Start by thinking about your ICT strategy and what you want to achieve within your school - your aspirations for teaching and learning.
When you have a clear picture of this, identify how staff will use the technology. Agree your priorities.
Visit the FITS website, where you will find:
- technical support templates that you can adapt to suit your needs
- guidance on important issues, such as e-safety
- an online community of support
- links to information that will help you get the best value for money
- information on workshops and training sessions.
If you are new to FITS, are a primary school or a school that uses an external provider for you ICT support services, begin with the FITS 'getting started' module.
Strong and committed senior management support is vital to implementing FITS successfully. Schools that get the most benefit from FITS have a representative on the senior leadership team, who is proactive in implementing the guidelines.
Give yourselves time: To be successful, it takes an initial investment of time and effort. Most FITS schools are prepared to do this so that they can deliver longer-term improvements.
The guidance isn't prescriptive, so you can adapt it to meet your own needs.
FITS has a register of approved trainers that can take your school's support staff through the guidance material. FITS also runs regular training courses that are delivered by accredited trainers in various locations around the UK.
www.thefitsfoundation.org