What Policies should I manage

[owen1978]

I am Primary School IT Manager, and was wondering what policies fall under the IT Managers remit?

 

So far im thinking...

 

Data Protection Policy

CCTV Policy

Electronic Data Management Policy

Laptop policy

Printing Policy

Remote Access Policy

Technical Policy

Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils, Staff, Visitors

Mobile Device Policy

E-Safety Policy

 

Is there anything I have missed out?

[3s-gtech]

Don't touch the Data Protection Policy or CCTV policy IMO. Those are far broader than just IT, unless you are totally clued up on the remits of both outside of the scope of IT I'd say nope.

[bossman]

@owen1978

 

I would say non of them as they are all your ICT HOD responsibility bar one such as the Technical Policy and this may be dubious, its above your pay grade!

 

Data Protection Policy - DPM

CCTV Policy - DPM

Electronic Data Management Policy - DPM

Laptop policy - ICT HOD

Printing Policy - ICT HOD

Remote Access Policy - DPM

Technical Policy - Maybe

Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils, Staff, Visitors - ICT HOD

Mobile Device Policy - ICT HOD

E-Safety Policy - ICT HOD

 

I have no involvement in any of the schools ICT policies as these are above my paygrade and its not for me to make those decisions its clearly an SLT person who has the authority to make those decisions which carries with it the remuneration package.

 

Just my tuppence worth on this as we are here to support IT not set policies on what users can and cannot do I feel.

[sparkeh]

its above your pay grade!

We don't know that for sure. I manage those kind of policies, some written in conjunction with other members of staff but yeah, its part of my job and I've never had any issue with it. Depends entirely on the responsibilities of your job.

 

I would argue that the only policies that an ICT HoD should be managing are curriculum policies.

[elsiegee40]

I am Primary School IT Manager, and was wondering what policies fall under the IT Managers remit?

 

So far im thinking...

 

Responsibility of your DPO. (You cannot be DPO.):

Data Protection Policy

CCTV Policy

 

Still the responsibility of the DPO, but I'd expect you to have input. Arguably this is a procedure rather than a policy

Electronic Data Management Policy

 

Your area:

Laptop policy

Printing Policy

Remote Access Policy

 

What's this?

Technical Policy

 

I would expect you to have input, but the buck stops with SLT (especially the DSL) for these:

Acceptable Use Policy for Pupils, Staff, Visitors

Mobile Device Policy

 

Responsibility of the DSL (unlikely to be you as it has to be someone on SLT)

E-Safety Policy

 

Is there anything I have missed out?

 

You have an awful lot of policies. Your governors will thank you if they could be rationalised... some of them appear to be procedures.

 

*DPO - Data Protection Officer. IT staff cannot take up this role due to conflict of interest

#DSL - Designated Safeguarding Lead - A member of SLT who has received special training

Edited September 21, 2017 by elsiegee40

[witch]

I have some input into some of the more technical policies or those that impact IT such as Staff Laptop Acceptable Use Policy.

But ultimately SLT sort it all out and the buck most definitely doesnt stop with me

[owen1978]

Whats DPM?

[bossman]

@owen1978

 

DPO (Data Protection Officer) or DPM (Data Protection Manager)

Edited September 21, 2017 by bossman

[bossman]

We don't know that for sure. I manage those kind of policies, some written in conjunction with other members of staff but yeah, its part of my job and I've never had any issue with it. Depends entirely on the responsibilities of your job.

 

I would argue that the only policies that an ICT HoD should be managing are curriculum policies.

 

I know that for sure its not in my job specification!!!

 

I don't do anything that has responsibilities which could backfire because some member of Staff decides to overrule the policies just because they feel they can and therefore I'm not paid enough to take the can for their mistakes!!

 

I'm here to manage the network not create policies for other Staff members to ignore because that's what happens and then the sh*t hits the fan and your the one left holding the baby!!

 

If you like being in the firing line then so be it @sparkeh but iv'e learned very early on to dodge those bullets as it gets you no where being a mug!!

 

You can argue until your blue in the face about this but you won't get any change out of me bud......too long in the tooth for that!!

Edited September 21, 2017 by bossman

[Gibbo]

Provide advice, guidance, framework bullet points for the policies, but leave it to SLT to create them.

[sparkeh]

I know that for sure its not in my job specification!!!

 

I don't do anything that has responsibilities which could backfire because some member of Staff decides to overrule the policies just because they feel they can and therefore I'm not paid enough to take the can for their mistakes!!

 

I'm here to manage the network not create policies for other Staff members to ignore because that's what happens and then the sh*t hits the fan and your the one left holding the baby!!

 

If you like being in the firing line then so be it @sparkeh but iv'e learned very early on to dodge those bullets as it gets you no where being a mug!!

 

You can argue until your blue in the face about this but you won't get any change out of me bud......too long in the tooth for that!!

:)

 

Ok not arguing with you. However... I'm not in the firing line: policies are approved by SLT, then by the Governors for formal adoption. If anyone decides not to follow policy then its the offender in the firing line.

[bossman]

 

I would argue that the only policies that an ICT HoD should be managing are curriculum policies.

 

So what are you doing then if not arguing your case?

 

You may feel that your not in the firing line but by creating these policies which are sanctioned by SLT who probably haven't got a clue as to what they determine when something happens to break one of these policies, I don't know whether the Governors would be that interested either if those policies were written by someone who basically in education is classed as a support worker because they don't carry enough clout.

 

Its a power thing in Education not only with teaching staff but their line managers also and I'm afraid that sh*t rolls downhill not up!

 

I've been there and worn the T-shirt and believe what you may, its not all roses when the smelly stuff gets dropped from a great height,...........

[bossman]

@sparkeh

 

This is not aimed at you btw, its nothing personal, just I read on this forum all too often from you guys about how badly your being treat!

 

We are our own worse enemies in that we don't say no often enough to work that is not officially ours and this therefore leads to confrontation and feelings of being put upon and then depression in some cases because of the heavy workload etc etc!!

 

Don't mean to rant but it boils my pi** to read time after time how we professional IT members shoot ourselves in the foot because we think we are a valid member of the team when in actual fact we are totally frowned upon by senior management in one way or another because we are classed as the "Dark Arts" and not understood!

[owen1978]

So this leads to my next question...

 

Do primary schools employ a DPM/DPO on a full/part time basis or it is normally a position taken up by another member of staff?

[sparkeh]

So this leads to my next question...

 

Do primary schools employ a DPM/DPO on a full/part time basis or it is normally a position taken up by another member of staff?

 

Under GDPR the DPO must be external to the school. Our LA is looking to setup a DPO service to buy into but if this kind of thing isn't available to you I think that primaries will have to look into grouping together with other school because it ain't gonna be cheap!

[elsiegee40]

So this leads to my next question...

 

Do primary schools employ a DPM/DPO on a full/part time basis or it is normally a position taken up by another member of staff?

Well that's a whole new ball game with GDPR and the subject of many questions.

 

I suggest you consult our Data Protection and Information Handling forum.

 

The following thread isn't in that forum as it covers Employment Issues and the Edugeek member wanted to post in a less visible forum

Told to take new Data Protection Officer Role

Under GDPR the DPO must be external to the school. Our LA is looking to setup a DPO service to buy into but if this kind of thing isn't available to you I think that primaries will have to look into grouping together with other school because it ain't gonna be cheap!

The DPO must not be responsible for the handling of data, electronic or paper, in the school, or be managing the staff that do so. They can be an employee, but must not be responsible for the management of data on paper or electronically and must also have the seniority to enforce action... They need to have the clout to not fear being sacked for telling people off!

 

This document from GDPR in schools is a useful read. The only bit I disagree with is that a Governor can be the DPO; this is because governors are required to take a strategic role in school and cannot be paid or take operational decisions.

Who will be your DPO?

 

Finally a quick tag to @GrumbleDook who is very knowledgeable on GDPR.

Edited September 21, 2017 by elsiegee40

[sparkeh]

 

The DPO must not be responsible for the handling of data, electronic or paper, in the school, or be managing the staff that do so. They can be an employee

Interesting, a DPO from the LA told us it had to be someone external. On reflection I think she might have meant that it would be very hard to find a staff member who wouldn't have a conflict of interest so in effect it would end up being someone external. Also finding someone amongst the staff who had the knowledge and expertise would be near impossible. I agree with the governor comment.

[GrumbleDook]

Under GDPR the DPO must be external to the school. Our LA is looking to setup a DPO service to buy into but if this kind of thing isn't available to you I think that primaries will have to look into grouping together with other school because it ain't gonna be cheap!

 

Actually, they don't *have* to be ... it is just logistically and operationally unlikely that you will find someone completely separated from owning operations and systems related to data and also with enough knowledge.

[enjay]

No reason you can't write or provide input to any or all of those policies (which will be reviewed by HT and Governors anyway), but note a few things:

- Data Protection Policy applies to paper too, not just electronic data. Co-ordinate re-writing this policy with the person/people involved in your GDPR-compliance

- CCTV policy is bigger than just the technical aspects of the cameras, there's all sorts of stuff involving notifying the ICO and signs around site, so involve other people too

- e-safety policy needs input from DSL (designated safeguarding lead) and possibly Pastoral Deputy HT and/or PSHE coordinator, depending on your structure

- printing policy has impact on T&L so include relevant Deputy HT, no point writing a policy which says "no student can print more than 10 pages per week" if there is a piece of coursework which is 20 pages long.

[the_quick]

Not sure how it is in primary

 

IN secondary it is not a job for one person to write them. I get involved in some of them, sometime write bigger part (like staff laptop policy) - but I have never been sole writer and responsible for delivering or enforcing such policy - SLT is for that

[enjay]

I have never been sole writer and responsible for delivering or enforcing such policy - SLT is for that

 

Those are different things. I write some of those policies here, but HT then Governors approve the policy, and SLT enforce it.

[bossman]

Those are different things

 

 

Why are these different to other school policies?

 

School policies are just that "School Policies" they all fit under one canopy and are controlled by Governors and SLT and these are the people who should be writing them not you as the network manager or Technician as you are there to maintain the network and the running of it not administration duties such as writing policies that's for admin workers who type up the written policies which have been constructed by SLT after gathering information from different staff around the school who have a valid input.

 

In my eye's it's just another shirk of responsibility by those members of staff who like the remuneration part but not the actual workload, old saying "Why have a dog and bark yourself!" always happening in Education where certain staff shirk their responsibilities by passing the workload to other members of staff who are afraid to say "No!" in reality its a mental form of bullying and this happens quite a lot in schools so it seems by the reports on this and other forums.

 

Over the years I too have learnt very valuable lessons from other members of staff in our school which leads me to believe that I am no more thought of than the chewing gum on the school yard playground.............................fact!!!

 

Don't be misled into thinking that you are favoured any better because its the same in most every school in the UK because certain staff are brought up to believe they are members of an elite group of people who in reality are no more than overpaid babysitters!!

 

Oh btw I don't care if this offends anyone who has a partner in this profession because I'm really not bothered.............passed caring about that all now!

 

I just do my job to the best of my ability and to my job spec end of!

 

have a good evening

[GrumbleDook]

Why are these different to other school policies?

 

I just do my job to the best of my ability and to my job spec end of!

 

have a good evening

 

Unfortunately, too many good staff have been used and abused over the years and their valid (and much needed) input is lost.

 

You know I don’t blame you for your approach @bossman ... I fully understand it.

 

However, in schools where thing can be salvaged, by hook or by crook, then it should be input based on school needs and the contributors should be a range of staff.

 

There are so many template policies available nowadays, no one should be righting from scratch or the sole writer. They may be the policy owner (ie it is their job to make sure the relevant people have input ... and that the input is listened too) but not the sole writer.

 

Where policies don’t exist at all, due to changes in regulations or practices, it becomes harder ... but it is a School Policy ... school.

 

Including input from parents and learners where needed!

[GrumbleDook]

As I said ... used and abused.

 

Done right and it works. Done wrong and it just makes people think it is a tick box.

Done wrong too many times and no matter how many times people then try to do it right, everyone is jaded and it becomes a self-fulfilling nightmare.

 

I had too many LA consultations like that.

 

But I’m ever the optimist ...

[pcstru]

In my eye's it's just another shirk of responsibility by those members of staff who like the remuneration part but not the actual workload, old saying "Why have a dog and bark yourself!" always happening in Education where certain staff shirk their responsibilities by passing the workload to other members of staff who are afraid to say "No!" in reality its a mental form of bullying and this happens quite a lot in schools so it seems by the reports on this and other forums.

While I agree with most of what you say, I'm curious as to how you discriminate between shirking and delegation. Delegation is an essential management tool; as a manager my job isn't to do peoples jobs but to ensure they do the work. When my managers give me a task, I delegate as appropriate to get the task done efficiently by those best placed to do that. I don't see that as shirking. I think I see more issues with managers who can't let go and who refuse to delegate than I do with people shirking. IMO the bigger problem in schools IS a result of poor management skills, but it is teachers who's management skills seem to be at the level of "treat everyone like a 12 year old child", a problem I put down to being shut in a classroom with children for decades and as a result having little experience of the real world.