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18-643: It was originally developed by Becta and has now been transferred fully to Naace , who continue to provide support for the Self-review Framework and the related ICT Mark. The Self-review Framework was the result of collaboration between Becta , Ofsted , the Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency , the Training and Development Agency (TDA) , the National College for School Leadership (NCSL) ,

36-528: A linked budget of earmarked funds to be spent on schools' internet connections and ICT. Becta awarded certain vendors placement on approved "purchasing frameworks": The frameworks are awarded in accordance with EU procurement legislation... against a range of criteria based around quality of provision and service, and against the extent to which they meet the requirements of the functional and technical specifications – specifications that have been developed in conjunction with all stakeholders, including members of

54-559: A national digital infrastructure and resources strategy leading to greater national coherence." The National Grid for Learning (NGfL) was managed by Becta and was set up as a gateway to educational resources to support schools and colleges across the UK. The NGfL portal was launched in November 1998, as one of several new programmes initiated by the new Labour government which took office in May 1997 and had

72-694: The Internet . It provided a curated collection of links to resources and materials of high quality. The NGfL was established to support schools in England, while separate grids were created for schools in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. The NGfL portal was launched in November 1998 as part of the DfES National Grid for Learning strategy. This programme aimed to enhance the use of information and communications technology (ICT) by learners and educators in

90-457: The national education network (NEN), utilizing the JANET network to provide a single, secure private network available to provide shared resources amongst all UK schools. In 2019, London Grid for Learning bought the "National Grid for Learning" trademark as part of its plan to expand broadband connectivity for schools and public authorities. The Guardian : A gigantic online swapshop describes

108-572: The "over-comfortable relationship the government has with some of the bigger players." In January 2007, Crispin Weston, who had helped Becta draw up the criteria used to select suppliers, asked the EC Competition Commission to investigate his allegation that a significant number of the successful tenders had failed to implement the mandatory functional requirements, including particular aspects of inter-operability. He also added in his letter to

126-470: The Commission that they should take action on the further issue of: [T]he insistence that many different categories of software within a particular school or Local Authority should all be supplied by a single supplier [which] has serious anti-competitive implications." National Grid for Learning The National Grid for Learning ( NGfL ) was a UK government-funded gateway to educational resources on

144-663: The ICT Mark, the NaaceMark is a nationally recognised quality accreditation that schools can achieve once they reach a certain level of maturity and have completed the commentary sections in the online Self-review Framework tool. The NaaceMark recognises good practice in all areas of the use of technology across the school curriculum and management. The accreditation celebrates the considerable achievement of schools that have developed their use of technology to support learning to represent solid good practice. Originally accredited by Becta , on

162-701: The National Strategies , the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) and Naace , with advice and guidance from a wider range of partners and stakeholders. Following Becta's closure in April 2011, the Self-review Framework was one of the functions transferred into the Department for Education. It continues to be run by Naace, the National Association for all those who wish to advance education through

180-565: The United Kingdom. It was a charity and a company limited by guarantee . The abolition of Becta was announced in the May 2010 post-election spending review . Government funding was discontinued in March 2011. Becta went into liquidation in April 2011. Becta was the lead agency in the United Kingdom for the promotion and integration of information and communications technology (ICT) in education. Becta

198-482: The United Kingdom. It was among several new programmes introduced by the Labour government, which assumed office in May 1997, and had a dedicated budget allocated for schools' internet connections and ICT. The portal was funded and managed by Becta (British Educational Communications and Technology Agency), the government's leading agency for ICT in education. Regional Broadband Consortia (RBCs) were created in 2000 under

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216-600: The auspices of what was at the time the Department for Education and Skills , (DfES) to secure lower prices for broadband connections and services for schools by aggregating demand across a region and entering into region wide contracts. Since then, these consortia have expanded their remit and have taken over some of the original aims of the NGfL. On 13 April 2006, Becta closed the National Grid for Learning portal, stating that it

234-562: The demise of that organisation in 2011, responsibility of the ICT Mark passed to Naace (until 2006, named the National Association of Advisers For Computers in Education). Becta Becta , originally known as the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency , was a non-departmental public body (popularly known as a Quango ) funded by the Department for Education and its predecessor departments, in

252-452: The learning elements support and challenge schools to: Formulated in partnership with the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority , the assessment elements support and challenge schools to: Formulated in partnership with the Training and Development Agency for Schools , the professional development elements support and challenge schools to: Formulated by Becta , the resources element supports and challenges schools to: Formally known as

270-410: The open source community... The purchasing frameworks were criticised as being outdated, and for effectively denying schools the option of benefiting from both free and open source and the value and experience of small and medium ICT companies. Participating companies had to have a net worth of at least £700,000 to qualify and had to satisfy a list of functional requirements. A concern was raised about

288-508: The use of technology. The six parts of the self-review framework give a summary of the school's current ICT capabilities and suggest actions to improve ICT use: Formulated in partnership with the National College for School Leadership , leadership and management elements supports and challenge schools to: Formulated in partnership with the National Strategies , planning elements support and challenge schools to: Formulated by Becta ,

306-510: Was "improving its offer to teachers by rationalising the number of different services it provides for schools and teaching staff". According to the agency, "this is being achieved by integrating valued components of the NGfL into its existing services". The concept of the NGfL lives on, however. The RBCs have worked collaboratively since 2001, and have since been actively joined in their partnership by equivalent organizations in Northern Ireland (C2kNI), Scotland (Glow) and Wales (NGfL Cymru) to form

324-517: Was a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. It was established in 1998 through the reconstitution of the National Council for Educational Technology (NCET), which oversaw the procurement of all ICT equipment and e-learning strategy for schools. Foremost among the 2005–2008 Becta strategic objectives were "to influence strategic direction and development of national education policy to best take advantage of technology" and "to develop

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