Jenny_Hall_with_NGL_certificate_and_SRF

As part of the HIAS ICT Team’s drive to get schools to sign-up to the Becta ICT Self-Review Framework (SRF), Harold Court Primary School are one of the latest schools to review their ICT processes and are working through the SRF to improve impact on pupil outcomes, amongst other aspects.  The School has received its certificate stating that it is committed to ‘Next Generation Learning’.

Harold Court Headteacher Mrs Beverley Swain and her Next Generation Learning Team are working with HIAS ICT Consultant Dave Smith to complete the SRF, with the intention of eventually moving the school towards ICT Mark accreditation. 

Have you signed-up to the SRF yet?  For more details visit https://selfreview.becta.org.uk/ or contact the HIAS ICT Team on 01708-433813.

Breis, Paul Cookson, John Hegley

On Thursday 8th October 2009, National Poetry Day was broadcast live from Crownfield Junior School in Havering.  Hosted by pupils Elissa and Paul with football poet Paul Cookson, the day was a great success.  Alongside Paul Cookson, John Hegley and the rapper Breis – with Michael Rosen, ensured that fun was had by all.  It has also been announced that the event was the the biggest multipoint video conference www.ja.net had ever handled, with schools across the UK, France, Spain, Finland and the USA. 

LGfL Chief Executive Brian Durrant commented, 

“Yesterday’s National Poetry Day event was evidently a further big step-up in the use and effectiveness of VC as a tool in enhancing learning opportunities and experiences.  It was wonderful to read of how schools valued their involvement.”

The HIAS ICT Team would like to thank Mina Patel, LGfL Curriculum Consultant for her excellent skills in pulling the event together and special thanks must go to Crownfield Junior’s Headteacher Gary Nott and his school (including Niki and Judith in particular), who supported the event superbly.

Scargill Junior Y Factor

For the second year in a row pupils from Scargill Junior School got third place in The Learners’ Y Factor at the national Handheld Learning Awards at the The Barbican presented by Jason Bradbury of  Channel 5’s The Gadget Show.  Led by teacher and ICT leader Karen Webley the children showed the audience and judges the excellent ways in which they use handheld learning to support teaching and learning.  This included sharing their teacher and pupil joint planning for Technology Week and a live survey with the audience using SmartPhones and WildKey to gather data! 

The judges and audience were wowed by the innovative approaches and in a very tough field of candidates the School finished in Third Place, with all pupils awarded a Nintendo Wii.  Special recognition needs to go to Karen Webley for all of her efforts and to the children at Scargill Junior for all of their efforts with the presentation. 

http://www.handheldlearning2009.com/handheld-learning-conference-and-exhibition/learners-y-factor

Following-on from last year’s success at Engayne Primary School, Havering LA and London Grid for Learning (LGfL) are inviting schools across the UK to participate in a unique event to celebrate National Poetry Day (October 8^th 2009) hosted via video-conferencing and live over the Internet.

Poet and former children’s laureate Michael Rosen, together with John Hegley and Paul Cookson, will be the star poets at the one-day “All about Europe” event celebrating National Poetry Day that organisers say, “will allow children to have the opportunity through technology, to meet role-models and participate in developing skills in poetry writing, listening and speaking”.

Schools can join the celebrations on October 8^th 2009 by watching the real-time video stream throughout the conference on any broadband PC.

As judges for “All about Europe”, which is being hosted at Crownfield Junior School in Essex, the celebrity poets will need to be prepared. Pupils are planning to put them on the spot with questions about their work and life with responses to be broadcast internationally on the day. And with live presentations from participating schools, both in the UK and abroad, they’ll have to work hard at perfecting their own performances which are expected to include poetry readings.

Sign-up now at www.poetryday.lgfl.net

We look forward to ‘seeing’ you.

LYF

After picking-up the 3rd prize at the 2008 Learners Y Factor at the Handheld Learning Conference – Scargill Junior School are aiming to win again.  FInd out more at…

http://www.handheldlearning2009.com/handheld-learning-conference-and-exhibition/learners-y-factor

Scargill_Infants_ICT_Mark

Following an extensive external assessment Scargill Infant School has been awarded the prestigious ICT Mark by Becta, the government funded body responsible for promoting the use of ICT in Britain’s schools and colleges.

The award recognises the school’s success in developing the strategic use of ICT in both administration and across the curriculum.  Parents will have proof that their children are attending a school at the forefront of modern technology.

Amanda Jackson, General Inspector ICT, London Borough of Havering said “Havering Council is determined that all local children will have the best opportunity to excel in the job market of the future.  Scargill Infants should be congratulated on this wonderful achievement.  This demonstrates the excellent ICT management and teaching that is taking place in local schools.”

Head Teacher, Kath Keeper commented “We are delighted to be awarded the ICT Mark.  It recognises our positive approach to ICT and the benefits it is bringing to our children.  We believe that ICT can be used in every aspect of learning and that it is essential our children are equipped for the modern world.”  The school’s ICT Technician – Allyson Tyler added “This has reinforced the Ofsted inspection judgements that the teaching and learning in ICT at Scargill Infant School are excellent.”

Niel McLean, Executive Director for Institutional and Workforce Development at Becta said “Scargill Infants thoroughly deserve the accolade of an ICT Mark.  They clearly demonstrate how important it is to take a holistic approach to using ICT in schools.  Their investment in new technology has contributed to substantial improvements in learning.”

“Elm Park Primary School wants to be an ICT Centre of Excellence. Nothing unusual about that, you might think. All a school has to do is sign up to Becta’s Next Generation Learning Charter and follow the self-review framework. That’s certainly the plan for Vicki Knox, the headteacher.

‘The Journey’ is an eight-part series of video diaries. As well as a new building, uniform, logo and staff to think about, Vicki wants technology to play a central role. She admits they’re not using technology much at the moment, but all that is about to change.”

Find out more and watch the video…

http://www.nextgenerationlearning.org.uk/AboutUs/MediaCentre/News/The-Journey/

EPPS_Logo

mms://media.lgfl.org.uk/files/npd/2009/MRosenNPD09.wmv