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	ICT and learning ICT Subject Leaders An ICT policy	Inspecting ICT  ICT in Geography  Digital Imagery in the  Classroom
My CV Publications Occasional    papers Services Steam pages Home	Why have an ICT Subject Leader Some thoughts on the role and duties of the ICT Subject Leader Information technology is a prime responsibility for all teachers. Some might therefore question the need for a teacher to be given particular responsibility for ICT. However, English is also a key cross-curricular subject, but can there be a school without an English co-ordinator or head of department? ICT under the new orders is effectively a core subject. The importance of providing clear management and leadership is even more crucial than in the past. Without such leadership, which should be dynamic and proactive in nature if real development is to take place, there is a danger that ICT will become sidelined just when it is recognised as an essential capability equal to reading writing and mathematics. All schools should therefore designate an ICT Subject Leader to undertake the co-ordination and development of ICT across the school. OFSTED views OFSTED inspections consider the management of the curriculum, both as a whole and in relation to subject areas. An inspector will make judgements on the extent to which sound management enables the following factors to contribute to the standards and quality of each subject area in relation to: Curriculum - organisation and planning Assessment, recording and reporting - their use to raise standards and plan new work, records of achievement and reporting to parents. Staffing - including use of specialist and non-specialist staff, in-service training, contribution of support staff. Resources - efficiency of budgeting, quality of resources, accessibility of resources. Specific note is made of the inspectors role in reporting on curriculum areas eg ICT, that cannot be taught effectively because of lack of resources. Accommodation - use of accommodation, appropriateness, health and safety. Such responsibilities are best dealt with by one, or, in a large secondary school, more than one person. Guidance published by SCAA and NCET similarly indicates the need for the careful and efficient co-ordination of ICT. Who gets the job? Is it: a specific appointment against a detailed job description? buggins turn for a particular teacher? the BIS teacher, a maths teacher or someone in technology? Rotating responsibilities may mean that little development takes place, as a teacher may only hold the responsibility for a year. They may feel limited in changes that they can make, particularly if a more experienced colleague held the brief in the previous year. A teacher who gained responsibility for ICT in the early days is not necessarily mean that they are the best person to develop it under the challenging conditions of the 2000 orders. A school must consider its plans with respect to ICT and the nature of the senior personnel needed to develop them. Development must be proactive - if new attitudes and skills are needed it is a duty of senior management to put them into place. Qualifications? The most important qualifications have little to do with personal ICT skills - they are the ability to get on with people, to engender enthusiasm for the use of ICT, to be patient with those who are not ICT literate and to have a sound understanding of the needs of the whole curriculum. Personal IT capability is of less importance since it can be learned. Demands At a basic level the role may involve no more than providing guidance to staff and maintaining a curriculum overview. Alternatively it may include coordination of ICT throughout a large comprehensive, teaching to examination level, training of staff, assessment processes, management of the "ICT Department" and possibly network management as well. This fortunate person may use their ample spare time to act as unpaid technician. The job must be manageable - computers multi-task without concern but humans are less successful. If the job is too big it needs to be split between two or more staff - each undertaking a specific task. There should always be a job specification that has been agreed with the senior management and which is reviewed regularly to take account of IT developments in the institution.  Outline Job Description for a Primary School ICT Subject Leader In addition to the duties of a class teacher the ICT Subject Leader will: Monitor the teaching and planning of the ICT curriculum throughout the school Support the whole staff in the development of positive perspectives and the necessary skills and competences required for the delivery of Information Technology. Maintain a curriculum overview, policy and scheme of work that enables ICT progress to be tracked assessed and recorded across the curriculum, and to ensure that the National Curriculum programmes of study are taught and that continuity and progression are assured. Support staff in the assessment, recording and reporting of pupils ICT capability, including moderatiion of assessment items as necessary. Advise staff, or indicate sources of advice on suitable software and appropriate good practice in its use. Advise the Headteacher and Governors on resource requirements and implications, including the impact on the school budget. Assist in the identification of staff INSET needs as part of the overall development plan and provide training and familiarisation where appropriate. Outline Job Description for a Secondary School ICT Subject Leader In addition to the duties of a class teacher the ICT Subject Leaderwill: Monitor the teaching and planning of the ICT curriculum throughout the school Support the whole staff in the development of positive perspectives and the necessary skills and competences required for the delivery of Information Technology. Maintain a curriculum overview, policy and scheme of work that enables ICT progress to be tracked assessed and recorded across the curriculum, and to ensure that the National Curriculum programmes of study are taught and that continuity and progression are assured. Liaise and consult with Heads of Department and subject teachers to ensure that the subject specific requirements for ICT are met and that relevant IT is included in departments schemes of work. Identify and encourage activities which support inter-departmental collaboration and enable aspects of National Curriculum ICT to be provided in a single context where appropriate. Support staff in the assessment, recording and reporting of ICT capability and moderate these assessments where necessary. Advise staff, or indicate sources of advice on suitable software and appropriate good practice in its use. Advise the Headteacher and Governors on resource requirements and implications, including the impact on the school budget. Assist in the identification of staff INSET needs as part of the overall development plan and provide training and familiarisation where appropriate. Where the IT Subject Leader is also responsible for managing the Network and Resources the they will: Advise, following consultation with all staff, on resource needs and specify what is practical, possible and affordable in order to meet the demands of both curriculum and budget. Design, with the support of other agencies as necessary, the overall structure of a network and associated hardware and software. Manage the installation of the networks, other systems and facilities and the maintenance of the all systems. Ensure that the needs of teachers and pupils are met as effectively as possible by securing responsible and practised use of the system. Undertaking personal and professional development to keep abreast of developments in order advise appropriately on future strategies and requirements for IT resources. Ensuring that teachers and support staff have access to training in the use of all systems. Ensuring that the technician receives appropriate technical training.  Outline Job Description for an IT Technician It is expected that the ICT Technician will be qualified and competent in all tasks allocated to them and that they take due regard for health and safety rules pertaining to the equipment that the install and repair. The general duties of the ICT technician are: To unpack, assemble and test new systems and those returned following repair. To ensure that all paperwork and records are in order. To install and commission new network machines including fitment of network modules, wiring and station configuration. To undertake routine maintenance including insertion/extraction of internal items such as rom chips, batteries, additional RAM, hard drives and expansion cards, also network cabling and connections and consequent checking and safety testing of the equipment. To be responsible for ensuring a safe working environment by checking leads, cleaning screens, keyboards, mice etc. To be familiar with the range of common software in the school and able to provide classroom support on its use if required. To be responsible for formatting disks, copying software and user filed, backing up data from network servers and hard disks etc as directed by the ICT Manager or Subject Leader or required by teacher users. To investigate reported faults, to provide a brief fault and to undertake repairs as necessary or operate agreed procedures should third-party repair be required. To establish and maintain an inventory and maintenance record for all computer equipment and peripherals in the school. To provide assistance within the classroom as and when appropriate. To be responsible for the management of all additional resources necessary for computer operation including discs, software, peripherals, printer sundries, worksheets and manuals. Home    Other essays and publications Last updated: 16th September 2001 This article may be freely copied provided that its source is acknowledged. The copyright remains with the author at all times