My Budget this year.

[ninjabeaver]

Hi everyone,

 

Just a thankyou post for all the support with this issue. I've now had a word with the Technical College Status director regarding my funding and it looks like a meeting is going to be setup. I'm going to be quoting some of the replies from here if thats OK.

 

Perhaps next year I'll have some money to improve what the school already has in place. Fingers crossed.

 

Thanks Everyone.

 

Simon

[tarquel]

How much did ya spend last year (or was it the year before now lol) mark?

 

 

Or was it steve or matt that had over 100k while I suffered on 3-4k (whch was mainly gobbled up by server purchasing lol)? Probably me getting confused again lol (as-per-usual)

 

@ninjabeaver:

 

Fully sympathise with your situation - it really is down to whether the "senior management team" (or should we say "Most Paid in the school team") is for IT or not really.

 

Take us, we've had such a poor budget in the 8 or so years I've been here until this year when we had a new head that is all for IT. Suddenly we get 8-9K (to start of with) with another look at things in Dec I think.

 

She may have "ideas" about what to spend the money on, and despite me telling her interactive whiteboards are completely un-nessisary at the moment, she insists on getting some (I'm not opposed to them - just the money could be spent better on other things - as always - and very few teachers use the IT room's whiteboard interactively anyhow) so 4-5k gone on straight away I'm not putting the buggers up lol

 

I think we probably all could have a long rant on stuff - and I'm sure we will hehe (I could probably fill a good 100 pages if desired lol) - but it really is down to management.

 

We'e only ever got stuff previously due to grants, and in the past 3 or so years since we haven't had them, I keep getting told there aren't any grants availiable to us anymore (which I find strikingly unbelievable) so until this year, we've not been able to get much.

 

Oddly tho, I find it strange that they raised the 20k or so for the Bromcom system 2 or so years ago lol but that was another thing that was never mentioned to me lol

 

Wanna hear anymore? lol

 

*mark cries out "dont get him started" lol*

 

Regards,

N.

[MkII]

How much did ya spend last year (or was it the year before now lol) mark?

 

I had a good yr Nath, tho' yes Matt spent £110k this yr

 

2001-2 £17k - Citrix - new DC + 2 app servers

2002-3 £35k - Network Cable the whole school over 2 years budgets at Heads direct request [ahem! see next year]

2003-4 £100k - poor inspection/ 'super Head' = magical money pot

2004-5 £15k - new head

2005-6 £10 :(

 

Wanna hear anymore? lol

No!

[Ric_]

...

2005-6 £10 :(

...

 

A little harsh!!!

[MkII]

LOL - oh - I meant £10k haha!

[Dos_Box]

I'm going to sound like boasting now, but I have single handedly turned this school's IT system around in three years starting off with the worlds oldest NT4 server and 70 PC's. I'm now managing an IT Technician (who is only with me 50% of the timetable!!) and seven servers, plus all the Bromcom and Admin software. The school has nearly 350 PC's of varyin ages and 60 Laptops.

 

Did you know the industry recommended level of IT support is one person per 40 computers? I got this nugget from the gentleman from Becta who set up the FIT's program.

[MkII]

40 WOW! - I heard 80 [from another source entirely].

 

We should have a quotes to die for thread

[tarquel]

Yikes. This thread certainly puts things into perspective dont it?

 

Wish I had the ability to convey to the senior management team how they really dont understand some aspects of IT, and let me do it all (which i end up doing really but not given credit, cash or training for).

 

The ICT Co-ordinator told me earlier that he's ordered a electronic librarian system caled Eclipse - (I'll start a new thread on this tho ppl so refer to that for comments about it) as we are losing our p/t librarian. He's only got this one as a school in a different county have it and he got a "spam" mentioning it.

 

Figures...

 

Did you know the industry recommended level of IT support is one person per 40 computers?

 

All I can say is "One man to rule them all" - as is mostly the case in our county.

 

Regards,

N.

[Netman]

@ninjabeaver... you have my sympathy mate. I've been there too in a previous job. All I can say is keep looking around as there is another world - it's called Independant Schools! My budget this year is over 6 figures and although I had to fight to get it and it's gonna mean a bloody load of work it does prove that some Schools can be persuaded of the importance of IT.

Not to be condescending, but if you need any spare kit and fancy a roadtrip down here to collect I'm sure I can find some bits that might well still be useful... just PM me.

Cheers,

Al.

[ninjabeaver]

Hi Netman, been on my hols this past 2 weeks so sorry for the late reply. Something over 6 figures would turn this place around big time. Its always a fight to get anything. Thanks for the support. It seems to be slowly but noticably turning around to my way of seeing things here.

 

Thanks for the offer as well, I've not been that far South for a long time, and I might just take you up on that .

 

I love that avatar as well, some binary Nazgul. Looks cool.

 

Thanks.

[GrumbleDook]

As pointed out in another thread, we are also onto 6 figures for our budget.

 

It all depends on how important Managlement think IT is ... and what projects you have on the go.

 

Our big projects include a Laptops for Students scheme (we pay the first 3 months of the lease and have to cover some of the security costs, but it roughly pays for itself after 3 years ... shame this isn't the start of year 4!)

 

We also have moved to a 4 year rolling replacement of Workstations (mainly to speed up getting rid of naff NS Optimum machines and aging RM explosive devices!)

 

We have also added an additional 2 computer suites (one for ICT and one for Media)

 

It all adds up unfortunately.

[Disease]

I feel your pain ninjabeaver.

 

At my school, we get a flash cash budget of 26-30k thats just for me to order odds and sods. Then we have ICT central curriculum, ICT central Admin and an ICT Central budget. This year from the first of April I have spent around 120k. There is no way you can run an effective network without the ability to upgrade and replace parts on the fly. When I first came to the school we had 0 stock, nothing in the way of spares, now we have had to move storage locations twice due to the increased storage capacity requirements we now need.

 

Keep on at them and good luck.

[bossman]

Hello all i agree all of what is mentioned here but budgets in education are a closely guarded secret why? because the schools think that teachers can run them just like everything else and when they find out they can't it's too late, so another year goes by with the budget run willy nilly until they give the job to a jumped up non qualified admin worker who can't even spell correctly cos she took over from the mother in law, who was a cleaner when she started at the school. Oh a bursar is the word i am looking for hehe. In this financial economic climate, schools should employ a properly qualified person to manage the budget like a business manager for example. Then the head teacher can get on with leading the school forward instead of trying to manage the budget with the senior admin worker /HR/finance officer, who between them could not manage a p*** up in a brewery. It is now nearly June and still no budget provided yet, had last years budget stopped halfway through and still they wanted upgrades to hardware software etc. Now i don't mean to rant but come on if i ran the network like they run the budget then i would soon be out of a job. By the way the senior admin worker/HR/finance officer is on a accountancy course to learn how to do the job @ over £30k per annum she gets at the moment wouldn't you have thought she would be qualified already

Here i run the whole school network fully qualified at less than £20k and very few problems. who is better value for money?

My budget last year was supposed to be £12k but only got £6k for running costs. £25k for infrastructure which was halfed cos of a shortfall. problem is i am not a teacher just a lowly support worker with top class qualifications and 6 years networking experience but that doesn't count for anything does it.

Thank You all for letting me get that off my chest, whish you all well

keep smiling

[Andrew_C]

One of the reasons for not discussing figures is "The Office Of Fair Trading". It may be OK for those in the public sector, but some of us have just been fined for our Bursars (and others) discussing fiscal information with other schools.

[Norphy]

The amount of money I've spent in the past two months is scary. At least £38k and I've got more to get yet!

[eean]

I was having a 'discussion' with the man from the LEA when he insisted that that my ICT budget (NGFL/Standards fund) was the same as last year (NB: I'm a primary).

ME: But last year I had 15k and this year I have 3k. It's clearly not the same.

LEA Man: But last year all of your 15k was ringfenced and schools said they didn't like that so this year only 3k is ringfenced. The remaining 12k is in your DFC grant, which can be spent on anything - that's great isn't it?

ME: So our DFC grant has gone up by 12k has it? And we can spend that on ICT if we want.

LEA Man: No.

ME: [looks puzzled]

LEA Man: It's gone down because they've removed a load of other budgets.

ME: But my head hasn't got enough money to pay for teachers, never mind choosing to spend his DFC on ICT.

LEA Man: [smiles knowingly]

 

They have also 'helpfully' put 2k of my ELCs into our DFC - so my software money can now be spent on cleaners. So the bottom line is there is less money floating about and head teachers are under pressure to balance the books to keep on staff. I fear the glory days of big ICT spending may be over

[Gatt]

Still not had my budget yet, though not looking good - already mentioned that I need a new server (£2,500 approx) cos the existing File-Server is now a bottleneck with regular reboots needed due to the amount of stuff on it (Pupil home area, shared area, network software, sql server, software repository, backup drive....)

 

All i got was a wide eye'd look and a grumble - so not looking promising for me at all

[russdev]

I was having a 'discussion' with the man from the LEA when he insisted that that my ICT budget (NGFL/Standards fund) was the same as last year (NB: I'm a primary).

ME: But last year I had 15k and this year I have 3k. It's clearly not the same.

LEA Man: But last year all of your 15k was ringfenced and schools said they didn't like that so this year only 3k is ringfenced. The remaining 12k is in your DFC grant, which can be spent on anything - that's great isn't it?

ME: So our DFC grant has gone up by 12k has it? And we can spend that on ICT if we want.

LEA Man: No.

ME: [looks puzzled]

LEA Man: It's gone down because they've removed a load of other budgets.

ME: But my head hasn't got enough money to pay for teachers, never mind choosing to spend his DFC on ICT.

LEA Man: [smiles knowingly]

 

They have also 'helpfully' put 2k of my ELCs into our DFC - so my software money can now be spent on cleaners. So the bottom line is there is less money floating about and head teachers are under pressure to balance the books to keep on staff. I fear the glory days of big ICT spending may be over

 

elc are still ring fenced they are not part dfc if not spent on software then you have to pay elc money back to lea/dfes

 

russ

[russdev]

Also here is nice powerpoint in school funding from rm http://www.rm.com/contactus/questionnaire.asp?cref=Q652105

 

One other thing your lea should be giving advice on how much dfc should be spent % wise on ict yes school can decide at end but if ict levels etc drop and they have not spent enough on ict then they have to justify that spend policy to lea..

 

Also because of change to dfc your head last year shoud of asked you for 3 year plan plus approx costs needed for this year etc to do what you want.

 

Russell

[e_g_r]

Our head has a budget deficit this year so my replacement kit budget has gone - could have been worse it could have been my techie or me.

 

Hope we get some NGFL because my win 98 workstations need skipping (in an environmental friendly way i hasten to add).

 

Have done OK in past years though

 

2004/2005 - new win 2003 servers, 60 laptops in 2 mobile class rooms + 26 new desktops

 

2003/2004 - 30 new desktops for ICT suite + 26 laptops in mobile classroom, 40+ laptops for staff

 

2002/2003 - new admin server 10 + admin desktops, 40+ laptops for staff

 

2001/2002 - 26 laptops in 2 mobile classrooms + 10 desktops for staff

 

Also included is flood cable on school site, some new switches and wirelss hotspots.

[eean]

elc are still ring fenced they are not part dfc if not spent on software then you have to pay elc money back to lea/dfes

 

Have they just gone down then? I had 5k last year and about 3k this year. Our roll has dropped a bit, but not that much. LEA man told me that it was so a % of your elcs could be spent on microsoft software or relevant hardware (or staff, I suppose).

 

Also because of change to dfc your head last year shoud of asked you for 3 year plan plus approx costs needed for this year etc to do what you want.

My head said there was no point having a long term plan! Because we never seem to know how much we are going to get until we get it. Last year I had 35k to spend. This year I have 3.

[russdev]

yes here info from rm funding document that was sent to me while back...

 

 

"Grant 31c for e-learning credits becomes grant 122.

It is a ring-fenced capital grant for all schools.

The value per school has been reduced by 25% vs GY0506 and it will fall by the same amount again in GY0708."

 

ELC cant be spent on anything other than elc accredited elc software which doesn’t include Microsoft software.

 

 

attached is nice breakdown on funding from rm

simple-1.pdf

[jow75]

A new forum has been set up within Becta's Online Community to discuss the topic of Sustainability - http://communities.becta.org.uk/leadership/sustainability/. Becta's focus on the long-term sustainability of ICT infrastructure is designed to help schools plan and budget for ICT, confident that they are taking into account all associated costs both now and in future years. Recent discussions include replacement of kit, investment planner advice and changes in funding arrangements.

 

Just thought it may be of interest as it relates to some of the posts in this thread.

[MkII]

had a quick play and scared myself with those figures!