Parents to get reports on line all the time
These notes on schooling and education are written by Tony Attwood. You can read more news on www.schools.co.uk If you work in a school you can receive additional news through our regular email news service by signing up at http://www.schools.co.uk/subscribe.html These services are free.
Today’s story…
All parents will get regular electronic reports on their children’s progress in future – going far beyond the traditional annual school report, Schools Minister Jim Knight announced this week.All secondary schools in England will be expected to have ‘real-time’ reporting systems up and running by 2010 and all primary schools two years later - although many schools already run these systems.
Real-time reporting means parents will be able to access frequently updated information on children’s achievement, progress, attendance, behaviour and special needs wherever, whenever they want – using secure, online systems.
Other systems could include text alert systems, school intranet, email or even video-conferencing.
A £600,000 pilot is being run by Becta the government-industry body specifically looking at lowering the cost of devices and connectivity and informing parents about the educational benefits of a home computer.
The Government has invested £5billion in schools ICT since 1997, with another £837million earmarked over the next three years – leaving it with the highest levels of embedded technology in classrooms in European Union and one computer for every three pupils.
Here’s the full detail
a 12-week public consultation on the best way to achieve universal home access – focusing on key issues such as who should pay for access and how do to ensure that children use the internet in a safe and purposeful manner.
a £600,000 Becta pilot scheme to test different ways ensuring all families have access to a computer at home in 50 schools across Birmingham, Worcestershire, Stockton and Brent - working with partners Dell, Intel, RM and PC World to reduce the cost of devices and broadband connection – and stress the educational benefits of home access to parents and teachers. This includes subsidising the cost of acquiring home technology for a whole year group – with direct funding for schools and parental contributions.
an additional £30million for low income families from the most disadvantaged areas gain access to internet and computer technology at home – funding from within the Department’s current budget which is being diverted to this particular programme. The Government has already invested £60million in the two-year Computers for Pupils scheme, which target 1000 schools in England’s most deprived areas.
a high-level study, called Beyond Current Horizons, working with the best thinkers in education and involving a focussed consultation with the industry, parents, learners and the community, to access the long-term social, economic and cultural impact of technology on children’s lives, their education and beyond between 2008 and 2025.
There’s a lot more information and a link to every school in the UK on www.schools.co.uk If you are looking to sell products or services to schools you’ll find a lot more information on www.educationmarketing.org.uk
Tony Attwood