ICT & Ofsted course

I attended a short course about ICT and what is expected of ICT in an Ofsted inspection. Here is a short description of what I learned:

The Ofsted inspection looks into how schools have improved as a result of their self-evaluation. Ofsted will continue to take into account self-evaluation evidence, measurements of progress from when the children joined the school, and observe lessons to analyse the quality of teaching.
Ofsted will focus on four main areas for ICT:

• Achievement
• Teaching and learning
• Leadership and management
• Behaviour and safety

Learning and progress is more important than attainment.
ICT Criteria that will be assessed:

• e-Safety awareness
• Use of data logging, control etc. - variety of ICT skills taught
• Progress in ICT
• Quality of teaching and learning - subject knowledge, targeted support by other adults, monitoring during lessons, assessment procedures, children knowing what they need to do to sustain progress

The ICT Curriculum 

• The subject's contribution to relevant cross-curricular themes
• All levels of ICT are covered for all pupils
• Leadership and management in ICT
• Extensive monitoring of the subject
• School has a VLE and it has an impact on achievement and allows access to pupils' work
• Teachers have flexible access to computers and equipment

Safeguarding and e-Safety
The advantages of both managed and locked-down e-Safety filtering systems were explained. Managed e-Safety systems help pupils become safe and responsible users of new technology. Locked down systems keep pupils safe in school but are less effective with learning how to use new technologies safely - particularly when children use them off-site.

e-Safety Suggestions

• All staff should have responsibility for e-Safety.
• Pupils should learn to assess and manage risk for themselves.
• e-Safety training for staff.
• Use pupils' and families' views more often to manage e-Safety.
• Parents' twilight evenings on e-Safety should be a regular events. Parents should realise that a child is not e-Safe if they are only e-Safe in school.
• Develop e-Safety committees that include children - ask things like who has Facebook, where is your computer at home, who has a mobile phone?
• Cyberbullying is the biggest issue with esafety.