Archived decisions

COUNCIL MEETING, 22 NOVEMBER 2007

REPORT OF THE

EXECUTIVE LEAD MEMBER FOR CHILDREN'S SERVICES (EDUCATION)

AND EXECUTIVE MEMBER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES

SCHOOLS IT INFRASTRUCTURE

1 The County Council has for some years received grant funding to support major school IT infrastructure development. The Government expectation is that Local Authorities will work with their Regional Broadband Consortia (in Hampshire's case, the South East Grid for Learning) with the aim of ensuring that all schools:

· are connected to a broadband communication service and to the National Education Network.


· have available to them a learning platform service, with at least core functionality by Spring 2008 with the longer term aspiration that by 2010 all schools will have integrated learning and management systems providing functionality across every aspect of school life.

2 Essentially, a learning platform is the application of information technologies to the wide range of activities which contribute to children's learning. Over the past three years, good progress has been made in relation to the first of the above mentioned aims, with 516 of Hampshire's maintained schools now connected to a high quality synchronous broadband network. Apart from a small number of schools that have elected to make alternative provisions, just seven continue to be served by temporary, low quality connections because those schools are located in geographically hard to connect areas. Work is currently underway to complete the network for these last few schools.

3 A broadband network is an essential foundation for the future use of IT by schools. The Government is keen to see the network adding value to the education process by encouraging schools to develop the use of learning platforms. By doing so, they are also encouraging schools and Local Authorities to work collaboratively in the interests of achieving economies of scale in the costs of purchasing and maintaining the systems. To that end, the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta) has been charged by the Government with establishing common purchasing frameworks for use by Local Authorities and Schools. In Hampshire, around 70% of secondary schools have already started to implement elements of learning platform functionality and headteachers have indicated that they would be reluctant to change course at this stage. The message from primary schools is that they would like the Local Authority's help to manage the process of implementing learning platforms. As a result, it is proposed to undertake a procurement exercise with the aim of establishing a learning platform service for primary schools. The service procured may also be used in the future by some special schools or other Hampshire educational establishments.

4 A Learning Management Strategy Group has been established to oversee the development of Hampshire learning platforms. The Group consists of representatives from the headteacher community of primary, secondary and special schools; from post 16 colleges, the 14-19 programme, HIAS and the Education ICT business unit. Representatives from the regional South East Grid for Learning, and nationally from Becta, have also attended the Group meetings. The Executive Lead Member has given approval to procure, using the Becta procurement framework and Standards Fund grant, a learning platform service for Hampshire's primary schools and other establishments deemed appropriate to use it. Copies of the report about this matter are available in the Members' Rooms.

5 The decision will extend learning opportunities for children and ensure that electronic systems used by children encompass effective security from inappropriate use. This supports the Council's Corporate Priorities.

DAVID KIRK PATRICIA BANKS

Executive Lead Member for Executive Member for

Children's Services (Education) Children and Families