Four simple steps to creating your school’s ICT strategy

Does your school have an IT strategy? If the answer is ‘no’, you’re not alone. Many schools make reactive purchasing decisions. Perhaps something has gone wrong that needs fixing or you have money left in the pot at the end of the year which needs spending.

One thing is clear, this isn’t the best use of budget in the long term.

The big question is, how should schools decide to spend their precious (and dwindling) resources?

One way, is to have a clear ICT strategy. But when we ask headteachers the question “What’s your ICT strategy?” they can’t answer it, because they don’t know.

They are educators, not techies after all.

One solution is an Outcomes Framework for ICT in Education.

This would enable you to adopt simple and effective ICT strategies that everyone (including pupils, staff, parents and governors) can understand and get behind. It can be linked to the School Improvement Plan, and it can demonstrate where you’re making improvements. It will show you where you need to invest that precious budget.