The following initiatives all require schools to have an up to date record of their ICT and software; a task impossible to manage from a file or spreadsheet.

Financial Management Standard in Schools (FMSiS)

FMSiS, an initiative released by the DCSF in 2006, is intended to help schools to evaluate the quality of their financial management. It was also designed to aid the training of teaching staff to become better financial managers.

The standards state that school assets must be recorded in an inventory or asset register. It states that head teachers must regularly check and record all items of school property, their location and that the insurance cover is appropriate.

Parago has been highly commended during FMSiS visits to schools Read more… West Sussex case study.

Computers for Pupils (CfP)

CfP, an initiative launched by Becta in 2006, is aimed at improving the education and life skills for disadvantaged secondary children by providing them with a computer in their own home.

As a mandatory requirement, Becta stated that all devices are to be recorded and held in an asset management database.

Parago monitors PCs via the internet informing the administrator when there are changes to the hardware specification or added/deleted software.

Click here… to read how Parago tracks computers out of school, via the internet.

Building Schools for the Future (BSF)

BSF, the biggest single government investment in education, was launched by the DCSF to rebuild or renew every secondary school in England over a 10-15 year period.

A mandatory requirement of the initiative is that all Local Education Partners (LEP) must track all ICT and non-ICT assets and their location within schools. Partnerships for Schools (PfS), the non-departmental public body set up to deliver BSF, suggests that payment mechanism Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) indicates that all moves and changes of school assets should be logged within five days on the asset register. PfS has also requested that an annual asset register should also be available.

Authorities such as Westminster, Tower Hamlets and Birmingham are deploying Parago across their secondary schools to collate accurate data on their ICT estate.

ICT Mark

The ICT Mark accreditation scheme recognises UK schools that have achieved a good standard in the use of technology. It recognises whole school improvement and allows parents to see that the school is using technology effectively. The certification also recognises a school’s commitment to self-review and evaluation.

Further information about the ICT Mark can be found at: http://www.becta.org.uk/schools/ictmark

Framework for ICT Technical Support

In 2003 the Framework for ICT Technical Support (FITS) was launched as an advisory service to improve the quality of technical support provision in schools. Schools can ensure effective technology, control the use of their ICT, save money and time, and most importantly support learning and teaching. Well managed ICT processes improve ICT service availability within a school, which means that the staff and pupils can rely on their ICT to work when they need it.

More information can be found at www.becta.org.uk