An Introduction to the ICT in Schools Team, South Tyneside
Welcome to the ICT in Schools team website! For those of you new to South Tyneside or our service, and as a welcome back to our long-standing partners, we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves and the work we do.
Our team is dedicated to supporting every primary and secondary school in the borough, ensuring that technology isn’t just an add-on, but a powerful tool that enhances teaching, learning, and student well-being.
Our Journey: From OpenZone to The Word
Many of you will remember our history and our roots at the OpenZone CLC. We are proud of the legacy we built there, helping to establish digital learning at the heart of South Tyneside’s education landscape.
Today, we are thrilled to be based at our state-of-the-art home within The Word, National Centre for the Written Word in South Shields. This fantastic location provides us with a unique environment to explore the intersection of traditional literacy and digital innovation, ensuring our students are prepared for a future where coding truly is a new form of communication.
What We Do
Our services are designed to be a comprehensive package of support, tailored to the specific needs of your school. We work closely with school leaders, teachers, and students to provide:
Curriculum Support: From film-making and podcasting to animation and coding, we provide hands-on support to embed new technologies into the curriculum. We act as a test-bed for innovation, helping schools to realise the full potential of new tools.
Technical Advice: We offer expert guidance to help you navigate the complexities of school IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, and networking, ensuring your systems are robust, secure, and fit for purpose.
E-Safety & Safeguarding: We are committed to helping schools create a safe digital environment. We provide advice, training, and resources to help staff and students understand and manage the challenges of online safety, ensuring compliance with the latest guidance.
Professional Development: We run regular CPD sessions and workshops for teachers and staff, from quick “30-Minute Boosts” to in-depth training on new technologies and teaching methodologies. We aim to build confidence and expertise across all our schools.
Resource Loans: We offer a wide range of loan kits and equipment, helping schools to access expensive technology without the need for large capital expenditure, from robotics to iPads.
Our Vision
Our overarching objective is to improve attainment and enhance the quality of learning and teaching across South Tyneside. We believe that by working together, we can equip our young people with the digital skills and confidence they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.
Whether you’re a headteacher looking for strategic guidance, a teacher seeking curriculum inspiration, or a school staff member needing technical help, the ICT in Schools team is here to support you.
We offer a relaxed, attractive environment for school students and teachers to access the latest developments in technology.
We work with students and teachers on a variety of cross-curricular projects, whether it’s film-making, podcasting, animation or coding. We can support schools in realising the potential of the latest technologies to enhance learning and teaching.
Our objectives are:
- To guarantee an excellent education experience
- To improve access to, and use of, the latest educational technologies
- To increase attainment levels through the use of new technologies
- To improve the quality of learning and teaching
- To act as a test bed for innovation and new ways of working