies offer services that restrict what children can access online, others monitor activity and flag-up anything that is deemed as unacceptable or suspicious. The aim is clearly the same, but the different approaches appear to divide opinion between those in charge of ICT in schools. The Blessed Hugh Faringdon School in Reading has 850 students on a single campus split across five year groups and a sixth form. With a network of 450 computers to manage, e-safety has become a major priority. The school opted for a managed monitoring service, which it has proved to be
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a success. The system checks for certain key words and websites that could indicate wrongdoing by pupils or exposure to potentially dangerous sites. Over 20% of children at Blessed Hugh Faringdon are Polish, which could have caused issues with the monitoring system, but the newest systems are multilingual and recognise the characters of almost any language, meaning that the school is able to provide protection regardless of ethnicity and background. Terry Bartram, network manager at the school, commented: “I would suggest that schools really question whether they want an unmanaged system, as having a managed one reduces your overheads and makes the whole process more streamlined.” He continued: “Daily and weekly reports have positively helped the school to identify and deal with e-safety issues that would never previously have known about, in a timely manner.” Another advocate of managed monitoring systems is Al Slay, senior product manager for RM Education, who says: “With Ofsted advocating opening up ICT resources and moving away from the ‘locked-down’ environments of old, demand for non-intrusive products that can monitor behaviour while supporting an open learning environment is increasing and guiding users in responsible use of technology is gaining popularity.” On the other side of the fence, are the schools that favour a more restrictive and preventative approach. St Frederick Osbourne school in Welwyn Garden City has noticed a marked improvement in the way that ICT has been used in the school since implementing an improved firewall system. Mike James, IT technician, explains: “It enabled us to reclaim our network from a student culture of unrestricted game-playing, time-wasting and general internet abuse; and enabled us to control access for students by name, location or group.” Simon Wilcox, marketing operations manager for Smoothwall, agrees: “There is technology which gives teachers access to block or allow web content without involving the ICT department.” This technology will “Some schools believe that allow a more tailored approach to where cyber-bullying takes blocking web content as and when place off school premises, it is appropriate, he says. the school has no right to School leaders should review their e-safety resources and not intervene” simply delegate them to the ICT department. If you are looking to upgrade or change your e-safety system, it is important to look at as many options as possible, to ensure that you are taking the best approach for your school. Experience shows that, all too often, when a serious safeguarding event occurs, if it is not dealt with effectively the repercussions can be far reaching.
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Keep a cool head How do you stay calm and stress-free when a teacher wants you to spend money the school doesn’t have on iPads? As a school business manager or bursar, the pressure from all sides to spend the school’s budget in their area of interest can be unremitting. Everyone has a list of increasingly important resources that they simply can’t do their job without and that the pupil’s very future depends upon. As the person in charge of the purse-strings, it’s an unfortunate reality of the job that a lot of the time the answer has to be a fairly straight-forward: no. So what do you do when a teacher becomes convinced that they simply can’t teach their class anymore, without iPads? How do you keep a cool head and a poker face in the whining and ever-present face of adversity? The amount of ICT involved in the curriculum now, means that much of the time people will be hounding you to spend money on improving the schools ICT resources, which are out of date by the time they’ve been delivered. The demand for iPads in schools has risen precipitously and there will be those that see them as an entirely necessary addition to their classroom. While I’m sure you’d love to be able to procure an iPad for every pupil, for the majority of schools that simply isn’t an option. What you need to make these people understand is that your
school’s budget simply doesn’t allow for it. As with everything in life, communication is the surest route to resolution. For that teacher that’s so desperate to secure iPads, that they start to resemble spoilt children on Christmas day, who didn’t get the speed boat they asked Father Christmas for, the best thing is to sit them down and talk them through the budget and school’s expenditure. If they’re not of a particularly numerical persuasion, this could be a good time to overwhelm them with stats and facts. The hope being that, once you have educated them about the schools finances and given them an insight into how demanding and multi-faceted your job is, they might think twice the next time they get the urge to accost you in the corridor. Life coach Suzy Greaves, says one of the key skills to managing workplace stress is knowing how to say no. “Have confidence in your ‘no’ when you think it’s the right decision, even though it may not be the most popular one,” she says. “In the long term, your ability to say no will be one of your most valuable attributes.”