ICT occupies a key role in the way in which we all work and entertain ourselves. Every area of the school curriculum involves the use of ICT, be it in the form of computers, photographic equipment or DVD resources.

 

The most significant uses are:

 

1.         Online lesson research, teaching plans and resource materials;

2.         Lesson delivery via either overhead projector or interactive whiteboard;

3.         Communication by e-mail, fax and our web-site.

4.         Document distribution and storage;

5.         Assessment information analysis;

6.         Production and editing of reports.

 

Through teaching ICT, we equip children to participate in a world of rapidly changing technology. We enable them to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information.

 

We also help them to develop the necessary skills for using information in a discriminating and effective way. This is a major part of enabling children to be confident, creative and independent learners.

 

Our objectives in the teaching of ICT are:

 

1.         To facilitate the finding, selection and use of information;

2.         To teach the use of ICT for effective and appropriate communication;

3.         To enable the monitoring and control of events, both real and imaginary;

4.         To teach the application of ICT to children's learning across the curriculum;

5.         To explore the value of ICT, both to children and to society in general;

6.         To examine issues of security, personal safety, confidentiality and accuracy.

ICT is a foundation subject in the National Curriculum. The school uses a published scheme, SPARK ISLAND (ICT Adventure), based on the national scheme of work for ICT as the basis for its curriculum planning, across the Key stages. However, ICT as a timetabled subject lends itself to many opportunities that lie beyond the National Curriculum and, to that end, pupils are introduced to animation, control programs, CAD, sound and recording and a number of challenging research projects.

 

Parents are required to give signed authorisation before their child can use the Internet, either in guided or in independent school work. Parents are, however, assured that their child's use of the Internet at school is always supervised and appropriately filtered.

We teach ICT in Reception as an integral part of the topic work covered during the year. As Reception is part of the Foundation Stage of the National Curriculum, we relate the ICT aspects of the children's work to the objectives set out in the Early Learning Goals (ELGs) which underpin the curriculum planning for children aged three to five. Pupils have the opportunity to use the computers, a digital camera and a floor robot. During the year, they gain confidence and start using the computer to find out information and to communicate in a variety of ways.

The teaching of ICT contributes to teaching and learning in all curriculum areas. It also offers ways of impacting on learning which are not possible with conventional methods.

Teachers use software to present information visually, dynamically and interactively, often with the use of Smart Boards, so that children understand concepts more quickly.

 

For example, graphics work links in closely with work in Art and Design, and work using databases supports work in Mathematics, while role-play simulations and the Internet prove very useful for research in English, Humanities and Science. ICT enables pupils to present their information and conclusions in the most appropriate way. Much of the software we use is generic and can therefore be used in several curriculum areas.