§ Mr. RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the information technology skills of teaching staff. [146660]
§ Mr. Charles ClarkeA range of materials to enable teachers to fully embed ICT in their subject teaching have been developed. Materials covering Key Stage 1 and 2 literacy and numeracy, including Foundation Stage, and Key Stage 3 science were launched in 32 LEA areas last year. These subjects, together with Key Stage 3 English, maths, art, geography, design and technology, ICT and modern foreign languages were formally launched nationally at the BETT2004 Exhibition at Olympia this week. Further subjects will follow later. In addition to the materials, extensive one-to-one mentoring and online peer group support are an integral part of these courses.
The Department has contracted a number of commercial providers to develop these materials and schools are able to buy into them using Standards Fund money.
Training in the effective use of ICT in teaching is a mandatory part of Teacher Training Institute training courses.
§ Andrew RosindellTo ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what measures are in place to promote recruitment of teachers of information and communication technology. [146664]
§ Mr. MilibandFrom September 2000, £6,000 training bursaries have been offered to postgraduate trainee teachers. £4,000 Golden Hellos are also available to those578W who go on to teach priority subjects, including information and communication technology, in a maintained school. Since September 2002, these incentives have been reinforced by the Repayment of Teachers' Loans scheme piloted for three years for new teachers of priority subjects. These incentives have helped to more than double recruitment to courses of initial teacher training in information and communication technology between 1999/2000 and 2003/04.