Why partner with Leverstock?
Questions and Answers
Can we afford it? Yes as there are various methods, in addition to using your existing savings and budget, for raising the finance to upgrade your ICT facilities which include:
Government funding
- Standards Fund 31a which includes ICT infrastructure and the Hands on Support programme.
- Changes in Devolved Formula Capital (DFC), giving schools the flexibility to use their DFC to purchase ICT equipment.
- Electronic Learning Credits (eLCs) for the purchase of software.
Fund raising
- From parents - using fairs, football tournaments, bring a cheque day etc.
- Corporate - through the application for funds from local businesses.
Leasing
- This can spread the cost of ICT over its useful life.
- Allows your school to have the most up-to-date ICT resources for today's pupils rather than saving up budgets over years for tomorrow's pupils.
More information and further examples can be found in finance.
What happens if it breaks? Leverstock take it personally when things go wrong.
Your first port of call would be the Helpdesk which can be accessed by phone, email or via this web site.
One of our support team will then be allocated and will regularly communicate with you until the problem is resolved. Behind them is a whole team of experts, who are devoted to solving any issues.
In order to prevent downtime happening in the first place, our support team are not only reactive but also proactive carrying out preventative maintenance and regularly monitoring your system to ensure its optimal performance.
We are not experts in ICT, at our school. Nor should you need to be.
That is why Leverstock's consultants, after understanding your goals, will provide impartial advice on what would be the most cost effective solution.
We take responsibility in making sure those goals are achieved with the least disruption to your school.
Our teachers are not confident ICT users. Teachers do not want technicians to train them, so our trainers are teachers and focus on the curriculum not the technology.
Part of the Leverstock strategy is to carry out an audit of your staff's ICT confidence and competence. Based on the results of this audit, our trainers will put together a proposed training plan, to address any areas of weakness.
The training includes demonstrations of how the different educational applications can be used to deliver the curriculum, resulting in teachers intuitively using ICT as part of their lesson.
"After one training session we were up and running - the transition was effortless, staff were inspired and the suite is in constant cross curriculum use."
Katrina Milner - ICT coordinator at St Paul's C of E VA Primary School, Chipperfield.
How do we incorporate it throughout the curriculum? Very easily as there are numerous ICT resources available for all subjects.
Within Leverstock's ICT proposal, our training advisors will recommend which educational software would be most suitable for your school's particular requirements.
After the training course, should you require further assistance, you are entitled to call upon your dedicated mentor via the helpdesk.
Ongoing training will involve presentations on how these packages can be incorporated across the curriculum. The trainers will also be readily available to provide advice regarding any new resources available for using ICT to teach different subjects.
How do we get value from our facilities? Through constant use. Here are some of the ways our partner schools use their ICT facilities:
Cross curriculum teaching
- Lessons in all key subjects are held in the ICT suites. There is rarely a free slot in the suites' timetables.
- Interactive whiteboards are in an increasing number of classrooms for use throughout the day.
Computer clubs
- These occur at lunchtimes as well as before and after school.
Extending ICT into the Community
- Running courses for the local community in the evening.
- Chaulden Junior School have won an award for their Parents, Children and Computers - learning together project.
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