Involving the Whole Staff

you get stuck on the wording of a section, then leave it and go onto the next section, then come back to it later. 5. Think about the internal logic of what you have written. Does each point seem to follow on naturally from the last? 6. Engage the help of a critical friend who knows relatively little about primary schools and primary ICT. What does your friend think of it?

If you find yourself having to explain things, consider what the implications of that are, and make whatever revisions you think are necessary. 7. Present your ICT policy document at a staff meeting, as a draft for discussion and further amendment. Try not to let it be the last agenda item. Listen to what your colleagues have to say; you will almost certainly have left out something that someone else thinks is vital. 8. Act upon suggestions given – remember that the goal is embedded practice and sense of shared ownership.

Your teachers are one of the key stakeholders of the ICT policy so it is important that they have a sense of ownership in its development. Therefore, all staff should clearly be involved in the discussion leading to the production of a new ICT policy.

As an educational leader, it will be your duty to expedite the entire process. Do not assume that by arranging full staff meetings whereby an ICT policy will be produced onto a blank sheet of paper will be effective. Nor will writing and presenting a policy as a fait accompli will not have the support of many staff.

The best compromise is for you to make a production of an outline draft of the ICT policy which you will present to all members of staff and which you will ask for comments. By forming small working groups, you will be able to discuss various inputs and produce a more substantial draft. Thereafter, this document should be made available to all staff members. There should be a list of features