Galley Common School Information Technology and Communications Policy

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1 Galley Common School Information Technology and Communications Policy Introduction Technology is an integral part of all young children s environment and world. They are surrounded by Information and Communication Technology (ICT) just as they are surrounded by language, print and numbers. In the home, technology includes personal computers, games consoles and systems, remote controls for television, DVDs and sound systems, mobile phones, washing machines, microwave ovens and other machines and toys that require programming. Outside the home, children are also immersed in the technological world: they see automatic doors, cash machines, bar code scanners, digital tills and weighing machines, and security cameras. Technology is something that children are going to grow up with, learn about and master, and use as a tool to increase their understanding in all areas. Technology allows children to engage positively in imaginative, active learning. It can motivate, provide practice, reassure, build confidence, encourage children to take the next steps and build their self-esteem. This document outlines our School s policy on the provision of ICT. It reflects the consensus of the whole teaching staff and the agreement of the Governing Body. The implementation of this Policy is the responsibility of all members of staff. ICT at Galley Common School ICT is concerned with children learning to use ICT tools effectively to research, process, analyse and present information, and to model and control external events. This includes the use of computers, Interactive Whiteboards, the World Wide Web, programmable robots, video, DVDs and CD / cassette recorders, listening centres and digital cameras. ICT will prepare the children to participate in a rapidly changing society in which work and other forms of activity are increasingly dependent on ICT. At our School we will aim to teach tomorrow s technology to children today. Aim By the end of Key Stage 1 every child will have experienced the following: Communicating and handling information by using the computer to: - write and draw - amend, alter and arrange text and pictures - save and print work - present data and interpret it - research, including use of the Internet for research, and the sending and receiving of s Controlling and modelling: - use commands and actions to control the Roamer/Pixies/Beebots/Superlogo, tape recorder / CD player, digital camera, digiblue camera or video - control an adventure game or talking book Using the Internet: - for research and the sending and receiving of s An Introduction to ICT in the Foundation Stage

2 Many activities in the early years revolve around children developing an understanding of their environment. Settings encourage children to explore, observe, solve problems, predict, discuss and consider. ICT resources can provide tools for using these skills as well as being examined in their own right. Children can learn through the use of a digital camera: reflecting on past experiences; observing details; sharing personal likes and dislikes; sequencing events; recording and sharing significant events. Or through a programmable toy: pressing buttons causes an action; they can control the action left, right, forwards, backwards; numbers of presses equals number of moves. The school will use a range of resources, such as; an overhead projector to introduce shadow and pattern; scanners and photocopiers to allow a child to take an exact copy of their work home while still leaving one in the setting; dictaphones to encourage children s use of language; listening centres / CD players to encourage children to listen to and re-tell stories and to encourage children to sing, listen to and respond to music. ICT equipment added to role-play reflects the real world, builds on children s experiences and allows them opportunities to understand how, why, when and where different forms of technology are used in everyday life. Environments such as a shop, café or office can be set up in role-play areas, making use of ICT to record and access information with a real purpose in mind. Computers can be added to role-play areas to reflect their use in day-to-day living, or used around the setting for children to develop creatively with paint or music software or learn more about literacy and numeracy. Software can bring in different environments for children to explore that would otherwise be impossible to gain experience of. With a computer other applications become possible: access to the Internet and its widening range of resources for learning, digital cameras and digiblue cameras for seeing themselves and their activities and digital microscopes to investigate with. The Contribution of ICT to the School Curriculum ICT enhances teaching and learning in other subjects by enabling rapid access to knowledge, information and experiences from a wide range of sources. It encourages critical thinking, imagination and creativity, problem solving, initiative and independence, teamwork and reflection. Children need to use ICT in school to enhance and extend their learning in all curriculum areas and to gain confidence in their capability to use ICT in later life. Cross-Curricular Links The school has a range of computer software and educational web sites encompassing most curriculum areas: Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Geography, History, Art and Music. Children can find things out; develop ideas and make things happen; exchange and share information; review; modify and evaluate their work. Implementation Throughout the school the children will experience a variety of software that allows for progression in skills, concepts and applications. The following aspects of ICT will be taught: - logging on and off - loading, saving and retrieving - mouse operation - efficient use of keyboard - use of specific keys eg delete, return, space bar - to manipulate text - to access and make use of the Internet - to navigate CD ROMs and web sites - to provide instructions in order to control a programmable toy

3 The children will have access to a computer at all times in the classroom and access to Interactive Whiteboards in all classes. Organisation At Galley Common School ICT skills are taught in both discrete and cross-curricular lessons. Each Key Stage 1 class has two morning sessions and an afternoon session timetabled per week. Morning sessions are usually Numeracy or Literacy based. The tasks are decided by the class teacher and then, in most sessions, taught by the teaching assistant. The afternoon session is for ICT skills teaching taught by Linda Brown (HLTA and member of the ICT Curriculum Team). Class teachers decide which groups of children visit the suite for each session, ensuring that all children visit the suite at least once a week and many use it twice. The Foundation Stage use the computer suite for one morning and one afternoon session each week during which time they teach and develop the children s early ICT skills. The teaching assistants who teach in the computer suite have all received computer training. The children have the opportunity to work individually, in pairs and in small groups. New skills are taught in the suite and then practiced on return to the classroom. The School has devised a long term Curriculum Map for Key Stage 1 which states which aspects of ICT will be taught in each half term. The lesson plans are based on the Information Technology National Curriculum objectives, some sections of the QCA Documents Scheme of Work and sessions support the half-termly topics where possible. Literacy and Numeracy ICT lessons support the weeks learning objectives in those subjects. ICT links are also added to the short term planning sheets to ensure that ICT is used to support as many curriculum areas as possible. In the Foundation Stage the curriculum is based around the Early Learning Goals. Assessment, Recording and Reporting Weekly lesson plans are followed and these are evaluated. Classes have a tick list to show which programs the children have experienced within the classroom. Assessments are carried out at the end of each half-term and pupil progress is recorded in the child s ICT targets book. Their ICT target book is started in Reception and is passed up and continued through Key Stage 1. Their attainment is reported to parents at the end of each academic year. Examples of the children s ICT work are printed out and kept, where feasible. Within the suite of computers each child has a documents area and is able to save all of their Key Stage 1 work thus compiling a thorough record of their work within our school. This can be copied and sent to the next School if required. Equal Opportunities All children can benefit from learning with and about ICT. Boys and girls will have equal access to the ICT resources available within our School. ICT resources are selected with care and used with creative and critical thought to reflect and celebrate the true diversity and richness of cultures and religions in our society and to include all children, regardless of race or gender. ICT is particularly effective for children with special educational needs: it can provide access to experiences that might be hard for some children to access through any other means, and thereby aid children s development. It is also highly motivating, can help build children s confidence in their abilities and is an excellent focus for social interaction. ICT will be used for children with special needs to support their skills, knowledge and understanding across the curriculum. It can also be used to address children s individual needs.

4 Some computers have the lower case alphabet on the keyboard to support the Reception and special needs children. Smaller mice are also available. Promoting pupils spiritual, moral, social and cultural development helping children to recognise their own and others creativity and imagination appreciating the need for responsibility in the use of ICT considering how ICT facilitates communication and the sharing of information discussing how ICT affects ways of life and working learning about other times and cultures Home-School Partnership Extra-curricular activities have been set up whereby parents and children can use the ICT suite together. The Galley Common Surfers club encourages parents and children to surf the web or to explore programs used by the children in school. During the Autumn and Spring term, Year 2 children use the computer suite as a lunch time activity. During the Summer term, Year 2 children support Year 1 children to use the computer suite at lunch time. Staff Responsibilities The ICT Curriculum Team Leader is Mrs. H. Archer. All staff receive ICT training on our software and can always ask for help or advice. All staff undertake training as required. Two of the Teaching Assistants, Mrs Brown and Mrs Jones, are able to solve most simple technical issues and problems, such as changing printer cartridges and wiring up projectors. For more serious problems the school use the Local Authority s ICT team. Resources A suite of eight computers and two printers (black/white and colour) is situated between the Kitchen and the Staff room. Each class has one networked computer with Internet access and either their own printers or access to the networked printers. There are four colour printers in total. Software is stored either in the ICT suite or individual classrooms. Each class has their own digital camera. The school has three Roamers, which are stored in the Group Room, 2 Pixies and 6 Beebots which are all stored in the maths resource cupboard. There are also 2 digiblue cameras available and a digital microscope. Tape recorders and listening centres are available for classroom use along with portable CD/tape players. The television, video and DVD are stored in the Hall. Interactive Whiteboards and projectors are situated in all classes. Health and Safety The Governing Body retains overall responsibility for Health and Safety management but the Head Teacher and staff hold the day-to-day responsibility to ensure that ICT equipment is used correctly and safely. Children should be taught about the dangers of electricity and to manage their environment to ensure the health and safety of others. The main health and safety issues when using ICT are as follows:

5 Users The screen, keyboard and mouse will be directly in front of the child or teacher The mouse will be used as close to the keyboard as possible Users will be encouraged to adopt a good posture whilst at the computer using the foot rests on the stools when necessary Users will rest their eyes regularly by looking at more distant objects Users will be encouraged to develop a good keyboard technique, not bending up at the wrists when typing and using different fingers the use of index fingers only is highly risky with regard to Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) Volume controls when using headphones will be turned down due to the sensitivity of children s ears. Epilepsy Although this is a small risk, epileptic seizures can be triggered by computer work, usually through excessive screen flicker. Staff are informed as to what they should do if a child has an epileptic seizure. Internet Through use of a filtered service every effort will be made to ensure that children do not access unsuitable adult material Children will be taught to use the Internet safely and warned of the potential dangers Children will be instructed never to give out personal details. Within the school web site no individual children will be identified Interactive Whiteboards Interactive Whiteboards are a tool which can assist teachers in delivering exciting and engaging lessons to learners interactively through the use of video clips, the internet, interactive presentations, colour visuals, DVDs and traditional blackboard skills. Additionally they allow for the manipulation of text, objects and calculations by pupils as well as teachers. Staff will ensure that both they and their pupils follow the following Health and Safety procedures when using Interactive Whiteboards: Children will be supervised at all times during the operation of the projector Staring directly into the projector beam will be avoided at all times to prevent eye injury Standing facing into the beam must be minimised. Users should aim to keep their backs to the beam as much as possible. The use of a stick avoids the need for the user to enter the beam Room blinds will be used, where available, to reduce the ambient light levels in order to minimise the lamp power needed General Children will only be allowed to connect/unplug electrical equipment after proper instruction and always under the direct supervision of a teacher. The height of the children s chairs will encourage good posture. Monitors can tilt and swivel to suit the requirements of the individual users. The top of the screen should be roughly at eye level Screens will be cleaned and plugs checked regularly Mobile equipment (TV, video, listening centres etc) will be anchored securely and trailing power cables covered and secured A CO2 fire extinguisher is positioned near to the ICT Suite Staff only will replace ink cartridges Use of the Internet The school has an E-Safety Policy, which is available to parents. All parents sign a permission form before their children are allowed access to the Internet and before their un-named photos are displayed on the web site. A list is kept of children whose parents request that photographs are not

6 put on the school website the Admin Officer keeps this information. All children are supervised at all times when using the Internet which is a filtered service. All staff sign an E-Safety Agreement Form. Monitoring Arrangements The Policy will be monitored and assessed by the ICT Curriculum Team Leader who will look at planning and observe children at work on the computers and Roamers. It will be amended as and when necessary. Review The Head Teacher and staff will review this policy bi-annually. H. Archer July 2008 Review: July 2010