Information and Communication Technology is taught in school in accordance with the National Curriculum 2000. This policy updates and replaces any previous policy used by the school.

I.C.T. is used in the home and workplace in an ever-increasing variety of ways. It has dramatically changed the way in which all kinds of information can be stored, accessed and manipulated with considerably implications for working life and society. As a result new skills need to be acquired by all children to enable them to make the best use of :

the vast amount of information in a variety of media accessible through I.C.T. systems;

the new creative possibilities for composing with text, pictures, sound, animation and video;

I.C.T. tools for measuring environmental variables and controlling external devices;

I.C.T. models and simulations for testing out ideas;

I.C.T. offers huge potential for supporting teaching and learning in schools. I.C.T. can provide increased access to the curriculum for children with SEN, a means of extending the more able, and enhanced learning experiences for all children by:

enabling children to do things they otherwise could not;

freeing children from some repetitive tasks and allowing them greater access to composition and presentation, to exploration and interpretation;

increasing children's independence by providing immediate feedback on their decisions and actions;

increasing motivation and concentration.

Through our teaching of I.C.T. we aim to :-

Develop children’s interest in I.C.T.

Enable pupils to find and use a wide variety of information (searching CDs , searching the Internet, using printed material and asking people.)

Enable pupils to apply skills through purposeful tasks across a range of National Curriculum subject areas.

Develop and use I.C.T. as a tool to extend and enhance learning across a variety of National Curriculum subjects using a range of equipment and software in a variety of ways.

Create opportunities to consider the purposes and parallels of the use of I.C.T. in the wider world.

Help children to use their understanding of I.C.T. in a wide variety of curriculum subjects.

In Key Stage 2 I.C.T. pupils are expected to use a wider range of ICT tools and information sources.

Knowledge, Skills and Understanding.

Finding things out

Developing ideas and making things happen

Exchanging and sharing information

Reviewing, modifying and evaluating work as it progresses.

Information and Communication Technology is taught in school in accordance with the QCA guidelines.

Year 3 being taught about combining text and graphics, manipulating sound and e-mail. Also being introduced to databases and beginning to explore simulations.

Year 4 using their knowledge to write for different audiences, develop images using repeating patterns, collecting and presenting information in questionnaires and pie charts. Also using some modelling effects on screen and branching programs.

Year 5 Using graphical modeling, analysing data and asking questions, evaluating information, checking for accuracy and questioning plausibility and being introduced to spreadsheets.

Also using controlling devices and monitoring environmental changes.

Year 6 developing a multimedia presentation and spreadsheet modeling. Using control and monitoring to ask ‘What happens when…??’ and use the internet to search large databases and interpret information.

Levels and steps for progression are shown in the I.C.T. scheme of work, together with mid-term planning sheets from each year group. These show how year groups accommodate I.C.T. in their topics. Topics will be broadly planned on a termly basis. Plans should show a range of I.C.T. tools to be used.

Pupils should be taught to extend the range of I.C.T. tools that they use for communication, investigation and control; become discerning in their use of I.C.T.; select information, sources and media for their suitability for purpose; and assess the value of I.C.T. in their working practices.

There is no specialist teaching of I.C.T., its use is integrated into normal classroom practice under the direction of the class teacher and is cross curricular.

Children often work in pairs or small groups although computers are sometimes used by individuals for word processing.

The use of the I.C.T. room is timetabled and enables children to work on either the same teacher directed strand of the I.C.T. curriculum or a variety of tasks to develop their knowledge, skills and understanding.

Instruction in specific use of parts of appropriate software packages might be through class, group or individual instruction, either in the classroom, in the I.C.T. room.

Pencil and paper tasks may be used in preparation for hands on experience.

Pupils' work should show some understanding that I.C.T. equipment can be used to organise, reorganise and communicate ideas and information in a variety of forms. They should know that I.C.T. equipment can store and organise a great deal of information very quickly.

They should be taught to load and save whatever they have created, and be able to select and prepare information for a wide variety of audiences as well as for specific audiences.

Pupils need to be aware that information held in I.C.T. systems needs to be checked for its purpose and errors.

Pupils should show some understanding of how they can control equipment to achieve a specific outcome.

They should be able to describe the effects of their actions.

Pupils should be able to use I.C.T. simulations to help them to make decisions. They need to be aware of the consequences of their choices.

The use of I.C.T. is incorporated into each Year Overview, Half Termly or Termly Plan and each Topic forecast. Class teachers and Year Groups make judgements about when to use I.C.T. and what form of I.C.T. is most suited to the task.

Information Technology can enable pupils to gather information and process data easily, so allowing opportunity to concentrate on understanding and awareness.

The use of I.C.T. can be used when communicating ideas e.g. tape recording interviews. or writing 'newspaper' articles.

Where children have Special Educational Needs specific software may be used, as well as differentiation by outcome being recorded by the teacher. When necessary different forms of I.C.T. may be introduced to allow pupils with physical handicaps to increase their independence, develop their abilities and allow full access to the curriculum.

There must be safety considerations in delivering I.C.T. as mains electricity is involved.

Computers should be moved with care. It is important to keep equipment as clean and free from dust as possible. Pupils should not be allowed to plug or unplug those items connected to a mains electricity supply. Equipment should not be set up near sinks and water sources. No food or drink should be brought near the computer and nothing should be placed on top of equipment. Having finished using computer equipment it should be switched off at the wall. This ensures there are no live wires.

In the I.C.T. room the computer stations will be turned off by means of a main switch at the end of every day.

Encourage proper sitting positions with no slouching.

Children should not spend too much time continuously in front of the computer screen. It is important to know about children suffering from epilepsy or similar ailments.

As written in the School’s Equal Opportunities Policy Statement, we aim to reach out to all pupils and to match the learning opportunities provided to their needs so that they can develop to their full potential.

We produce detailed plans/forecasts for each topic which specify where I.C.T. is appropriate.

We have a record sheet to be hi-lighted and a key statement sheet. The record sheet is used to show that all children have had the opportunity to use a variety of programs

There is an agreed list of criteria for reporting to parents. Any of the following points may be covered in the annual report.

1. Has experience in interrogating a data base.

2. Has used word-processing software such as .....

3. Has used art/graphic software such as ..........

5. Has experience of finding and/or extracting information from a given source e.g. CD ROM.