Remote Access System Maintenance

Purpose: IMPORTANT SERVICE INFORMATION
Audience: All Cambridgeshire Schools with Remote Access to ICT Resources

There will be a service break on Tuesday 22^nd January 2008 to allow our corporate IT department to carry out urgent maintenance work. The Service Break will concentrate on work to the authentication system. Works will start at 08:00; although there is no confirmed completion time, we estimate this to be at approximately 18:00. Full details of services affected are listed below:

Remote Access Services
Any systems accessed using a Keyfob - i.e. out of school access to resources - will be unavailable during this period.

Should you have any queries regarding the availability of services on this date please contact the ICT Service Helpline on 0845 450 973.

Internet Safety Guidance

Purpose: Important Updates
Audience: Heads and Staff in all Cambridgeshire Schools

Two internet safety publications have been updated and can be downloaded from the portal.

Guidance to educational establishments on Child Protection and the use of the Internet (id 2143) is jointly produced by the Education Child Protection Service and the ICT Service. It also includes links and references to the major e-safety websites and to recommended resources for teaching programmes, professional development and work with parents.

Internet Safety - a checklist for school managers (id 2905) provides a concise list of key internet safety issues and has proved helpful to school leaders and governors in the past.

Internet Safety is a critical issue for schools and printed copies of the documents have been sent out to all schools via the courier bag. You should receive copies week beginning 14th January.

The Portal Events section also has information about assembly materials for European Safer Internet Day in February 2008 (id 3807).

SIMS Minimum hardware specification

Purpose: Information for planning ICT resources

Audience: Head Teacher, school bursar, finance secretary, ICT/network manager

Capita Children's Services have recently released an updated version of their minimum specification for workstations and servers running SIMS. This is published on the portal in resource ID 976. Schools on Central Hosting need not concern themselves with this as they can run SIMS on any computer with a web browser and internet connection.

Should you have any queries please contact the ICT Service Helpline on 0845 450 973.

Curriculum Newsletter for Primary, Special & Nursery Schools

Purpose: Information about the latest issue

Audience: Headteacher and ICT Coordinator

The January 2008 issue of the Curriculum Team Newsletter has been distributed to ICT coordinators.

Please use this link to download: January 2008

HelpLines Newsletter

Purpose: Information about the latest issue

Audience: All appropriate staff in Cambridgeshire schools

The January issue of HelpLines has now been sent out to schools via the courier bag.

You can download an electronic version here: January

Training Opportunities for January and February 2008

Purpose: Spaces available on Training Courses

Audience: Headteacher, Teachers and Administrative Staff in Schools

Course	Date & Time	Venue	Cost
Animation	23^rd Jan- 9.30 - 4pm	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£80
Course Manager	24^th Jan- 9.30 - 12.30	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£50
SIMS Personnel 7	29^th Jan - 9.30 - 12.30	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£50
FMS6 For new users	30 Jan - 9.30 - 3.30	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£80
Foundation ICT - Principles into Practice	30 Jan - 9.30 - 3.30	Homerton Nursery, Cambridge	On application
What are our children doing online?	31^st Jan - 9.30 - 3.30	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£80
Family Fischer Trust - Secondary schools	7^th Feb - 9.30 - 12.00	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£50
Maintaining the Timetable in NovaT6	20^th Feb - 9.30 - 3.30	ICT Service, Godmanchester	£80

Please also note: DATES FOR YOUR DIARY - Spring IMPULSE conferences

Monday, 10/3/08 CPDC 1 - 4pm

Tuesday, 11/3/08 Buckden Millennium Centre 9.30 - 12.30

Wednesday, 12/3/08 The Maltings, Ely 1 - 4 pm

Please note we are unable to accept bookings over the phone. You may call to check course detail and space availability on telephone 01480 376670 or email: ict.courses@cambridgeshire.gov.uk , unfortunately no places can be provisionally booked.

New ICT Service Blog and Helpline Blog

Purpose: Announcing a new communication system

Audience: Heads, subject leaders, and other staff using ICT in Cambridgeshire schools

The information sent to schools in this briefing is now also available through our blog. This means that you do not have to wait for the fortnightly distribution; news items will go online immediately. Other relevant information about ICT will be posted there too.

It is also possible to use the blog to comment on any items and to give us feedback.

There is a link to the blog from our website or you can visit it directly at http://educationictservice.blogspot.com/ If you use a newsreader such as Google Reader, you can subscribe to the blog using the link in the left-hand column; your news reader will automatically highlight new blog items for you. If you would like to learn how to do this, contact the Helpline.

For up to the minute Helpline information, please log onto the new ICT Service Helplines Blog, which can be accessed by searching for Resource id: 3750 from the Education Portal at http://www.ccceducation.net or by using the link below.

ICT Service Helplines Blog - you can subscribe to this blog in exactly the same way.

ICT Service Training Programme - New brochure 2007-08

All schools will have received a copy of the Cambridgeshire Education ICT Service Training Course Programme 07/08, which will give you full details of courses available at Godmanchester and other venues.

It also has a useful pull out calendar, which indicates a quick guide to all courses scheduled with dates available. Please contact Course Admin either by telephone on 01480 376670 or email: ict.courses@cambridgeshire.gov.uk should you require any further copies of the programme.

Cambridgeshire Online Training Search

Cambridgeshire Online Training Search (COTS) is a database of training opportunities provided by the Local Authority. It can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet without the need for a password: go to: COTS to access this service. Its powerful search engine will help you to find suitable courses. Eventually, all providers will be using this database, please check the Providers list for the services currently represented. You will already find the complete listing of courses offered by CAS, CREDS, SLS, Education ICT Service, ISSIS, Cambridgeshire Youth Work and Connexions.