Infant School Internet Café

My school is a three form entry Infant school in Upminster Essex and we were the first Infant school in the borough to receive the ICT mark in 2006. Each classroom has two computers and a Smartboard. Everything is networked and has Internet access. The computer suite has a further 15 machines and we also have a trolley with 15 laptops.

I took up my present post in 2001 and the school had just set up a computer suite. As the new ICT coordinator I was asked to look for ways to extend the use of the suite outside the school day. We had also been completing a self review with thoughts of applying for the then NAACE mark and one of the criteria involved making use of our facilities to benefit the wider community. I had to think of ways of achieving this without putting undue pressure on resources or other staff.

The idea that I came up with was an Internet Café. At the time, these were appearing in the high streets and many people did not have access to a broadband connection.

The school Internet Café is open one evening a week. Parents must attend with their children (I do try to encourage a 1:1 ratio where possible) for one hour after school. I set up a Visitor account so that our Network is secure and produced a self help laminated card, in child friendly language, to take them through the steps to logging onto the Internet.

In Favourites I have made folders for each year group and put in age appropriate websites. (I have put a selection of the more popular ones at the end of this article.) This is much easier for Infants, as typing a web address is time consuming and puts them off. We try to find sites we don't use in school to make it different but Year Two pupils do follow up on some of their topic work in History.

I am on hand if there are any technical problems or for advice and support and we use our own alert system. There is a laminated square Blu tacked to the corner of each monitor. One side is green and the other side is red. If green is showing it means 'I am OK'. Red means 'I need some assistance'.

The pupils are familiar with this system of coloured squares when using the computers in lessons. This stops them putting up their hand or calling out and problems can be sorted out quickly. Also other children see the red square and will often quietly offer advice.

I find that the parents like this idea too as they don't need to draw attention to themselves if having problems. A red square means I know they want some advice. If it's green I leave them to it.

Before they leave, each pupil signs the visitor book. This is evidence of attendance and they can say what they enjoyed or worked on during the session.

I find the club worthwhile. The children get 1 to 1 computer and safe Internet time with an adult. Parents have the opportunity to discuss computer related topics with me or ask for advice in an informal setting. And an added bonus is that at the end they go home with their parent or carer so no worry about who picks them up!

These are some of the URLs we find useful

http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/funandgames/comeoutside
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/famouspeople/
http://www.naturegrid.org.uk
http://www.titch.net/
http://www.spot.co.uk/
http://www.thebigbus.com
http://www.channel4.com/learning/microsites/H/hoobs/activities/interactiveActivities.jsp?id=jigsaw
http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/4_11/hurley/radio/games.shtml
http://www.storyplace.org/preschool/other.asp
http://www.ictgames.co.uk/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/scienceclips/index_flash.shtml
http://www.magickeys.com/books/index.html
http://www.kented.org.uk/ngfl/games/index.htm
http://www.sebastianswan.org.uk/index.html
http://funschool.com
http://www.undergroundernie.com/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/tweenies/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/numbertime/