ICT Department Structure - what's yours?

[iSteve]

Hello!

 

We have a long established member of staff who is retiring at the end of the academic year. They have worked in an ICT capacity at our school for 30+ years, so have seen it move from a novelty / hobby subject, right up to seeing it embedded in the curriculum in the present day. However their style of management has been far from ideal.

 

After such a long period in post, the school is considering a re-shuffle in the ICT staff structure. What I wanted to do was canvas your views on the structure of ICT staff in your schools to find out what works and what doesn't. For example:

 

-Does your school have an ICT manager / Network Manager / ICT Coordinator?

-Do they report to SMT (senior management team) or are they part of the SMT?

-Is your 'Head of ICT' responsible for leadership of whole school IT, as well as the subject?

-Does your Head of ICT lead any technicians you may have?

-Do you have an ICT manager / Network Manager / ICT Coordinator who is responsible for whole school IT systems / planning and infrastructure? If so does your Head of ICT only concern themselves with ICT, the subject?

 

I'm trying to identify where the "lines" are between teaching staff and technical staff and the roles each takes, and at which level (be it teacher, technician, manager or senior staff).

 

At present we have a "Director of eLearning", a non technical post filled by a teacher, who sees himself in charge of the Network Manger, all technicians, all ICT teaching staff, and who tries to direct whole school activities. They control all school IT budgets from exercise books to technical items asked for by the Network Manager who has no budget of their own. They are not a member of the management team. There is no "Head of ICT", just this Director. This sort of dictator approach is what the school is trying to remove.

 

Your thoughts on the topic are very welcome.

[plexer]

Several similar threads.

 

Ben

[Soulfish]

I'm the Director of IT and sit on the SLT within our school. I'm line managed by one of the deputy heads, although he doesn't line manage ICT as a subject.

 

ICT as a subject and IT as a school resource are treated separately, with ICT being treated as any other subject. We do a lot of work with the ICT department so have good relationships with them but work just as much with our Creative Media/Media Studies, Music and Performing Arts departments.

 

All IT related technicians are line managed by me. I quite like our management structure and think it works quite well

[sonofsanta]

Curriculum IT and Network IT should always be separate, to stop claims of favouritism, although you will inevitably work closely with them as they will necessarily make more demands of you, and conversely you can abuse their technical comfort to use them as a guinea pig for any changes.

 

I'n NM and have three techs working beneath me (one senior, one assistant, one part time with repro) and report to one member of SMT. I manage the budget, make recommendations, and am generally left alone to do what I think is necessary or desirable for the school, in liaison with the Head wrt strategic directions. I happen to think it works wonderfully; I wouldn't presume to tell the Head of IT what his curriculum should be, and I wouldn't expect him to tell me what work the network requires.

[JonWPS]

We don't really have one.

 

Wahey!

[Admiral208]

I am the NM and in charge of the network. The head of Curriculum ICT manages the subject. There are also 2 members of SLT, the business manager and the assistant head and we all meet regularly to discuss ICT strategy accross the school.

 

The head of ict would never tell me to do anything a specific way but we discuss what he wants to happen and I tell him the best way.

 

There are no other techs to manage, its just me.

[Kitkatninja]

Does your school have an ICT manager / Network Manager / ICT Coordinator?

 

Yes, me

 

 

Do they report to SMT (senior management team) or are they part of the SMT?

 

Yes, reports to the business manager who is part of SMT/SLT

 

Is your 'Head of ICT' responsible for leadership of whole school IT, as well as the subject?

 

NO, the Head of ICT at our school is a department head for the ICT academic department and possibly the ICT curriculum (not sure). He's good at what he good.

 

Does your Head of ICT lead any technicians you may have?

 

No, the Head of ICT is academic, not support/technical

 

Do you have an ICT manager / Network Manager / ICT Coordinator who is responsible for whole school IT systems / planning and infrastructure?

 

Yes, however I work with the Assistant head (who looks after the specialism) and the head of ICT to work out the academic sides requirements and the Business Manager to work out a realistic budget.

 

If so does your Head of ICT only concern themselves with ICT, the subject?

 

 

 

 

Yes as that is his responsbility.

[browolf]

I should think in the ops situation the director of ict ought to be at least a member of SMT, or even a deputy head. This makes ICT integrated at the highest level.

 

Our situation is~

                                                                                        
                                                                              head of ICT 
                                       /  Head of Ict & business department /
Deputy head with responsibility for ict \
                                         Network Manager  < 4 technicians
business manager                        /

[itguy22]

Good question! I have been thinking about this too .....

[iSteve]

Thanks for your replies. It's completely right to separate the running of the IT from the ICT subject. ICT are just another user at the end of the day.

 

I will have to try hard to talk management in to this view!

[csmith2]

This is an interesting thread. I'm a senior IT Techinician and I work with two other IT Techs. I report to the Business Manager who deals with the money and makes decisions. I play the role of both IT Technician and invisible network manager. We seemingly have no ICT Head.

 

I think our school does it on the cheap.

[Kitkatninja]

Thanks for your replies. It's completely right to separate the running of the IT from the ICT subject. ICT are just another user at the end of the day.

 

I will have to try hard to talk management in to this view!

 

It would be like the Head of DT (which incoporates Food Technology) being in charge of the canteen, the Head of the Business or the Head of the Maths department being in charge of the bursar/finance department or the Head of Vocational Studies being in charge of the Admin and Exam departments (just because they run/oversee/deliver the NVQ Business Admin). The IT/ICT Support services is not an academic department. However that's not to say that there aren't close links as well as some cross over when it comes to responsibilities

Edited May 29, 2012 by Kitkatninja

[GrumbleDook]

@wagnerk Is it worth saying that I have been to a school where the Head of Vocational Studies was also in charge of the canteen? Admittedly that is because it had a training section for those doing catering, becoming chefs, doing hospitality, etc ... so pretty specialist ... but it shows that there can be times when it works.

[garethEds]

Oooo my type of topic. I'll get involved tomorrow.

 

Gareth

[Gibson335]

NM reporting to Deputy Head and Business Manager. Head of Curric IT has no direct say or influence, but obviously I and the two people I report to consider all faculty and target-specific requests when it comes to both long and short-term planning.

[tmcd35]

(second try at a diagram)

 

Curriculum

=======

 

Head (SLT) -> Deputy Head (SLT) -> Assistant Head (SLT) -> Head of Business Studies (and ICT) -> 2 Part Time Teachers

 

 

Support

=====

Head (SLT) -> Business Manager (SLT) -> Network Manager (Me) -> Cluster Tech (senior), IT Tech, IT Admin Support Assistant

 

 

Pretty sure that's the structure here In a proper diagram I'd be in line (in terms of responsibility) with the Head of Business and other Department (middle management) heads. The three below me are directly managed by me (there's no line management between them) but are stepped in terms of pay and responsibility.

Edited November 14, 2012 by tmcd35

[Mr.Ben]

Deputy Head (SLT) - Network Manager - Techs (Both 'Senior' - If had to employee another Tech it would be as a junior).

 

ICT Curriculum has no direct relationship with our team, however they are always welcome at the weekly meetings betweeen me and the deputy.

[Oaktech]

I am officially senior tech, with another tech and a heldesk op/admin who is more of a technician than just an op. we all officially report to the head of college as our line manager/budget holder, but in actuality I manage them on a day to day basis (which i don't get paid NM money for)