Although there is no longer ring-fenced funding for ICT (apart from e-Learning Credits),  there is still plenty of funding available. Here Greg Stragnell, Senior ICT Advisory Consultant, summarises a useful Becta publication outlining the funding streams available for ICT in Schools.

There has never been so much funding for ICT. The key is knowing where it is!

Schools and Local Authorities receive funding for ICT through the following grants:

·         Devolved Formula Capital

·         Grant 101: School Development Grant

·         Grant 121: National Digital Infrastructure for Schools

·         Grant 122: Electronic Learning Credits (eLCs)

·         Grants 125 and 210: Computers for Pupils

Oxfordshire schools do not receive any of Grants 125 and 210 which relate to the provision of computers for particular groups of disadvantaged secondary pupils in the most deprived areas of the country.

Although the Devolved Formula Capital and the School Development Grant do not have a specific identifiable allocation for ICT, schools have flexibility and autonomy to decide how they spend their funding across the full range of learning technologies.

Two of the grants remain ring-fenced. Grant 121, National Digital Infrastructure for Schools, is Local Authority retained, with the greater proportion match-funded. Grant 122, eLCs, is also ring-fenced to Curriculum Online approved digital resources.

In Oxfordshire all of Grant 122, eLCs, is devolved to schools. Schools should note that this is the last year in which eLCs will be available. Schools which have used eLC funding to purchase online subscription services will need to consider how they will continue to fund those services in the absence of specific eLC funding in the future.

Learning technologies – priorities for 2007–2008

Schools and Local Authorities should ensure they address the following national priorities:

·         Digital infrastructure: schools should maintain an appropriate mix of reliable learning technologies, with assets managed effectively, and systems and equipment upgraded and replaced systematically.

·         Broadband in schools: schools should use broadband technology, exploiting its power to improve learning and help them explore new and innovative ways to teach.

·         Personalising learning: pupils in every school should have access to an online personalised learning space that has the potential to support e-portfolios by March 2008.

·         Integrated learning and management systems: each school should be planning to provide an integrated learning and management system that conforms to Becta guidance, with full implementation by 2010. Schools need to work coherently with their Local Authority to deliver this priority.

Additionally each secondary school should be capable of using the Key Stage 3 on-screen ICT test by 2007–08 in accordance with National Assessment Agency guidance.

In Oxfordshire, schools’ internal infrastructure, systems and equipment are their own responsibility and funding for maintaining the internal infrastructure and upgrading and replacing equipment can come from the Devolved Formula Capital Grant and Grant 101: The School Development Grant.

Broadband access to the internet is provided by the Local Authority through Grant 121 and schools’ subscriptions to the OCN.

Oxfordshire has already met the target of providing Personalised Learning space for staff and pupils which has the potential to support e-portfolios through the provision of Digitalbrain. This is currently provided free of charge to schools as is training and support.

In addition, Oxfordshire has already begun the process of consultation with schools to secure the provision of an integrated learning and management system which conforms to Becta guidance for implementation by 2010. DfES advice is for Local Authorities or Regional Broadband Consortia to provide a common learning platform across all its schools to ensure full potential for collaboration across schools and phases and to secure best value for money. Schools do not need to initiate their own procurement exercise for the provision of learning platforms for implementation by 2010. There will be a Local Authority-endorsed option.

Devolved Formula Capital Grant

This grant provides schools with one source of devolved formula-based capital funding for ICT equipment, buildings and grounds.

The Devolved Formula Capital Grant can be used to support purchases of ICT infrastructure and equipment or upgrades. Capital can include items such as:

·         desktop computers

·         interactive whiteboards and projection technologies

·         laptops or handheld technology

·         computer peripherals, such as digital video cameras and printers

·         management information system and learning platform infrastructure

·         operating and curriculum content, tools and services, in addition to that bought with the school’s allocation of eLCs

·         access or assistive technologies. This refers to ICT-based technology, computers and peripherals – such as switches, software and communication aids – which support pupils with learning difficulties and disabilities by removing barriers to their learning.

Grant 101: School Development Grant

Schools may spend this grant in any way to support improvement in teaching and learning which leads to higher standards of attainment for pupils. This includes investment in ICT. Schools should consider how best to invest this grant alongside the funding within their Devolved Formula Capital.

The money which used to be specifically ring-fenced for ICT expenditure is now to be found partly in Grant 101 and partly in the Devolved Formula Capital Grant. As mentioned above, this money is no longer ring-fenced as schools can decide for themselves how to spend this money. It is useful to know, however, that the amount of funding which used to be ring-fenced for ICT is still available and has been increased to account for inflation. In 2006-7 the funding was increased by 3% and in the current financial year, 2007-8 the funding has been further increased by 5%. A spreadsheet showing the allocation to schools of the ICT in Schools grant in 2005-06 can be found in the ICT Curriculum Conference on the OCN and in the Digitalbrain Resource Management Database (the Oxfordshire Home Page) by searching for “ICT Standards Fund”. Colleagues can use this spreadsheet to calculate the amount of funding which nominally could be directed to ICT.

One thing is for sure – ICT is expensive and it is crucial that schools continue to invest in ICT equipment and infrastructure. The good news is that the funding is there to enable us to secure the investment of previous years

Learning, teaching and managing with ICT: Funding guidance for schools and local authorities 2007-08 is available from Becta and can be downloaded from:

http://publications.becta.org.uk/display.cfm?resID=30274

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