The report entitled ‘ICT at key stage 3’, was conducted by Estyn, the Education and Training Inspectorate for Wales. It evaluates standards in ICT as a National Curriculum subject as well as considering the impact of ICT as a key skill to support pupils’ learning across the curriculum.
Ann Keane, Chief Inspector, said: “Using digital technology is part of everyday life for many of us. However, developing competent ICT skills in secondary schools is a challenge and pupils need to have enough opportunities to apply their skills in different contexts. Although there are pockets of good practice, all secondary schools need to improve the quality of teaching, and delivering and monitoring ICT across the curriculum.
“I encourage all schools to read the report, take note of the recommendations and aspire to the good practice of those providers featured in our case studies.”
The report contains case studies that show how the teaching of ICT as a subject and as a skill across the curriculum can be improved through innovative approaches such as Ysgol Y Creuddyn school near Llandudno where pupils create digital video to support their learning of mathematics.
Whereas the quality of planning, provision and assessment for ICT as a subject is good or better in half of the schools visited, there is an issue over how effectively ICT departments and other subject departments liaise together to provide well-planned opportunities for pupils to apply skills, developed in discrete ICT lessons, in meaningful contexts across the curriculum.
‘ICT at key stage 3’ recommends that the Welsh Government implements a statutory framework for ICT from Foundation Phase to post-16 and takes into account developments in technology, subject to the review of the current curriculum review in Wales. The report also highlights steps that schools and local authorities/ regional consortia should take to improve teaching, monitoring and assessment.
Read the full report here: https://www.estyn.gov.uk/uploads/publications/11696.pdf
