REPORT BY HEAD OF IT SERVICES
TO CORPORATE SERVICES LEAD MEMBERS- MARCH 2001
ICT INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY FOR EDUCATION AND LEISURE SERVICES
IT SERVICES STAFFING REQUIREMENTS
1.
The Cabinet on 6th February, 2001 approved a report of the Lead Members for Corporate
Services and Education and Leisure Services for the major investment in ICT infrastructure, for
the provision of integrated Data, Voice and Video Conferencing facilities in Salford Schools,
libraries, leisure centres and CLCs. The report included a detailed long term funding model
The strategy was designed to provide an integrated and economical solution which addresses a
range of related initiatives, including:
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2.
It was explained that the planned ICT Infrastructure will allow Salford to meet and in most cases
exceed the follow Government targets: 
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3.
Implementation of City Learning Centres
National Grid for Learning
North West Learning Grid
The People’s Network
The Information Society Strategy, particularly Social Inclusion issues
The Community Grid for Learning
By 2002 serving teachers should generally feel confident, and be competent to
teach, using ICT within the curriculum;
By 2002 all schools and libraries and as many community centres as possible should
be connected to the National Grid for Learning, enabling perhaps 75% of teachers
and 50% of pupils and students to use their own e-mail addresses.
By 2002 the UK should be a centre for excellence in the development of networked
software content for education and lifelong learning, and a world leader in the export
of learning services.
From 2002 general administrative communications to schools by the UK Education
Departments, Ofsted and non-departmental public bodies, and the collection of data
from schools, should cease to be paper-based.
The scope of the work involved includes the provision of:
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Access to Internet and e-Mail facilities
Access to Educational materials
Modern, economical Telephony facilities
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4.
The response from schools to date is such that:
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5.
90% Secondary and 40% Primary and Special Schools have committed to the
strategy at this point in time
The majority of schools that have been contacted have put their backing behind the
project and see it as the way forward for Salford’s pupils and the community
There is a lot of skepticism from the schools because of previous projects “promising
the world and not delivering” however this is not deterring their commitment
Finance is consistently highlighted as a problem for schools. There are savings to be
made from the project, however those schools with deficit budgets are concerned
about future funding
Progress on the strategy to date involves:
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A detailed prioritized project Plan has been devised
£1,000,000 of IT Equipment, software licenses and facilities have been procured
29 Sites have been surveyed
Briefings have been held at Head Teachers’ meetings and at Chief Education
Officer’s and IT Coordinators meetings
CLC’s connected to corporate network with temporary Internet access.
6.
The purpose of the report is to obtain approval to the strengthening of existing staffing levels
within the IT Service to provide the necessary Implementation, Training and Support
Services to successfully achieve and sustain the strategy during 2001/2 and beyond
7.
The additional requirements are set out in the attached schedule together with annual costs
8.
Funding will be by way of revenue contributions from Schools, Libraries and CLC’s via SLA’s
RECOMMENDATION
That the additional temporary officer resources described in this report be approved at a cost of
£164,000 pa initially for two years and funded by revenue contributions from the Schools, CLC’s
and libraries and that Personnel Services be consulted immediately in order to recruit at the
earliest time
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IT SERVICES
ADDITIONAL OFFICER RESOURCES TO ENABLE ICT INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY
Post
No
Posts
Duration
Grade
Cost (pa)
(£000)
Principal
IT
Officer
1
To lead the initial migration of school’s networks to
the new ICT Infrastructure and Support the ICT
Infrastructure once implemented
Initially
2 years
PO1
27
Senior IT
Officer
3
To assist the Principal IT Officer in the migration of
school’s networks to the new ICT Infrastructure and
Support the ICT Infrastructure once implemented
Initially
2 years
SO1
72
IT
Trainer
3
Develop and deliver a range of ICT training courses to
teaching staff, IT Co-ordinators and Schools
Administration Staff, including on-line facilities
Initially
2 years
Sc
3-6
51
Initially
2 years
Sc 3
14
Description of Role
Co-ordinate and manage User Groups/Progress Reviews
to achieve targets and standards are being maintained
Provide Support and out of hours training where
required i.e. ‘twilight’ and weekend facilities
Provide on-site consultancy where required to ensure
that business needs are being met
Training
Admin
Assistant
1
Monitoring and maintaining the training needs
assessment is in line with the implementation
programme
Scheduling delegates onto training courses, issuing
relevant documentation – joining instructions etc
Monitoring standards via post-training evaluation
Managing and maintaining the relevant computerised
systems associated with the implementation
Providing management information to ensure predefined targets are being met
Staffing the Learning Resource Centre
164
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