GrumbleDook

So how many here will qualify for the following deal negotiated by Crown Commercial Services? Custom Support | Crown Commercial Service

Pen and paper?

A bit late replying but to clear up the conversation the scenarios go something like these. School A The senior level of a school has on it a significant number of staff with 'Manager' status. These are above the general layer of Middle Leaders (Heads of Department / Year) and have significant whole school responsibility. This could make up to 15 people in a large school. That is getting to be a committee, not a Leadership Team. In this scenario you will see the most senior member of the IT team as a member ... with a large caveat ... that this person has both the responsibility (and ability) to make significant decisions that affect the delivery of services to the school. In this scenario it is very common to then have a core SLT which would consist of the Head/Principal and their immediate underlings (Deputies/Assistants) ... usually making up no more than 5 people. These will often have over-sight of several of the senior managers from the wider SLT. This then scales quite well to Academy group level, where the Director of IT would sit on the management teams of several schools. School B A school has a large Middle Leaders group who are well integrated and work closely together where there is overlap. The SLT is then small, with 4-6 people (depending on size of school) and then it depends on where the line management of services sit. If IT Services are developed in line with Education / Curriculum Development then the direct line management is often with the SLT member with this responsibility. If they are developed in line with backoffice / school services (i.e. more of business model) then the direct line management is often through the senior 'business' person ... sometimes the Bursar / Business Manager or a similar name, but a person whose role spans from facilities, HR, policies / procures, project management, etc. In both these scenarios we have to accept that management in itself is a skill, and that you will, at times, manage things you have no knowledge of. As a Director of IT I might be expected to manage AV, though I have no direct experience of setting up a stage (lighting, sound, the difference between stages that are thrust or in the round, etc) but I could be expected to manage those staff. When you get to a certain point in IT you might also take your finger off the pulse as you don't have time to be an expert on *every* technology, partly because you may have specialised and partly because you have staff (trusted staff) with that expertise. One model I have seen in a number of successful schools is the smaller central SLT (scenario A) rotate their management responsibilities each year. Between 4 people they take on 3 core responsibilities and at the end of the year they will pass on one responsibility to someone else and pick up a new one themselves (part of their management development is being able to pass these responsibilities on with ease ... a core part of project management as well). This gives a well-rounded SLT, but you lose out on the specialist. Another model (Scenario B) is where the SLT member stays in their specialist role for pretty much most things, making the most of their experience and expertise ... but this reduces the oversight and accountability a Head can have on their SLT, as well as reducing the opportunities you can offer prospective new SLT members (a big risk when it is hard to get people into these roles at the moment). If you don't have the layer between core SLT and the wider management team you get a top heavy leadership team, expensive to run and often with little overlap between the managers (you can often see people protecting their position by not letting others in) and so things spiral downwards. If you don't have good overlap with the large Middle Leaders group you get silos of work which can cause duplication and increase inefficiencies. To be honest, most scenarios can work, it can be down to having the right person in the right place at the right time (make use of existing skills and then help transfer them to other part of the school), but it boils down to ensuring responsibility and accountability is clear. This is nothing out of the ordinary for any part of public or private sector. ILM do some very interesting course around some of this, and the CSBM/DSBM covers a chunk of the above as well (NPQH also does but with a different slant and Leading from the Middle was also a good course). ASCL probably do some of the best course aimed at potential Senior Leaders ... and they changed their name a number of years ago from SHA (Secondary Heads Association) to Association of School & College Leaders to reflect that not everyone who is a leader will be a teacher (amongst other things).

Waiting until pay day to pick it up as my BDay treat, so might catch you soon.

Very true. In the UK this has sometimes led to some confusion about why there are conditions (cascaded from the EU) about the age of 13. *Here* it is to do with data protection! in the US it is defined by protection laws. Some areas are illegal in the US, but merely breaches of T&Cs in the EU. The number of people that mistakenly say it is breaking the law to be under 13 and using FB, etc ...

Wahey ... you made it! Good to see you.

i2i have said that the issues with rolling out the iOS app have been the delays in getting things through Apple. The Windows Phone version (still advertised) is the 2013 version.

Not at the moment. The first time you are likely to get something as hard copy will be the show guide on the day.

Ah ... And so the penny drops. I should have expected the stand numbering to be logical. Lapsafe is F186, Smoothwall is F137, Inkjet and toners is F142 and Konami is F129 ... Silly me for expecting them to run in order!

The frustrating thing is that the locations are not complete and there are no identifiers on the floor plan. I can't pin down where the Smoothwall stand is ... Though it might seem obvious due to the other numbers around it but there are 2 rows labelled as F ... Is it opposite the Lapsafe stand?

I have to quit the app, delete it and download again before I get the updated lollipops.

Please ... don't give them ideas.

Just downloaded it again (iOS) and now discovered that our stand (Learning Possibilities) backs on to Impero. I'm also bringing my new facepaint pack (if it arrives in time) on Friday as the boss has asked me to paint some faces of office and support staff who will be there. I'm happy as it means I get to keep doing facepaint Friday!

For all the apps don't consider that it will update the existing apps. Delete from your machine and download again. They still have more updates to do but it is getting there. It is worth saying that I have had no response from any tweet or DM, which is not very good and I will feed it back to the visitors' advisory group (I still know one or two people on it).

Yes, the flow is very important. I am also keen to see how frequently schools are changing MIS. I know of some schools trying a different one every 3 years and ,after trying 2 or 3, have ended up back with their original provider. It is not as bad as when some schools try VLEs (a few schools I know tried up to 6 different ones in 5 years but generally a frequent change is down to poor management).

I didn't bother to put in anything for sessions this year. Instead I will be taking part in the ask the experts sessions on the NAACE stand. I'll be talking about Service Management in schools (including FITS).

Eek ... Turns out I am presenting on Friday afternoon on behalf of Northants County Council .... Oh .. No ... That was last year. Might drop them a tweet to find out when it will be updated.

A good place to work, and the NM at this and other trust schools, as well as the Trust Director of IT, are cracking people to work with. Good luck to those who apply.

They are just folders though ... it is only because you are on a Mac that the container shows as a pages file, etc. You get the same with iPhoto.library too.

And I will be around all week on the LP+ stand ... Recognisable on friday, of course

I think we need to rephrase the question. Are we asking (or being asked) if school controlled proxies will disappear (and in this I also include proxies hosted outside of the school and proxies controlled on behalf if schools by LAs, RBCs or Academy groups)? Simple answer ... no. The filters are aimed at a particular client ... Families at home. At the moment the ISPs in question don't have a grasp of educational needs and that is why you have ISPs delivered via RBCs, LAs and specialist companies (SchoolsBroadband, EXA, BT Education, RM, etc). Unless UKCCIS sort themselves out to work harder with the education sector then anything home ISPs try to deliver to schools will seriously fall short. Happy to rant about the DfE lack of support or drive for recent attempts by BSI in this.

The email about this has been circulated to LAs and is winging its way down to schools but I thought it would be worth putting it up on here too. (NB declaration of interest - I am the supplier's Project Manager on this project). Cyfarfodydd Briffio Arweinwyr Uwchradd Hwb+ Yn dilyn adborth gan ysgolion uwchradd peilot Hwb+, adolygwyd yr opsiynau ynghylch defnyddio Hwb+ mewn ysgolion uwchradd a phenderfynodd Bwrdd Prosiect Hwb a'r Cyngor Dysgu Digidol Cenedlaethol fwrw ymlaen â'r gwaith o ddatblygu'r model uwchradd ymhellach. Mae cyflenwr llwyfan dysgu Hwb+, sef Learning Possibilities, wedi ystyried yr adborth hwn ac wedi treulio cyfnod sylweddol o amser yn datblygu'r llwyfan Hwb+ diwygiedig er mwyn diwallu anghenion ysgolion uwchradd yng Nghymru yn y modd gorau posibl. Er mwyn dechrau ar y gwaith o gyflwyno'r datblygiadau Hwb+ Uwchradd hyn, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi trefnu pedwar Seminar Diweddaru Prosiect Hwb ym mis Rhagfyr. Yn y seminarau hyn, bydd Learning Possibilities yn cynnal gweithdy ar lwyfan dysgu uwchradd Hwb+ er mwyn cyflwyno’r model Hwb+ Uwchradd newydd i chi am y tro cyntaf. I ddilyn y Seminarau Diweddaru Prosiect Hwb hyn ym mis Rhagfyr, mae Llywodraeth Cymru wedi gofyn i Learning Possibilities lunio a chyflwyno diwrnod Arwain Hwb+ Uwchradd. Bydd y diwrnod hwn yn rhoi rhagor o gymorth i arweinwyr a hyrwyddwyr digidol mewn ysgolion uwchradd o ran eu dealltwriaeth o lwyfan dysgu Uwchradd Hwb+ a sut y gellir ei ddefnyddio yn llwyddiannus yn eu hysgol. Bydd Learning Possibilities yn cynnig yr hyfforddiant hwn, sydd am ddim, i bob aelod o staff ysgol uwchradd, awdurdod lleol a chonsortia rhanbarthol yn dechrau ym mis Ionawr 2014. Cyflwynir y digwyddiadau undydd hyn ar lefel Consortia Rhanbarthol bob dydd Gwener am bedair wythnos yn ystod mis Ionawr a Chwefror 2014. Y dyddiadau ar gyfer y dyddiau hyfforddiant hyn yw 10fed Ionawr, 17eg Ionawr, 31ain Ionawr a 7fed Chwefror 2014. Isod, mae amlinelliad o'r agenda er gwybodaeth i chi. Agenda Cyfarfodydd Briffio Arweinwyr Uwchradd Hwb+: 9:30 Coffi a Chofrestru 10.00 Cyflwyniadau a throsolwg o Hwb 10.30 Llwyfan Dysgu Uwchradd Hwb+ - Cyflwyniad manwl 12:00 Trafodaeth a sesiwn holi ac ateb 12:30 Cinio 13:00 Arwain ar Newid gyda Hwb+ Uwchradd 14:30 Fframwaith ADOPT 15:00 Gweithio gyda'n gilydd i achosi newid 15:30 Unrhyw Fater Arall a Chloi Nid yw'r lleoliadau wedi'u cadarnhau eto ond byddwn yn rhoi gwybod i chi cyn gynted â phosibl a bydd gwybodaeth am leoliadau hefyd ar gael ar ohebiaeth trefnu'r digwyddiad. I drefnu lle ar Hyfforddiant Arwain Uwchradd Hwb+ ewch i Hwb+: Secondary Leadership Briefings/Cyfarfodydd... Registration - Eventbrite Hwb+ Secondary Leadership Briefings Following feedback from the Hwb+ secondary pilot schools, options around the secondary school Hwb+ deployment were reviewed and a decision to proceed with further developing the secondary model was taken by the Hwb Project Board and National Digital Learning Council. The supplier of the Hwb+ learning platform, Learning Possibilities, has taken this feedback and has spent a significant amount of time developing the revised Hwb+ platform to best meet the needs of secondary schools in Wales. To begin to communicate these secondary Hwb+ developments the Welsh Government has organised four regional December Hwb Project Update Seminars. At these seminars Learning Possibilities will be running a workshop on the Hwb+ secondary learning platform to provide you with a first look at the new secondary school Hwb+ model. To follow these December Hwb Project Update Seminars, the Welsh Government has asked Learning Possibilities to design and deliver a one day Hwb+ Secondary Leadership day. This day will further support secondary school leaders and digital champions in their understanding of the Hwb+ Secondary learning platform and how it can be successfully used in their school. Learning Possibilities will be offering this free training for all secondary schools, local authority and regional consortia staff beginning in January 2014. These one-day events will be delivered at Regional Consortia Level every Friday for four weeks during January and February 2014. The dates for these training days are 10th January, 17th January, 31st January and 7th February 2014. An outline of the agenda is below for your information. Hwb+ Secondary Leadership Briefings Agenda: 9:30 Coffee and registration 10:00 Introductions and overview of Hwb 10:30 The Hwb+ Secondary Learning Platform – A walk though 12:00 Discussion and Q and A 12:30 Lunch 13:30 Leading change with Hwb+ Secondary 14:30 The ADOPT Framework 15:00 Working together to make change 15:30 A.O.B and Close To book a place on the Hwb+ Secondary Leadership Training please visit Hwb+: Secondary Leadership Briefings/Cyfarfodydd... Registration - Eventbrite

If you have a search in a search engine of your choice for NotSchool or Children's University, you will find examples of inclusive learning, including using technology. If you are an individual tutor then it is something you have to factor into your charges / costs but if you are involved in a wider group then there are plenty of others doing the same thing.

Wondering if @wagnerk would step in to explain how it operates over at CertForums ... the monthly system seemed to work quite well over there for membership based awards.

If you use the search facility on EG you will find that this is a repeated question, and not that much has changed over the years. In previous threads you will find links to BFI, CLA, the DfE advice and even materials from LAs and RBCs. Previous threads have also covered polite ways to say no ... and some very impolite (but fun) ways to say no, as well. Simple rule of thumb... If recorded from the agreed free-to-air channels permitted under ERA+ then fill your boots. If explicitly granted permission by publisher (who has also granted rights in behalf of copyright holder) then get the documented permission and fill your boots. If neither of the above, then politely ask on whose authority are they asking for it to be done, and if the authority is less than The Crown, then politely decline. (nb, The Crown is a figure of speech to show permission granted through a legal act ... however, if Her Majesty deems that you *can* do it then it would be interesting to see what the outcome is!)