Lewisham ICT Projects
Older Projects

This page contains information about a number of projects, some of which are no longer current but which contain useful and interesting information.

Excellence in Cities - City Learning Centre

Lewisham has a City Learning Centre based in the grounds of Forest Hill School. The Centre offers 'state of the art' ICT facilities both in school and outside school times for pupils and the local community. For information about the CLC, visit the website on: http://www.lewisham-clc.org.uk

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DfES Laptops for Teachers Scheme

The DfES has run a number of Laptop for teachers schemes over the last few years. The focus for the schemes, and Lewisham schools benefiting are:

1996/97 - Laptops for teachers for curriculum purposes. Primary Schools: Holy Cross, St John the Baptist

1997/98 - Laptops for schools in the pilot or first phase of the Pupil Database project: Primary Schools: Kilmorie, Forster Park, St Winifred's Junior, Lee Manor, Rushey Green, Myatt Garden, Coopers Lane, Childeric, Eliot Bank, John Ball, Kender, Torridon Infants, Lee C of E, Grinling Gibbons. Secondary Schools: Prendergast, Bonus Pastor, Crofton

1998/99 - Laptops for SENCOs for curriculum and admin purposes. Primary Schools: Athelney, Brockley, Deptford Park, Elfrida, Haseltine, Hither Green, Holy Trinity, Lucas Vale, St Joseph's RC, St Mary's CE.

1999/2000 - Laptops for Headteachers of the smallest primary schools and special schools & PRUs for administration purposes: Primary Schools: All Saints, Sir Francis Drake, St Augustine's, St Saviour's, St Winifred's Infants. PRUs: Lewisham PRU, John Evelyn PRU

2000/2001 - DfES invited teachers to apply for a laptop. DfES provided part of the funding for the laptop. The teachers owned the laptop.

2001-2002 - DfES invited KS3 maths teachers to apply for a laptop. DfES provided part of the funding for the laptop. The teachers owned the laptop.

2002/2003 - LEAs were asked to manage the Laptops for Teachers Scheme. LEAs purchased the laptops and organised the delivery of these to schools. Headteachers nominate teachers to receive the laptops. The laptops remain the property of the school. Lewisham LEA consulted with Headteachers and purchased the laptops from the BECTa approved catalogue, from three suppliers: Apple, Dell and RM. Laptops were delivered to schools in the Autumn term 2002.

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Downham Pride Project

As part of the programme of regeneration in the Downham area, the Downham ICT project provided ICT training and resources for schools in the area and a youth drop in centre for local young people. The project was based in the Downham Library and was resourced with a network of Internet computers, called the 'Youth Space'. The project also provided training for youth workers and young people in how to use communications technology. Local schools were also provided with the infrastructure to connect to the Internet, computers, peripherals and inservice training. This project was funded for 2 years from 1997 - 1999. When the project ceased, Lewisham continued to provide the funding for the Youth Space to continue until present.

Schools in the Project were:

1997/98 Secondary: Catford County & Malory; Primary: Launcelot, Merlin, Good Shepherd, Marvels Lane, Foster Park, Downderry.

1998/99 - Secondary: Bonus Pastor; Primary: Rangefield; Special: Pendragon

The project proved a good model, in terms of infrastructure purchase and deployment, for the NGfL project which began in 1998.

The Youth Space continues to provide access to young people in the Downham area, but as the library is closing in 2002, the Youth Space is being found a new home. Lynne Heavens, former ICT Strategy Co-ordinator, used to oversee the management of the Youth Space.

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Interactive Whiteboard Project

In 2002-2003, Lewisham LEA, along with 5 other LEAs, was selected by DfES to receive additional funding to develop the use of Whiteboard technology in the teaching of Literacy and Numeracy in primary schools. Each year 5 and year 6 teacher, in selected schools, will receive a whiteboard, laptop and training. Teachers will be expected to use these new resources to investigate the potential for teaching Literacy and Numeracy, and will write up and share the outcomes. A project consultant, Ken Maslin, will manage this project.

Schools involved:

13 LEA funded schools: Ashmead, Coopers Lane, Holbeach, Holy Cross, Hither Green, Horniman, John Stainer, Kelvin Grove, Lee Manor, Myatt Garden, Sandhurst Junior, St Joseph's RC, Sir Francis Drake,

3 EAZ funded schools: Marvels Lane, Forster Park and St John the Baptist

2 Associate schools: Dalmain and Downderry

In 2004 Lewisham, along with 20 other LEAs, will be part of an extended Interactive Whiteboard Pilot Project in primary schools. Lewisham will receive 476,000 pounds through the Standards Fund to purchase whiteboards for Lewisham primary schools.

In 2004 DfES, through London Challenge, DfES will be funding the purchase and installation of an Interactive Whiteboard into all classrooms in one core subject in all secondary schools in 33 London LEAs (including Lewisham).

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Lewisham Young Citizens Internet Project

This project was started in 1997 by Guy Rubin from the Policy and Equalities Unit at Lewisham Council and managed by Lynne Heavens. The aim was to extend the Lewisham Listens project, to find out what children know about local government and to encourage them to give their opinions on the areas in which they live. Children were also asked to identify issues that have a direct effect upon their lives that they would like to discuss with others. The project continued until 2001, more details, including teaching materials, can be found on the Lewisham Education web server on: http://ecs.lewisham.gov.uk/citizens/

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London Grid for Learning

London Grid for Learning (LGfL) is a partnership of 33 London LEAs, working together to ensure the price of broadband access to the Internet for schools is affordable, and to provide an on-line learning environment for teachers and pupils in schools across the capital to communicate and share best practice.

So far this project has provided a high speed (100mb) connection to the Internet for the Lewisham Broadband Network (LBN). The LBN connects all Lewisham Council buildings and schools to the Internet.

LGfL also offers all schools in London an individual LGfL 'digitalbrain' portal account. The account provides e-mail, e-conferencing, web publishing and access to on-line learning content. There is more information on this site on the LGfL page. LGfL have also negotiated bulk deals with commercial providers. Schools can purchase more cheaply through the scheme. Details of the content available can be found on the LGfL portal on: http://www.lgfl.net

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National Grid for Learning (NGfL) Project

This project is funded by Standards Fund (100% match funded by Lewisham) which has provided £430k in 98/99, £450k in 99/00, £690k in 00/01 and £997k in 01/02.. Lewisham has provided resources for schools on a cohort basis, with 25% of schools receiving funding each year. 100% schools have now received funding through this initiative.

Resources include: cabling, electrics, computers, Internet Service Provision (ISP), ISDN connection through BT, peripherals such as cameras, scanners and printers, technical training and software. Schools were provided with enough funds to purchase one computer for every 30 pupils in primary and special and 60 pupils in secondary schools. ICT Co-ordinators in schools were also given school based technical training to install software, configure computers to connect to the Internet and set up e-mail boxes for pupils and staff. The model of resource deployment has involved Lewisham working with a number of independent resource providers for different aspects of the project. This ensures that schools have the maximum opportunity to choose the resources they want within a supportive environment. Many universities, schools and other LEAs across the country have shown an interest in the Lewisham model of resource deployment.

The project, in partnership with Downham & Bellingham EAZ, has also involved teachers in developing materials 'content' to share best practice in using ICT in teaching and learning. To date over 90 teachers have been involved and Lewisham has published three volumes of 'ideas for integrating ICT in the primary and secondary classroom'. Volume 3 is also available on the web on: http://ecs.lewisham.gov.uk/intict. Copies of the publication have been sent 'free' to all teachers in Lewisham.

NGfL Project schools have also had substantial support for teachers professional development, initially funded through a successful bid to SkillsWORK (match funded by Lewisham), and since 2001 funded by Lewisham. A taught course programme has provided ICT training for co-ordinators, key teachers and classroom assistants in the schools. Each school also had up to 5 days school-based support and training from seconded advisory teachers. This has resulted in schools being able to implement their ICT development plans and substantially integrate the use of ICT into the curriculum to enhance teaching and learning.

Each year schools are invited to write ICT development plans in order to join the NGfL Project. The Government has extended the NGfL Project for two years until 2004. Again a requirement for schools to access funding is submission to Lewisham of an ICT Development Plan. Materials to support development planning are available on this website on the Development Planning pages.

Schools receiving funding through the NGfL project are listed below:

1998/1999

22 schools including 17 primary, 3 secondary, 1 special and 1 pupil referral unit. These are:

Primary schools: All Saints CE, Brindishe, Childeric, Grinling Gibbons, Kender, Kilmorie, Monson, Myatt Garden, Our Lady & St Philip Neri RC, Our Lady of Lourdes RC, Perrymount, St Augustine's RC, St John the Baptist, St Stephen's CE, St William of York RC, St Winifred's Infants, Torridon Junior,

Special schools & pupil referral units: Anerley Boarding, Lewisham Pupil Referral Unit.

Secondary schools: Addey & Stanhope, Northbrook, Prendergast.

1999/2000

23 schools including 16 primary, 4 secondary and 2 special and 1 pupil referral unit. These are:

Primary schools: Clyde Nursery, Coopers Lane, Dalmain, Downderry, Ennersdale, John Stainer, Kelvin Grove, Lewisham Bridge, Rathfern, Sandhurst Junior, Sir Francis Drake, St Mary Magdalen RC, St Michael's CE, St Saviour's RC, Tidemill, Torridon Infants

Special schools & pupil referral units: Greenvale, Pendragon and John Evelyn Centre

Secondary schools: Deptford Green, Forest Hill, St Joseph's Academy, Sydenham

2000/2001

26 schools including 22 primary and 4 secondary schools. These are:

Primary schools: Adamsrill, Ashmead, Baring, Chelwood Nursery, Christ Church, Elfrida, Eliot Bank, Gordonbrock, Haseltine, Holbeach, Holy Trinity, John Ball, Launcelot, Lee Manor, Lucas Vale, Merlin, Rangefield, Rushey Green, St Bartholomew's, St Winifred's Junior, Sandhurst Infants, Stillness Infants

Secondary Schools: Crofton, Malory, Sedgehill, Telegraph Hill

In addition, 38 schools who responded to a questionnaire regarding slow access to the Internet, received funding to purchase a caching server. These are:

Primary schools: Athelney, Chelwood Nursery, Christ Church, Clyde Nursery, Coopers Lane, Downderry, Forster Park, Grinling Gibbons, Kelvin Grove, Kender, Lewisham Bridget, Marvels Lane, MErlin, Monson, Myatt Garden, Our Lady of Lourdes, Rangefield, Sandhurst Junior, St Augustine's, St John the Baptist, St Mary Magdalen, St Michael's, St Saviour's, St Stephen's, St William of York, St Winifred's Infants, Stillness Junior, Tidemill, Torridon Junior

Secondary schools: Catford Girls, Sedgehill, Prendergast, St Joseph's Academy, Sydenham, Telegraph Hill

Special Schools: Pendragon, Lewisham PRU, John Evelyn

2001/2002

22 schools including 16 primary, 2 secondary and 4 special schools. These are:

Primary schools: Athelney, Brockley, Deptford Park, Edmund Waller, Fairlawn, Forster Park, Good Shepherd, Hither Green, Holy Cross, Horniman, St Margaret's Lee, Marvels Lane, St James Hatcham, St Joseph's, St Mary's, Stillness Junior

Secondary Schools: Bonus Pastor, Catford County

Special Schools: Brent Knoll, Meadowgate, New Woodlands, Watergate

In addition, schools above the baseline computer:pupil ratio, received funding for a laptop / s for teacher / s to develop 'virtual classsrooms'. These are:

Primary schools: All Saints, Ashmead, Baring, Brindishe, Brockley, Chelwood Nursery, Deptford Park, Eliot Bank, Good Shepherd, John Stainer, Lee Manor, Marvels Lane, Perrymount, Sir Francis Drake, St Augustine's, St James Hatcham, St John the Baptist, St Joseph's, St Mary Magdalen, St Stephen's, St Winifred's Junior, Stillness Junior, Turnham

Secondary schools: Crofton, Deptford Green, Malory, Northbrook, Prendergast, St Joseph's Academy, Sydenham

Special Schools: Pendragon

2002/2003

All Lewisham schools were allocated NGfL funding in 2002/2003. This funding was dependent on the submission by the school of an ICT development plan that met the Government criteria.

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NOF Lottery Funded ICT Training for Teachers (Talent)

In order to fulfil the National Grid for Learning commitment that all practising teachers become literate in their use of ICT by the year 2002, the Government allocated £230 million from the National Lottery through the New Opportunities Fund (NOF). This has been used to provide in-service training for practising, full-time, permanent teachers and school librarians in their use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning and raise the overall standard of pupils' achievements.

The Teacher Training Agency produced a list of teacher competencies. This identifies the skills, knowledge and understanding teachers will need in using ICT to support their subject teaching and their appropriate and considered use of ICT to enhance teaching and learning in general. This includes the use of ICT to support planning, teaching, assessment and administration.

Lewisham LEA, Goldsmiths College and Lewisham College (Talent Consortium) gained approval to become NOF ICT Training providers. The consortium offers training for primary and secondary teachers in most secondary subjects. The model of training includes: a short taught course, classroom support, on-line conferencing and web-based curriculum materials. The training programme began in September 1999. The programme has provided for the majority of ICT pedagogical support for schools - 1999 - 2003.

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SkillsWORK Project

Lewisham have been successful in 3 partnership bids, with 4 other LEAs (Bexley, Greenwich, Newham & Tower Hamlets), to SkillsWORK for funding for ICT (1998 - 2001).

In 98/99 project funding in Lewisham was used to second ICT Co-ordinators from schools to provide advisory teacher support and ICT training for schools in the 1st cohort of the NGfL Project. Funding was used for release time for other ICT Co-ordinators to work with teachers in their schools to develop and write exemplar materials. These materials were published in a booklet called “ideas for integrating ICT into the primary and secondary classroom”. This publication was sent FREE to all Lewisham schools and to all schools in the other 4 SkillsWORK Project boroughs. More information about the publication can be found on the Publications page of this web site.

In 99/00 project funding was again used to second teachers to provide ICT advisory support and training to schools in the 2nd cohort of the NGfL Project. The impact of this support is again evidenced in the high quality displays of work submitted by schools for the annual ICT Exhibition held at Lewisham Professional Development Centre.

In 2000/2001 funding was again secured and ICT Co-ordinators have again been seconded to provide ICT advice support and training to schools in the 3rd cohort of the NGfL Project.

Funding for this project ceased in 2001, however, Lewisham continued to fund support for 4th cohort NGfL schools.

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SOLOTEC Superhighway Project

This was a 3 year project which began in 1996 and ended in 1999 and involved six boroughs: Bexley, Bromley, Croydon, Greenwich, Lewisham and Sutton. The project was funded by SOLOTEC (South London Training & Enterprise at Work) from a successful bid to the TEC Discretionary Fund to the amount of £404,000 over three years. Lewisham schools involved were:

Primary: Sir Francis Drake, Brindishe, Monson, Kilmorie, Stillness Junior, Sandhurst Junior, Myatt Garden, St John the Baptist,Grinling Gibbons, Holy Cross and Rushey Green

Secondary: Sedgehill, Crofton, Catford County and Deptford Green

Schools benefited from:

This project provided many opportunities for schools to network, both 'face-to-face' and 'on line'. Schools used e-mail to: exchange ideas on developing the use of the Internet and EMail in their classrooms; help their pupils talk to children in other parts of the world and engage in educational debate through news groups. Many of these schools have also developed their own web sites (see below).

* two exceptions were: Rushey Green had an ISDN line and Deptford Green had a dial up account.

This project provided a good starting point to get schools connected to the Internet and has been superceded by other initiatives, see below.

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Virtual Classroom Project

In 2001-2002 NGfL Funding was allocated to LEAs for 'innovation', to be allocated to schools above the baseline computer:pupil ratios. The Lewisham computer resource audit in the Spring term 2001, identified 31 schools in this category. These schools received additional funds to purchase laptops, for teachers identified by the Headteacher, to develop the use of on-line learning and in particular, the concept of a 'virtual classroom. Schools selected and agreed to be involved were:

Primary: All Saints, Ashmead, Baring, Brindishe, Brockley, Chelwood Nursery, Deptford Park, Eliot Bank, Good Shepherd, John Stainer, Lee Manor, Marvels Lane, Perrymount, Sir Francis Drake, Stillness Juniors, St Augustine's, St James Hatcham, St John the Baptist, St Joseph's RC, St Mary Magdalen, St Stephen's CE, St Winifred's Juniors, Turnham.

Secondary: Crofton, Deptford Green, Malory, Northbrook, St Joseph's Academy, Sydenham

Special: Pendragon

A conference was held for teachers in March 2002, at which teachers shared ideas and met with experts in on-line learning. Teachers are developing a range of projects, supported by the Lewisham ICT Advisory team. The Virtual Classroom Projects will be written up and shared with all Lewisham teachers, via the 4th volume of the Lewisham ICT curriculum publication 'Ideas for Integrating ICT ... ' which was published in Autumn 2003.

An example of one project is the Virtual Science Department which provides KS3 science teachers with an environment to share resources, access to commercial content, and a place to publish their own material. This project is being developed in partnership with London Grid for Learning.

One of the experts who has shared her expertise with Lewisham colleagues is Carol Webb from Cornwallis School. Carol's 'virtual classroom' can be viewed on: http://www.cornwallis.kent.sch.uk. (NB Carol left Cornwallis in 2006, so the site may no longer reflect her work.)

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[Current and more recent projects]

Last update: 29th May 2008

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