Information and Communications T

Objectives Additional objectives in teaching using ICT are:

· to teach the use of ICT for effective and appropriate communication

· to teach the application of ICT to children's learning across the curriculum

· to explore the value of ICT, both to children and to society in general
· to examine issues of security, personal safety, confidentiality and accuracy

Inclusion We teach all children with ICT, whatever their ability and individual needs, and ICT forms part of the school curriculum policy to provide a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our ICT teaching, we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make good progress. When setting work to pupils with special needs, we refer to those pupils’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs). We value and celebrate the diversity of our pupils and their families, and we appreciate the enrichment that this brings. ICT makes a contribution to the teaching of citizenship in that children in ICT classes learn to work together in a collaborative manner. They also develop a sense of global citizenship by using the Internet and e-mail.

Learning and Teaching The teaching of ICT contributes to learning and teaching 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, so that children understand concepts more quickly. For example, graphics work links in closely with work in art, and work using databases supports work in mathematics, while role-play simulations and the Internet prove very useful for research in humanities subjects. ICT enables children 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.

Computers and other information technology hardware are used as learning and teaching tools by pupils and teachers throughout the school. As an objective in the teaching of ICT is to equip children with the technological skill to become independent learners, the teaching style that we adopt is as active and practical as possible. We recognise that all classes have children with a wide range of ICT abilities, and this is exacerbated when some children have access to ICT equipment at home, while others do not. We provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability and experience of the child eg by setting tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of responses, providing resources of different complexity that are matched to the ability of the child, using classroom assistants to support the work of individual children or groups of children, etc.

The topics studied in ICT are planned to build on prior learning. While we offer opportunities for children of all abilities to develop their skills and knowledge in each unit, we also plan progression into the scheme of work, so that the children are increasingly challenged as they move up through the school.

	In early level Primary ICT, pupils will begin to use computer software to support their learning in language, information handling and drawing and shape, and position and movement. For example, by the end of this stage pupils should be able to switch on a computer, enter and delete text on a simple word processor, and print out the text they have entered.
	In first level Primary ICT, pupils are using computer software to support their learning in language, information handling and drawing and shape, and position and movement. For example, by the end of this stage pupils should be able to switch on a computer, enter and delete text on a simple word processor, and print out the text they have entered. They are also entered onto the Successmaker program for English and Maths.
	During second level Primary ICT, pupils will extend their range of uses of ICT in school, and their uses of software with which they are already familiar, such as word processors and databases, will be developed further. For example, by the end of this stage pupils will be able to save work which they have created, and perform basic editing operations such as cut/copy/paste. Pupils should also begin to form an appreciation of the important roles played by information and communication devices in society.
	During third level Secondary ICT, pupils will extend their knowledge of ICT hardware and software applications, and develop the ability to be selective in their choice of software and resources. For example, by the end of this stage pupils will have gained a basic understanding of how computers actually work, and will have gained experience of using a CD ROM, DVDs, accessing information from a LAN, and fetched information from the World Wide Web. Individual subject teachers may be using more specialised software, such as Computer Aided Design packages, Microsoft Frontpage and Powerpoint and talking software for languages.

Resources Our school has an appropriate computer-to-pupil ratio, filtered Internet access and technicians from Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar to maintain and upgrade the WAN and LAN systems. The local area network in the school is a hub of the wide area network administered from the Nicolson Institute, giving the significant citizenship benefit that pupils are able to access their work from either school. The school has an internet presence on our website at www.lionelschool.freeuk.com.

Review The ICT policy will be reviewed in 2010.