I T BUDGET FOR 2006/7

• The budget comes from the government via the Local Educational Authority
• It is split into monies for maintenance, services and new equipment - roughly £15,000 -
• and monies for software - roughly £3,000
• The IT budget covers everything educational and hi tech , not just computers - e.g. a  new video camera would be part of it and it has to keep running  and up to date the 80 or so computers we have ( some of these are now 7 years old) and services like email and broadband ( brand new and expensive).
• We have a high computer to pupil ratio of 60 pc's  to 250 pupils or just over 5 pupils to one computer with a facility allowing one to one teaching. The government recommend four to one.
• Teachers request software that they find is applicable and decisions are made by the IT coordinator and the School management team to upgrade parts of the curriculum as new  and better software becomes available.

 Hardware. The Computers are distributed in school as shown in the diagram with a few minor variations not shown. Classes are named as 2004/5.

Network layout for 2006/7

Network Infrastructure ( How they are all connected)

New Software is bought with what are known as E Learning Credits.  These are allocated in April 2005 and have to be 'spent' before July 2006. We spend them straight away to  ensure the children of the 2005 - 2006 academic year to benefit from the new software. Ring fenced funds are available centrally from the government and from the LEA to pay for the software - these cannot be spent on anything else..

This years allocation was spread out as follows.

Software                               Type of licence                Credit      Cost            Rationale

Examples  and screen shots of the children's use of this software will appear on the website as they become available and they are produced and assessed.

2006 allocation still to be decided. £2 per child already allocated for Espresso - £4.61 per child still to allocate.

The Main  ICT Budget

A preview of this only since it is not fully spent ( I trust) - this will show you how the School has pushed the standards of IT provision forward.

In line with the School Improvement Plan much emphasis for expenditure this year has been on facilitating the use of the internet and interactive teaching in the classroom.

Last year we spent £4,500 on screens and  ceiling projectors with security cages, This year we added 3 more for £1300 with interactive whiteboards to fully equip Keystage One. Staff plug their laptops into the digital projectors and the blue tooth mice and keyboards allow the children to interact with the software projected onto the screens while sitting anywhere in the classroom [ arguably quicker from a teaching point of view than getting up and touching the screen].  Video resources for many  areas in the curriculum can be accessed using Espresso ( the daily Telegraph based educational package) and  home work and lesson packages are available in Learn Premium ( the Guardian Based Package).  Learn Premium material can also be accessed at home - see your teacher for  access details and elsewhere on this site for an introduction.  

Decisions on spending again are taken by the IT coordinator, Mr Varian, together with the School Leadership.