Curriculum

Where does ICT and e-safety sit in the curriculum?

In a world that is increasingly dependent on technologies, it's crucial that young people develop ICT skills at school that they can take into further education, the workplace and their personal lives.

Not only that, but new technologies can enhance your teaching, helping you to engage and excite your pupils.

ICT is a standalone element of the secondary curriculum and e-safety and anti-bullying messages fit well in Citizenship and PSHE, for example. And from September 2011, online safety will be a compulsory part of the curriculum from age 5.

You can also use new technologies in other subjects - from using text chat in foreign language lessons to teaching graphic design on a computer in art classes; from working with interactive whiteboards in English lessons to creating a class blog with your geography students.

Where can I find out more?

• Talk to your subject head, head of year and e-safety co-ordinator about the way ICT and e-safety can be embedded in your subject area.
• Becta offers guidance on teaching e-safety at Key Stage 1 and 2 and at Key Stage 3 and 4.
• You can also find inspiration about how to integrate ICT and e-safety messages into other lessons on the Becta website, including examples from schools that are demonstrating excellent use of ICT in the Becta ICT Excellence Awards section. 
• Childnet focuses on the curriculum areas of ICT, Citizenship and PSHE and produced a 'Think before you post' activity pack for teachers in support of Safer Internet Day 2010.
• Teachers.TV offers a range of videos about schools that are integrating new technologies in the classroom, as well as articles on topics such as 'Using Twitter in and out of the classroom'
• European Schoolnet and the Interactive Software Federation of Europe have produced a handbook for teachers about Digital Games in Schools. 
• Futurelab's 'Digital literacy across the curriculum' handbook is aimed at school employees who are interested in the use of technology in the classroom.