Rotherham Learning Partnership Text Only

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In this section you will find information about how ICT is already supporting learning across Rotherham and what the plans are to make it even better.

Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) can help to give more people access to flexible learning opportunities and add variety to both teaching and learning. By using ICT, learners can also practice the skills they need to get jobs and progress in their careers.

Our job in the Rotherham Learning Partnership ICT Group is to help make sure that Rotherham has good quality ICT available so that more people can gain the benefits for teaching and learning. One of the main ways we can do this is to work jointly with other initiatives so that there is a co-ordinated approach to planning and implementing ICT across Rotherham and so that Rotherham benefits from initiatives that are happening regionally and nationally.

Our role is to help:
Maximise the impact of local, regional and national funded ICT initiatives

Develop partnerships that will foster collaboration between initiatives and bring benefit to Rotherham

Identify the key performance indicators by which those initiatives will be measured and quality assured

Widen access to ICT-supported learning
To widen access to ICT supported learning and therefore to increase participation in learning for the people of Rotherham.

To support the cross cutting role of ICT, both as a means of delivery of new and accessible learning services and also as a basic life skill in its own right.

To work towards a coordinated approach to ICT development with the other strategic spokes of the Rotherham Accredited Local Strategic Partnership, such as Healthcare.

Co-ordinate an ICT Strategy
To help ensure that partners’ ICT Strategies contribute to the key targets of raising achievement and enabling inclusion across the Rotherham area..

To help ensure the co-ordination of partners’ Information and ICT Strategies in terms of priorities and technologies.

To negotiate with partners on specific matters relating to ICT strategies for learning and, where appropriate, to identify recommended action to co-ordinate those strategies.

To liase with other bodies as appropriate and as required by the Rotherham Learning Partnership.

Key facts about the ICT Group:

Our vision
The ICT Group shares a strong vision for the creation of an inclusive and sustainable infrastructure for lifelong learning in Rotherham:

Inclusive in that we aspire that the community can access ICT-based learning ‘anytime and anywhere’, thus benefiting all areas of community action;

Sustainable in that the ongoing costs of physical ICT infrastructure and the capacity to deliver ICT-based learning can be supported through regular mainstream funding and ways of doing business.

This will be based on the underlying principle of ‘learning entitlement for all’, supporting diversity and building aspiration through access to opportunity and progression.

Within the context of the Rotherham Community Strategy and the Rotherham Partnership Strategy, the ICT Group will contribute to the delivery of that vision by working to ensure that resources and funding streams are exploited to achieve the widest possible benefits for learners in Rotherham.

Our members
ICT Group Organisational Membership

Rotherham Partnership
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council
City Learning Centres
Connexions Service
Further Education Sector
Phoenix Enterprises
Private Sector
South Yorkshire E-Learning Programme
South Yorkshire Learning & Skills Council
Voluntary Sector

Rotherham Learning Partnership is also invited to attend.

Our partners
Partnership is vital to achieving our goals. Our strategy is to build on national, regional and local policy and initiatives. We recognise that much good work is already happening and we want to add value to partners’ activities through collaboration. We are also seeking feedback from partners to publicise good practice and to develop a model of continuous improvement.

Local Providers Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council for:
- Schools
- City Learning Centres
- Libraries
Rotherham FE sector colleges
Voluntary & Community sector, including YTP

Linked organisations Connexions
Regional Broadband Foundation
Rotherham Chamber of Commerce
South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme
South Yorkshire Learning & Skills Council
Universities
Yorkshire Forward

How we work
We meet monthly and on an ad hoc basis as required.

The Chair of the Group is drawn from the Learning Partnership Board. The Vice-Chair is drawn from amongst members of the Group.

Delegated issues may be covered by an appropriate working group that reports back to the full meeting

Our work is reported to the Rotherham Learning Partnership and the full Rotherham Partnership via minutes of the meetings and through common membership.

We support the development of applications for funding that facilitate the achievement of the Group’s strategy and that recognise existing good practice.

The ICT Group seeks to work with and be accessible to all relevant organisations from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors.

Priority 1:
To facilitate the building of a learning infrastructure appropriate for social and economic regeneration

Priority 2:
To facilitate the sharing of ICT resources and expertise to benefit learning across Rotherham

Priority 3:
To link access and progression routes through ICT education and training with local and South Yorkshire skill needs.

We believe that by implementing all three priorities we can achieve a sustainable development programme for improving ICT-supported learning in Rotherham.

ICT can play a vital role in workforce development. Our strategy is designed to support FRESA, the Yorkshire & Humber Framework for Regional Education and Skills Action

We have developed our priorities for action by mapping the needs we have identified onto the opportunities presented by major initiatives planned in South Yorkshire from 2003.

We are focusing on leveraging new initiatives in South Yorkshire as catalysts that will bring additional funds to bear in areas critical for our strategy:

The South Yorkshire e-Learning Programme (SYeLP), branded e-sy.info, is funded under Objective 1 and will spend £34.4m from 2003-2006. SYeLP will address issues of aspiration, attainment and employability by upgrading 140 schools, colleges and local delivery points to exploit the potential of ICT based learning across the curriculum. In addition e-learning will be introduced to 370 SMEs.

The South Yorkshire Learning and Skills Council Cluster Skills Programme, notably for the Creative & Digital Industries (CDI) and the Metals Related Industries (MRI) is funded through Objective 1 and Yorkshire Forward and will spend an additional £15m+ on skills development for key clusters from 2003-2005. The emphasis will be on a combination of capacity building (Train the Trainer) and new learning opportunities.

The Government funding announced in March 2003 for widening participation in Higher Education will bring additional funds to enable HE institutions (HEIs) to take on learners from a wider range of backgrounds. Whilst this will principally impact standard entry mechanisms, it is also likely to increase HEI interest in engaging with local communities to provide feeder mechanisms that will help meet their participation targets. The Foundation Degree route will play a key role, facilitating progression from Level 3 to full degree courses in collaboration with local Colleges.

In making the most of these catalyst initiatives, the ICT Group Strategy will also seek to build on the benefits offered by existing programmes that are developing the infrastructure for ICT-based learning, such as the New Library People’s Network and the Regional Broadband Foundation.

Develop the RLP web site
Update learning centre information
Help fill the gaps in ICT infrastructure
Engage with key local and regional ICT initiatives

Priority 2: Resources & Expertise

Set up user groups for technical staff
Facilitate new jobs for technicians
Develop an ICT 'Exchange & Mart'
Signpost ICT support services
Capitalise on funded ICT initiatives

Priority 3: Access & Progression

Map current learning provision
Map progression routes
Develop 14-19 Curriculum
Participate in Cluster Skills initiatives
Form a regional ICT Strategy Group
Publicise success stories

Year 1 Focus
Our primary focus for the year 2003-4 will be on the 14-19 age group in order to transform the impact of learning at the beginning of the route to qualifications, skills and employment.

We believe the 14-19 age group is especially important as we are now educating a generation who have been introduced to ICT-based learning in earlier education as well as having exposure to digital technologies in everyday life. There is a real danger of increasing disaffection if learning at Key Stage 4 and in Further Education does not relate to these experiences.

This 14-19 starting point ensures that the ICT Group is addressing the three Rotherham Community Strategy ‘Priorities For Action’ from day one:
Delivering an excellent start in life for all and sustaining this throughout school
Enhancing the skills and training bases of Rotherham’s workforce.
Maximising participation in lifelong learning.
A focus on the 14-19 age group should make a significant contribution to a range of associated and wider issues such as employability, progression and learning culture, which underpin the whole Rotherham Community Strategy programme.

Our rolling three-year ICT Action Plan will build on this platform from Year 2 to address targets such as Key Stage 3 achievement and adult learning in the community.

Our strategy is to capitalise on a combination of national, regional and local initiatives to develop learning facilities fit for the 21st Century.

Curriculum Online
easy access to a wide range of digital learning materials and a one-stop online catalogue of digital learning resources.