Thread by @abid_patel

Attended a webinar with @educationgovuk hosted by @TheANME yesterday about the Digital & Tech & Cyber Security standards: bit.ly/dfedigitech

The webinar raised far more questions than answers & seriously lacked an understanding of what is happening front line. A thread...

Whilst the standards are a good guidance for schools to start from, the reality is that a lot of the recommendations are a blue sky dream for schools. Investment in IT (both personnel & kit) has been so poor, the reality almost requires us to go back to the drawing board.

The biggest question that schools & IT staff are asking is where is the funding coming from to help schools meet these standards? An example given was for schools to have WiFi 6 across the organisation. Most users don't even have WiFi 6 in the home, let alone in school!

Some schools have spent tens of thousands of pounds to implement WiFi 5 technology at a barely affordable cost. How do schools justify, let alone afford to invest in newer more expensive systems when budgets are at the worst they have ever been?

The responsibilities & requirements placed on IT staff in schools, some usually a "1 man band" are growing at rate far greater than what IT personnel can manage to keep up with. 1000s are leaving the sector as remuneration is not only not keeping up, but getting worse.

The lack of funding for IT hasn't been caused by the cost of living crisis. The crisis has only made matters worse than what it already was! For too long, schools have had to shelve IT refresh & improvement projects in order to meet deficits elsewhere. Let alone IT staffing cuts!

So many schools don't realise the impact that a cyber attack or loss of IT service could have on school operations. IT systems are so heavily ingrained in schools. I feel that the DfE need to do much more to highlight this risk & the necessary investment needed to mitigate it.

Just like KCSiE these standards need to be a requirement of what schools need to do. Unlike KCSiE there needs to be ring fenced funded support for schools to successfully implement these standards! Only then will IT systems and EdTech use in schools be relevant and safe!

Schools need support & guidance with #EdTech post covid. £Millions in tax payers cash spent on tech, yet tens of thousands in devices, sat in storage or not fit for use. What support is there for schools to refresh or even recycle these devices?!

Programmes like @EdtechDemo were not just a covid mandate. Post covid we are more digital than ever! It's everywhere in our lives. If anything #EdTech support for schools needed to be increased, not terminated! Lack of IT & digital strategy in schools is an operational risk.

We are doing our children a HUGE disservice by not giving them the correct tools & systems in EVERY school to prepare them for rich digital futures. Just like strong safeguarding at every school, digital strategies for school operations & learning are an absolute must in 2022!

There is so much work to do before schools can even consider these standards. There needs to be REAL support NOW. There is a huge community of #EdTech & #Educational experts out there. Listen to us! @RishiSunak @Jeremy_Hunt @GillianKeegan