This document discusses topics related to developing an ICT strategy for a school, including who should make ICT budget decisions, key principles of ICT strategy like reliability and security of the network, other strategic issues, and how technology may impact the future of teaching and learning. The document provides guidance on forming an ICT strategy group and setting strategic priorities based on educational needs to inform technology investments.

1. Some things a Head
needs to know
about ICT
ICT Conference for IAPS London North and South
Wednesday 21st March 2012
Mark S. Steed, MA (Cantab.) MA (Nottingham)
Principal, Berkhamsted School

2. Some things a Head needs to know about ICT
1. Who should make ICT budget decisions?
2. Some key principles of ICT strategy
3. Other strategic issues
4. The future of teaching and learning
5. What is going to make the biggest difference in
your school?
6. Protecting your school on New Media sites
7. Questions? Discussion

3. Who should make
Strategic ICT budget decisions?

4. ICT Strategy
Who sets the ICT strategy?
 ICT strategy cannot be seen in isolation –
it has to be part of a whole school strategy.

5. ICT Strategy
Who sets the ICT strategy?
 ICT strategy cannot be seen in isolation – it
has to be part of a whole school strategy.
 ICT strategy is too important to be left to the
Network Manager.

6. ICT Strategy
Who sets the ICT strategy?
 ICT strategy cannot be seen in isolation – it
has to be part of a whole school strategy.
 ICT strategy is too important to be left to the
Network Manager.
 Someone in the School Leadership Team
needs to take strategic responsibility for ICT

7. ICT Strategy
Who sets the ICT strategy?
Educational priorities must inform
ICT priorities

8. Learning from Past Mistakes
Supply Driven ICT procurement

9. Learning from Past Mistakes
Supply Driven ICT procurement
 Interactive
Whiteboards

10. Learning from Past Mistakes
Supply Driven ICT procurement
 Virtual Learning
Environments

11. ICT Strategy – An Example
Educational priorities inform ICT Strategy
Teachers want to
 Stream YouTube or ClickView clips
 Make videos in lessons

12. ICT Strategy – An Example
Educational priorities inform ICT Strategy
Teachers want to
 Stream YouTube or ClickView clips
 Need excellent internet connection
 Make videos in lessons
 Need a media server
 Need a lot of storage

13. ICT Strategy
Educational priorities inform ICT Strategy
Typical ICT User Group
 The member of the Senior Leadership Team with
Strategic Responsibility for ICT
 Head of e-Learning - Teacher
 (ICT Classroom Support Technician)
 At least 4 teachers
 3 “enthusiasts” who are not techies
 1 “cynic”

14. ICT Strategy
Who sets the ICT strategy?
Typical ICT Strategy Group
 The member of the Senior Leadership Team with
Strategic Responsibility for ICT
 Head of e-Learning - Teacher
 (ICT Classroom Support Technician)
 ICT Network Manager
 The Head or Deputy Head
 The Bursar

15. Some key principles of ICT
strategy

16. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
ICT
Network

17. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
Reliability
ICT
Network

18. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
Reliability
ICT
Network
Security

19. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
Reliability
ICT
Network
Performance Security

20. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
Reliability
ICT
Network
Performance Security

21. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
A faster, more reliable, more secure
network is always possible

22. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
A faster, more reliable, more secure
network is always possible
- at a price

23. ICT Strategy
Key Principles:
Ultimately, ICT budgeting is no different
to any other budgeting:
It comes down to senior managers
conducting an informed a cost-benefit
analysis

24. ICT Strategy
1. Network Speed
The speed of the network is determined by
 the simplicity/ complexity of the overall
network
 the processing power of the servers
 the speed of the switches
 the speed/bandwidth of the network
cabling
 the volume of traffic at peak times

25. ICT Strategy
1. Network Speed
The speed of the network is determined by
 the simplicity/ complexity of the overall
network
 the processing power of the servers
 the speed of the switches
 the speed/bandwidth of the network
cabling
 the volume of traffic at peak times

26. ICT Strategy
2. Network Security

27. ICT Strategy
2. Network Security
Beware the Network Manager who wants
to prevent pupils and teachers
accessing the School Network

28. ICT Strategy
2. Network Security
ICT Strategists need to balance issues of
security, accessibility and cost

29. ICT Strategy
2. Network Security

30. ICT Strategy
2. Network Security
ICT Strategists need to balance issues of
security, accessibility and cost

31. ICT Strategy
3. Network Reliability
The reliability of the network is determined
by
 the quantity and availability of spare
capacity, the network may be required
to cope with peak usage [„resilience‟]
 the quality of the network cabling
 the quality of the network monitoring by
the Network Manager
 the availability and quality of the
Uninterruptable Power Supply

32. ICT Strategy
3. Network Reliability
The reliability of the network is determined
by
 the quantity and availability of spare
capacity, the network may be required
to cope with peak usage [„resilience‟]
 the quality of the network cabling
 the quality of the network monitoring by
the Network Manager
 the availability and quality of the
Uninterruptable Power Supply

33. Other key ICT Strategic Issues

34. ICT Strategy
ICT Hardware Replacement Policies
 3, 4 or 5 years?
 To repair and
upgrade or replace?
 To replace as part of
a rolling programme
or on failure?

35. ICT Strategy
Back up and Disaster Recovery Policies
 Prioritisation of data
 How often to
backup?
 Remote location?
 How often does the
SMT test the
procedure?

36. ICT Strategy
Internal Service Level Agreements
 Response time
 Replace kit
 Network Downtime
 Backup and Recovery times

37. ICT Strategy
Internal Service Level Agreements
Internal SLAs allow the Senior
Leadership team and the ICT
Support team to agree
acceptable standards and thus
provide a framework within
which School ICT
purchasing, network
development and training
decisions can be made.

38. ICT Strategy
Storage and Archiving Policies
 High costs of storage
 Increasing use of
media files
 Archiving software
 Annual
Housekeeping
 Identification of data
to be kept/ destroyed

39. ICT Strategy
Offsite Management
 “Don‟t lift the bonnet”
 Remote services/
maintenance
 Managed Services
 Cloud Computing
solutions

40. ICT Strategy
Ten Questions to Ask your Network Manager
1. If there were a major fire in the server room, how 7. What would be the effect of our main Internet
long it would be before each of these services connection being severed by a JCB
would be restored. List . . e.g. email, School MIS, somewhere? What services would we
etc. lose? Have we any backup systems in place, or
2. Can you retrieve a file which was last seen one would they have also been severed by the same
month ago, and how long would it take to retrieve JCB?
3. If a generous donation of £250,000 was given to 8. Can you show me any records of the systems‟
the School specifically for ICT developments (in reliability over the past 12 months? Do you
addition to the normal budget) what would you regard the reliability as acceptable? If not, how
recommend we spent it on, and what would be could we improve it and how much would it cost?
the advantages for the School and end users 9. What might happen if a major incident occurs
(Pupils, Staff, Parents)? while you (or any one specific member of your
4. How many individuals are sufficiently privileged staff) are away on holiday abroad for 2 weeks?
administrators that they can see my (the Head‟s) 10. For each member of your technical staff
documents, emails, etc.? (including yourself) what would be the immediate
5. If a pupil got hold of a staff password, and started effect on the running of the system if they
using it, how would we ever know, and how long suddenly (with no notice) left. What specific tasks
might it take? would it be difficult for the others on your team to
6. If your budget was suddenly cut by 50%, how perform, and how long might it take to recover
could you cope, and what would be the effects on fully from the loss? Is there adequate
the School and the end users? documentation to minimise such a problem?
Available in pdf format on the ISC Website

41. ICT Strategy
Integrated Communications
Photo Credit: Interactive Schools

42. An Integrated Communications Strategy

43. The future of teaching and
learning

44. What is going to make the
biggest difference in your
school?

45. Empowerment

46. Empowerment
 Teaching and Learning (teachers/pupils)
 Learning Platform (Head of eLearning)
 Research Skills (Librarians)
 School MIS (Database Manager)
 Multi-functional Devices (Bursar)
 WIFI and Network (Network Director)

47. Protecting your School on
New Media sites

48. New Media Sites
 Facebook
 Twitter
 TweetDeck
 YouTube
 Blogs
 Flickr

49.  Schools can set up
 Facebook Page
 Facebook Group
 Given that the minimum age for Facebook is 13, it is
best that Prep Schools steer clear of this medium.
 However it is probably worth the school gaining control
of the direct URLs to protect its reputation.

50.  Facebook pages have direct URLs
 www.facebook.com/berkhamstedschool
 You have no right to own your school
Facebook page – it is first come, first served
 It may be wise to set up the page – if you
don‟t someone else will and you won‟t have
control of it.

52.  The School can “push” information to parents
 Less invasive than receiving an email
 More regular updates
 Short, digestible pieces of information
 Parents/Friends can opt in
 Parents/Friends can receive it on their mobile
phones or on computers

54.  We can link to items on the school website or
elsewhere on the web.
 Key personnel can update information live
from mobile phones

55.  Can set up multiple school Twitter accounts
 @berkhamstedsch
 @berkhamstedprep
 @berkhamstedboys
 @berkhamstedgirl
 @berkhamsted6th
 Tweetdeck allows you to run multiple Twitter
accounts very easily
 You have no right to your School Twitter address
– it is first come first served

57. School Channel

66. Email: principal@berkhamstedschool.org
Twitter: @independenthead
Blog: http://independenthead.blogspot.com