In addition, various special schools have been involved, joining training and benefiting from consultant support.

Core Training
Core training, beginning with the launch of the ICT strand of the KS3 Strategy, has been well received, with nearly every school attending. The second core training, on assessment and standards, promoted assessment for learning as well as being a first step towards standarding level assessment. Generally, these sessions were attended by heads of department and another colleague.

At the end of the summer term, we ran part of the core training about year 9. This was arranged so that schools would be prepared for the teaching of the 8.5 sample teaching unit in September, rather than having to wait for training until October, part way through the year. This session was mostly attended by the supported schools, who numbered about twenty.

It was envisaged that supported schools would aim to teach unit 8.5 sometime during year 9, depending upon their previous involvement with the strategy teaching materials. Since some were in a position to do this in September it was necessary to run the training and give them an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the materials.

Since September 2003, core training has been organized through collaboration with schools who choose, from a range of dates, on which day all staff should attend training rather than staff leaving school at a variety of times. This has meant that more teachers of ICT have been involved in core training as whole departments attend at once. Unfortunately, staff who have a greater teaching commitment to other departments tend to go to the training offered for that subject rather than ICT, but it has meant in many schools that staff have received the training directly and not needed it to be cascaded by the head of department.

So far the core training has dealt with the second part of the year 9 training, which concentrates on the teaching of the year 9 case studies. The day was organized so that the prescribed strategy training was delivered, but with time built in for the study of the case studies so that teachers could adapt them to their own school situation. A focus of the training was the way in which pupils and teachers might plan work and monitor how it was progressing.

The next core training will deal with the issues surrounding the transfer of pupils from primary to secondary school. The dates for this training have been agreed with headteachers and schools should have organized on which days to attend. More details>

Optional Training
In 2002 – 2003, optional training was run primarily for the supported schools, who were funded for the release of teachers, but a few other schools attended.

Courses offered include:

Text and Graphics – which dealt mainly with teaching 8.1 and 8.3.
Modelling – which introduced 7.4 and 8.4.
Data Handling – which focused on the pedagogy of ICT teaching.
Control and Monitoring – which gave teachers the chance to use control and monitoring software and equipment
Sound and Video – which promoted the use of video and sound to develop and extend pupil work.

In 2003 – 2004 these courses are being repeated and appear in the CPD Directory and in the list of KS3 courses being offered.

Please contact J Bougouneau at the Teaching and Learning Centre for further information and to reserve a place, making sure that you also send in a completed CPD form.

Teaching Objectives
In order to clarify what needs to be taught in order for teachers to deliver the pupil entitlement to ICT and for pupils to achieve at particular levels, the strategy teaching objectives have been publicized to teachers as a guide.

These objectives, which are set for years 7, 8 and 9, make clear the progress from one level to the next, year by year, and should be teachers’ guide as to what they should focus on when planning their teaching.

Generally, they move from level 4 in year 7 to level 5/6 in year 9.

Sample Teaching Units
The sample teaching units suggest a way in which the strategy teaching objectives can be delivered.

There are six units for year 7, five for year 8, and 3 case studies for year 9. The units relate in varying degrees to the QCA units previously used by schools.

They are sample teaching units which suggest a way in which the objectives could be taught. The year 9 case studies are not as fully described as the units, taking further the idea that schools should adapt and use the materials to suit their contexts, while still addressing the teaching objectives. More details>

Consultant Support
Besides running core and optional training, consultants have spent much time in school, working with teachers in a variety of ways.

In some schools it has involved working with heads of department to look at their schemes of work in order to advise on possible developments or helping to organize assessment for learning schemes and opportunities.

Much of the work, however, has focused on what happens in the classroom. Consultants, in particular, have supported non-specialist teachers, especially those teaching ICT for the first time, in their preparation, level of knowledge about ICT, understanding of the teaching objectives, and the actual delivery of the teaching material. This has involved demonstrations, team teaching, observations, and advice about the pace and structure of lessons.

Special Schools
Special schools have generally found the strategy materials useful, but they have needed adapting and careful selection.

One benefit has been the broadening of the curriculum in some schools, so that pupils are given the opportunity to experience a greater variety of ICT software and equipment.

Challenge
Central to the Strategy is that pupils should be challenged in their ICT lessons, through the content which requires thinking and understanding, the level of work required, and the pace at which the lesson is delivered by the teacher.

All pupils should be challenged at an appropriate level and allowed to make progress and achieve their potential.

During the period since the start of the ICT strand of the KS3 Strategy, schools have made great strides in the development of their teaching of ICT. Pupil learning and achievement continues to be at the forefront of their approach to teaching and learning, in the planning and delivery of schemes of work and individual lessons.