SCHOOL ICT NEWS BULLETIN No 151 - 14/09/2009 Published by Children’s Services ICT Roadshows 2009 – 2010 (Primary Schools) For the Attention of All Primary School ICT Subject Leaders ICT Roadshows 2009 – 2010 Numbers at the termly ICT Roadshows have dropped away during the past year and it is time to look at revitalising them.So.... We need you to come and share ideas about what you would like to see what you would like to hear where you would like them to be held what format you would like them to be in eg. face–to–face/virtual/VLE report/email etc Please come and join us, Jill Duman and Sheila Denny and colleagues from ICT solutions to discuss these issues and share your ideas Put one of these dates in your diary and book a place online via the Norfolk Schools website INSET Opportunities link Norwich PDC 30th September 2009 West Norfolk PDC 29th September 2009 We look forward to seeing many of you on one of those dates Author: Judy Houghton New Opportunity to join Norfolk's ICT Refresh Programme Did you miss out on the Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme? Have you considered how you will be managing your ICT over the next four years? Are you interested in the benefits the programme can bring to your school? If so, the Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 Programme is for you. ICT Refresh 2 Programme Demand from schools to enter the current Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme has led to Refresh 2 being released, the programme will start September 2009 and will run until the end of March 2013. Schools that are within the current Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme will stay within their current four year cycle, leaving Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 for schools that have not previously been within the Programme in their separate 4 year cycle. What is the Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme? Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 will operate under the same principles as the first Refresh Programme, details of which can be found at http://www.eficts.norfolk.gov.uk/norfolkcountycouncil/ictsolutions/ictrefresh/default.asp. You can download the Refresh brochure from this link. Please be aware that this is the old brochure and a new Refresh 2 brochure will be available shortly. I want my school to be involved in Refresh 2 and I want to understand the other potential benefits that Refresh can bring! For further information about Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 or to arrange a visit, please contact ICT Solutions – Contracts Team by emailing your request to ictcontractsteam@norfolk.gov.uk or calling 0845 3033003. Author: Verity Bennett Norfolk Secondary Schools' ICT Network Managers Workshop The next Network Managers event will take place on 15th October at South Green Park, Mattishall commencing at 12.30pm with a buffet lunch. Proposed topics for the agenda are as follows: SIF, Shibboleth and 14–19 Presentation Centralised Back Up service Presentation BSF Update Small Group Workshop Sessions Licensing Software (FAST) Third Party Access 10/100 MIS Procurement and NSIX The event will finish at 4.30pm. Booking slips have been sent to secondary schools and need to be returned by Friday 2nd October. If there are any queries please contact Debbie Smith by email at debbie.smith@norfolk.gov.uk or by ringing 01603 638288. Author: Jenny Tallent 4E–Safe Schools – One day workshop for Secondary Senior Leaders This is an opportunity to review how well your school is covering all aspects of e–safety, based on the following themes: Expectations Using the Norfolk Toolkit as a starting point for writing your school rules for ensuring the safe use of ICT. Education Raising everyone's understanding of the risks and how to reduce them. Environment Reducing the chances of inappropriate use of ICT in your school. Enforcement Using the Norfolk Toolkit to write policies and procedures to deal with people who do not meet Expectations. In preparation, you will be asked to check your school's current policies and provisions for e–safety. By the end of the day you will have developed your own road map for ensuring that all aspects of e–safety are covered in your school. Event details: Venue: Norwich PDC Date: Monday November 2nd 2009 Cost: £135 Booking: anne.mitchell@norfolk.gov.uk Author: Judy Houghton Serco MIS Remote Support VIA logmein.com In early July we discussed with SERCO about their future plans to use 'logmein.com' to offer remote support to the Norfolk Schools currently using the SERCO MIS application, rather than our preferred option of a VPN token. Due to concerns by the NCC Security team regarding 'Logmein', SERCO were asked to put a business case together for us to explain what their intended plans are for support and the types of data they will be accessing, to enable the NCC Security team to consider further and find a suitable solution. This is still ongoing, whilst we wait for SERCO's Business Case to be sent to us. We will update you further once an agreed solution has been identified and implemented. Author: Tanya Allen Funding available to produce innovative learning resources through Norfolk Learning Content Networks: Schools can apply for funding of up to £20, 000 (for a maximum of 3 terms) to work in a collaborative network with other schools to produce innovative learning resources to support the implementation of new curriculum initiatives. The key aim of this initiative is to raise achievement using the Learning Platforms and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This funding comes from the commissioned element of the Norfolk Harnessing Technology Grant. Please visit http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/cadmin/misheet/display04.asp?ID=1227 for more details. Author: Sebastian Gasse Important SERCO API Notice Please note, there have been reports from schools using SERCO Facility and the Fronter Learning Platform that data is not importing into Fronter. The resolution to this was to apply a patch to the SERCO API and then run an MIS import from Fronter. Please can SERCO Facility schools check that their API used to import data from Facility to Fronter is up to date? Author: Liam Parker School Administration Staff ICT Skills Training – Help us to Help You Feedback from school administration staff suggests that you would like to be able to access training more closely related to your actual individual ICT needs. The ICT Solutions training team has put together a short survey to help assess these needs. The primary goal of this survey is assist you, the customer, to make full and better use of the ICT applications you have to embrace on a daily basis. Applications such as e¹, NetMedia and Microsoft Office all require different levels of knowledge and skill to be used effectively and by completing this survey you will help ensure that we are meeting your needs. The survey is anonymous and will only take a few minutes to complete. Please take this opportunity to inform ICT Solutions Training Services and help us to make the training on offer more relevant. Please click on the link below, to access the survey. https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FBwZjnm0I2J3ZAQU_2f3EPnQ_3d_3d (if the link above does not work, please try http://tinyurl.com/schooladmintna) Author: Rachel Hudson

SCHOOL ICT NEWS BULLETIN No 151 - 14/09/2009

Published by Children’s Services

ICT Roadshows 2009 – 2010 (Primary Schools)

For the Attention of All Primary School ICT Subject Leaders ICT Roadshows 2009 – 2010

Numbers at the termly ICT Roadshows have dropped away during the past year and it is time to look at revitalising them.So....
We need you to come and share ideas about

what you would like to see
what you would like to hear
where you would like them to be held
what format you would like them to be in eg. face–to–face/virtual/VLE report/email etc

Please come and join us, Jill Duman and Sheila Denny and colleagues from ICT solutions to discuss these issues and share your ideas

Put one of these dates in your diary and book a place online via the Norfolk Schools website INSET Opportunities link

Norwich PDC 30th September 2009
West Norfolk PDC 29th September 2009

We look forward to seeing many of you on one of those dates

Author: Judy Houghton

New Opportunity to join Norfolk's ICT Refresh Programme

Did you miss out on the Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme? Have you considered how you will be managing your ICT over the next four years? Are you interested in the benefits the programme can bring to your school? If so, the Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 Programme is for you.

ICT Refresh 2 Programme

Demand from schools to enter the current Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme has led to Refresh 2 being released, the programme will start September 2009 and will run until the end of March 2013. Schools that are within the current Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme will stay within their current four year cycle, leaving Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 for schools that have not previously been within the Programme in their separate 4 year cycle.

What is the Norfolk ICT Refresh Programme?

Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 will operate under the same principles as the first Refresh Programme, details of which can be found at http://www.eficts.norfolk.gov.uk/norfolkcountycouncil/ictsolutions/ictrefresh/default.asp. You can download the Refresh brochure from this link.

Please be aware that this is the old brochure and a new Refresh 2 brochure will be available shortly.

I want my school to be involved in Refresh 2 and I want to understand the other potential benefits that Refresh can bring!

For further information about Norfolk ICT Refresh 2 or to arrange a visit, please contact ICT Solutions – Contracts Team by emailing your request to ictcontractsteam@norfolk.gov.uk or calling 0845 3033003.

Author: Verity Bennett

Norfolk Secondary Schools' ICT Network Managers Workshop

The next Network Managers event will take place on 15th October at South Green Park, Mattishall commencing at 12.30pm with a buffet lunch.

Proposed topics for the agenda are as follows:

SIF, Shibboleth and 14–19 Presentation
Centralised Back Up service Presentation
BSF Update
Small Group Workshop Sessions
Licensing Software (FAST)
Third Party Access
10/100
MIS Procurement and NSIX

The event will finish at 4.30pm.

Booking slips have been sent to secondary schools and need to be returned by Friday 2nd October.

If there are any queries please contact Debbie Smith by email at debbie.smith@norfolk.gov.uk or by ringing 01603 638288.

Author: Jenny Tallent

4E–Safe Schools – One day workshop for Secondary Senior Leaders

This is an opportunity to review how well your school is covering all aspects of e–safety, based on the following themes:

Expectations Using the Norfolk Toolkit as a starting point for writing your school rules for ensuring the safe use of ICT.
Education Raising everyone's understanding of the risks and how to reduce them.
Environment Reducing the chances of inappropriate use of ICT in your school.
Enforcement Using the Norfolk Toolkit to write policies and procedures to deal with people who do not meet Expectations.

In preparation, you will be asked to check your school's current policies and provisions for e–safety. By the end of the day you will have developed your own road map for ensuring that all aspects of e–safety are covered in your school.

Event details:

Venue: Norwich PDC
Date: Monday November 2nd 2009
Cost: £135
Booking: anne.mitchell@norfolk.gov.uk

Author: Judy Houghton

Serco MIS Remote Support VIA logmein.com

In early July we discussed with SERCO about their future plans to use 'logmein.com' to offer remote support to the Norfolk Schools currently using the SERCO MIS application, rather than our preferred option of a VPN token.

Due to concerns by the NCC Security team regarding 'Logmein', SERCO were asked to put a business case together for us to explain what their intended plans are for support and the types of data they will be accessing, to enable the NCC Security team to consider further and find a suitable solution.

This is still ongoing, whilst we wait for SERCO's Business Case to be sent to us. We will update you further once an agreed solution has been identified and implemented.

Author: Tanya Allen

Funding available to produce innovative learning resources through Norfolk Learning Content Networks:

Schools can apply for funding of up to £20, 000 (for a maximum of 3 terms) to work in a collaborative network with other schools to produce innovative learning resources to support the implementation of new curriculum initiatives. The key aim of this initiative is to raise achievement using the Learning Platforms and other Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). This funding comes from the commissioned element of the Norfolk Harnessing Technology Grant.

Please visit http://www.esinet.norfolk.gov.uk/cadmin/misheet/display04.asp?ID=1227 for more details.

Author: Sebastian Gasse

Important SERCO API Notice

Please note, there have been reports from schools using SERCO Facility and the Fronter Learning Platform that data is not importing into Fronter. The resolution to this was to apply a patch to the SERCO API and then run an MIS import from Fronter. Please can SERCO Facility schools check that their API used to import data from Facility to Fronter is up to date?

Author: Liam Parker

School Administration Staff ICT Skills Training – Help us to Help You

Feedback from school administration staff suggests that you would like to be able to access training more closely related to your actual individual ICT needs. The ICT Solutions training team has put together a short survey to help assess these needs. The primary goal of this survey is assist you, the customer, to make full and better use of the ICT applications you have to embrace on a daily basis. Applications such as e¹, NetMedia and Microsoft Office all require different levels of knowledge and skill to be used effectively and by completing this survey you will help ensure that we are meeting your needs.

The survey is anonymous and will only take a few minutes to complete. Please take this opportunity to inform ICT Solutions Training Services and help us to make the training on offer more relevant.

Please click on the link below, to access the survey.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=FBwZjnm0I2J3ZAQU_2f3EPnQ_3d_3d

(if the link above does not work, please try http://tinyurl.com/schooladmintna)

Author: Rachel Hudson