It is worth remembering that in the vast majority of schools, the firewall is managed by the Local Authority, not the school. Whilst some innovation is certainly stifled in a school because of "endless firewall issues" - these issues have come from the LA, and are certainly just as annoying to the IT professionals within the school, as they are to the teachers. Since BSF puts more control with the LA/RBC hand-in-hand with P4S, the list of "no can do" will vastly increase, not decrease.

As you're someone working as part of BSF, you should be well aware that there won't be a "professional IT workforce in schools". Unfortunately, you have continued the path of those involved with BSF - simply ridiculing those IT professionals within school, and trying to use a very small minority of schools, as the basis for BSF's wide-ranging degradation - instead of actually tapping into the vast knowledge of educational technologists within schools, to ensure the BSF delivers a flexible, time-relevant, appropriate, services to our younger generation.

There are major holes in the BSF solution - and far from addressing those issues, and having a reasoned debate - P4S simply continues to stick their heads in the sand.

I find it shameful that a person in this position would apportion blame to technical staff in schools but fail to mention the years of poor leadership and direction from Local Authorities when it comes to strategic leadership of ICT.

Surely if Local Authorities were engaging with schools (as some are) and helping schools move forward to sustainable models of IT which has significant impact on T&L, Leadership and Management, and achievement & attainment in schools comments like this would not be able to be made?

We should try supporting our technical staff in schools, after all, these are likely to be the same people providing the support in the schools anyway, just under a different company name and having to respond based on company and contractual protocol rather than the directives of the senior leaders in the school

Dear John..

If you think your in-house ICT Support Staff are tough wait untill you have to deal with a massive managed Service company...

You'll be locked down so tight that you won't even be able to change the time..

You will never be able to ask the ICT Staff to "quicly" load a CD as you will have to request and pay for any change to the network under the BSF....

RemePlease remember under the BSF the Teachers become the first line of support andn the teachers have to try and solve the IT problem themselves before an ICT Tech is called out....

So enjoy your last days of having an ICT Technician at your beck and call...

because under your New World Order of BSF you will be the one stressing with the help desk... lol

John Jones simply has no idea and his comments should be treated with contempt. The reason why diligent school ICT staff have to think about issues like security and compatibility is because they are both responsible and accountable for the network. If we simply act like robots and do as we are told do you imagine that the staff who asked us to carry out the task will take responsibility for its failure? Of course not. They'll point the finger of blame in our direction. Many schools now have very good ICT staff because we now have large and complex networks. With the abuse we receive from people who know nothing, we should expect better from those who profess to know it all.

As a firewall and web content filter vendor, we rarely find that IT staff can't enable things that teaching require.

It is, however, not uncommon for some poor beleaguered tech to be asked to do something "right now" - and usually, what's specified is fairly vague. The problem is not technology, per se, or those in charge of it, it is a problem of communication and respect.

Tom

It seems that BSF by some is perceived as a great invation for schools, John Jones need to get out into schools and see the excellent work that IT staff provide. I manage a team of six who are employed by the school to provide support exceeding the standards set out by BECTA and private companies. This high standard will be erroded and the best practice we employ will go to be replace with private companies where share holders will be more important than the students.