Becta have release a new framework to help schools recognise and exploit the opportunities provided by ICT in encouraging parents to work in partnership with schools. Download it from the BECTA website here.

The Systems Team (SIMS support) are attending a SIMS LA Software Update Seminar at the De Vere Whites Hotel (Reebok Stadium) in Horwich today.

Not only is this an important training day but it gives us the opportunity to get together as a team - something that rarely happens during the rest of the year!

For your information, please find below the agenda:

09:45 Assessment / Curriculum

• Assessment Update
• Profiles Checking Screen
• Exams Update
• Extended Services
• Alternative Curriculum

10:15 Technical

• Deployment Update
• Technical Update
• Hosting SIMS
• SIF
• Becta Guidance

11:30 Primary Review

• Dinner Money 7
• Primary Assessment

12:00 Partnership Exchange

• Review
• New Features
• FE and Work Based Learning Access

13:30 Statutory / Resources

• FMS
• Personnel 7
• Statutory Returns - Spring 2009

14:15 Core, Attendance and eLearning

• Homepage/Dashboard
• Alerts
• Attendance

15:00 Road Ahead 2009-2010

We”re keen to disseminate what we learn to schools, so please check back here for related posts over the coming weeks. Alternatively, subscribe to the RSS feed.

Hot on the heels of my previous post, Becta have published four additional guides to accompany their Keeping Data Safe, Secure and Legal document.

•  - Impact Levels and Labelling
•  - Data Encryption
•  - Audit Logging and Incident Handling
•  - Secure Remote Access

Click on the links above to access the documents as PDFs or visit Becta’’s Information Security Advice page for other formats.

Ray Fleming (Microsoft UK) has posted a related article on his blog which is worth checking out - click here for details.

Becta have announced that they”ll soon launch a community area for schools to discuss data handling. Rest assured we”ll be joining the debate representing (and hopefully alongside) Bolton schools.

Bolton Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

Becta have updated their Information Security Advice page for schools and have provided a more detailed document (Keeping Data Safe, Secure and Legal) which expands upon previous advice.

This document brings into a school context the key messages from the recent Cabinet Office review entitled Data Handling Procedures in Government, the final report of which was published on 25th June 2008.

The Becta document is essential reading for any member of staff who has responsibility for handling and securing data, especially Network Managers, SIMS System Managers, ICT Coordinators and Head Teachers.

Microsoft UK have passed comment on the Becta document on their Schools Blog - click here for further details.

Ray Fleming, UK Education Industry Manager for Microsoft, is working on a visual representation of what the current understanding is with regard to Information Security. Click here to see more.

Another four Becta documents are set to follow:

• Impact Levels and Labelling
• Data Encryption
• Audit Logging and Incident Handling
• Secure Remote Access

I”ll be sure to bring them to your attention once published.*

*UPDATE 22nd September 2008: The additional guides have now been published. Please Click here for details.

Bolton Council is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.