Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010 Annual Report 2009 - 2010
Achievements, challenges and future plans of the Birmingham eLearning Foundation (BeLF)
Ruth Garner, Ian McCall and Sophie Cho udry December 2010
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
Birmingham eLearning Foundation
Annual Report 2010
Foreword
Since 2001 the Birmingham e-Learning Foundation (BeLF) has worked tirelessly to support pupils in Birmingham’s schools to enhance educational attainment. Our focus has been to facilitate the provision of computers, netbooks and internet access devices. To date some 35,000 pupils have been supported through various programmes that are described more fully within this report.
Our success has not been achieved alone. We have worked with Birmingham City Council, the National e-Learning Foundation, Schools, Pupils and Parents to build a collaborative model where all stakeholders in the education system have been able to work together for the benefit of children in Birmingham. We have been supported by private sector organisations such as Service Birmingham, RM plc., It’s Learning UK, and Steljes Ltd. We are proud that this is an exemplar of the new Government’s Big Society but with a ten year history
The City of Birmingham has the UK’s largest and most successful e-Learning Foundation, which has been achieved through the unique partnership approach outlined above combined with the dedicated professionalism of our small but highly skilled staff.
As we move into a period of austerity we anticipate new challenges but we believe that the strength of our relationship with Birmingham City Council, the Schools and Parents will stand us in good stead. Tough times will magnify the needs of many of the City’s pupils and we must be there to support them.
It has been my privilege to serve as Chair of BeLF from 2002 until 2009 and I wish our new Chair, Ruth Garner, the Trustees and Staff every success in the years to come.
David Wimpress
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
I N D E X
Page
1 Reference, Administrative DETAILS 2010 / 2011 3
2 Structure, Governance & Management 4
3 Objectives & Activities 5
3.1: The Birmingham ELearning Foundation Objectives 5
3.2: Equity Programme: Closing the Digital Divide 6 3.3: Activities in 2010 6 3.4: Schools involved in the BeLF Programme 8
4 Achievements & Performance 9
4.1: Equity Programme 2010 9
4.2: Equity Programme; Achievements to date 10
4.3: What the pupils say 10
5 Future Plans 11
5 Acknowledgements 12
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
1: Reference & Administrative Details 2010 / 2011
Name of the Charity: Birmingham e-Learning Foundation (A Company Registered by Guarantee)
Registered Number: 4291027 (England and Wales)
Incorporation Date: The Company was incorporated on 20 th September 2001
Registered Office: 1st Floor Christ Church, Birmingham Street, Oldbury, B69 4DY
Charity Registration Number: 1089636
Trustees: • David Wimpress, Chair until December 2009 • Ruth Garner, Chair from December 2009 • Eric Clewer, Vice Chair, • Jane Langfield, • Jean Maund • David Brodie • Paul Pearce, Company Secretary
Head of the BeLF: Ian McCall
Administrative Assistant: Sophie Choudry
Accountants: Paul Pearce 11 Manor Avenue Walsall West Midlands WS6 6NS
Auditors: Rodney Pitts, Chartered Accountants, Registered Auditors, 4 Fairways, 1240 Warwick Road, Knowle, Solihull, West Midlands
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
2: Structure, Governance & Management
The Birmingham eLearning Foundation (BeLF) is a Company Limited by Guarantee, without a share capital, and is a Registered Charity. BeLF was incorporated in 2001 (Memorandum and Articles of Association, Companies Act 1985). The Charity is managed by a Board of Trustees. Trustees are nominated by the members of the charitable company and elected at the Annual General Meeting where they have the necessary skill to contribute to the management and development of the Charity. Upon appointment new Trustees are provided with a copy of the charitable company’s Memorandum and Articles of Association, the most recent audited financial statements and copies of the previous year’s minutes of trustee meetings. A Charity secretary is appointed by the Trustees to administer day to day activities.
The BeLF can, by ordinary resolution, appoint an individual who is willing to act as a Trustee to fill a vacancy. No Trustee may be appointed unless:
• He / she is over 18 years of age; • Proposed by a member of the Charity and at such a time that no more than one other serving director is appointed by the same member; • Local Authority Associates can only account for 20% of Board membership;
Meetings are held monthly and a quorum is a third of the Trustees present.
The Trustees have assessed the major risks to which the Charity is exposed, in particular those related to the operations and finances of the Charity, and they are satisfied that systems are in place to manage their exposure to the major risks.
National e-Learning Foundation affiliation
The Birmingham e-Learning Foundation was initially created as part of a group of local e-Learning Foundations, with similar aims and objectives that were affiliated to the national e-Learning Foundation. For this reason many of Birmingham eLearning Foundation procedures follow what is called the National e-Learning Foundation model. This includes the policies on inclusiveness and sustainability, and the way that donations are re-cycled in a tax effective way, benefitting from Gift Aid. The National e-Learning Foundation has promoted this model with the release of Grants which encourage schools to adopt their model.
While many of the local e-Learning Foundations failed to thrive, BeLF has been an exception and has achieved great success. This is due to a combination of hard work, leadership and a huge amount of goodwill and effort shown by all the local stakeholders, especially Birmingham City Council, our schools, and thousands of parents and families in Birmingham.
Through BeLF, all schools in Birmingham are affiliated with the National e-Learning Foundation and Ian McCall, Head of BeLF serves as ‘Schools liaison Manager’ for the Birmingham Schools within the national structure.
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
We have applied the National e-Learning Foundation model with considerable success. However, it is worth noting that two thirds of the schools that we have assisted in Birmingham have succeeded without national grants, relying solely upon local funds and parental contributions.
To date, our Grant Making Policy, has therefore been modelled on the National e-Learning Foundation model. This means that parental contributions are collected and used to buy further devices for the schools, along with any grants that may have been received, within the National e- Learning Foundation sustainability model.
3: Objectives & Activities
3.1: The Birmingham e-Learning Foundation Objectives:
The Objectives of BeLF, as stated in the articles of Memorandum of Association are:
The charitable advancement of education within the community of the City of Birmingham and in particular of those who have social or economic disadvantage or who have disability through the provision and assistance in the provision of information, learning and communication technology (“ILCT”)
To further these objectives within any Connected Learning Community the Charity will seek to promote:
1. The provision of powerful portable or mobile ILCT device for every teacher, student, pupil or other learning enabling universal access to powerful learning tools; Equity of access to innovations in ILCT which facilitates teaching and lifelong learning, irrespective of individual and community financial and social circumstances;
2. Community partnerships and partnerings, which establish and foster relationships between schools, parents and the community that will access and promote best practice in education;
3. Connected learning communities linking schools, homes, individuals, workplaces and government into a collective commitment to lifelong e-learning environments;
4. Support for innovation in and commitment to ILCT based teaching, learning and educational establishments in connected learning communities for the benefit of the communities and those within them;
These will be referred to as the e-Learning Principles of 1:1 access, equity, community partnership, connected learning community and innovation respectively.
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
3.2: Equity Programme: Closing the digital divide
For many Birmingham children and their families having access to a computer at home would be an impossible dream without the BeLF programme.
Since 2002 Be-LF, working in partnership with Birmingham City Council, schools and parents, has helped over 23,000 local children have access to a computer at home to continue their learning. The programme has been a huge success so far and continues to When Kings Heath Boys took touch the lives of more and more children across Birmingham delivery of 115 Asus eeePCs in as the rate at which schools are joining accelerates. March, it brought the total number of devices provided to We see a future in which all schools in Birmingham can offer the school by the equity children the benefits of technology-based teaching and programme to 601. learning, anytime, anywhere. We want each and every child in Birmingham to have access to a computer at home for learning, regardless of their family’s personal circumstances.
Research tells us that a computer at home is an even more valuable learning aid than a computer at school: it often motivates children to do their school work; their work is better presented so their self-esteem grows, and they can explore subjects that interest them in their own time.
3.3: Activities in 2010
3.3.1: Equity Programme: In 2010 BeLF continued to incorporate national grant funding in partnership with Birmingham City Council. The initial funding was available under the Government’s ‘Computers for Pupils’ programme and these funds were used to buy computers for the Student Home Access scheme as part of the wider Birmingham e-Learning Foundation programme. In 2010 BeLF continued the success of this programme by collecting parental contributions, enabling the acquisition of further devices.
Be-LF continued to help schools to access the National e-Learning Foundation’s grants where it was possible to demonstrate a sustainable income from charitable donations made by parents or carers. In some schools additional funding was accessed from their own budgets. National e-Learning Foundation grants and parental contributions provide an incremental, sustainable revenue stream that purchases additional devices.
Making the limited funds stretch to as many children as possible was a challenge. The key to releasing the different funds was in working together to make the programme financially viable and maintaining the Birmingham e-Learning Foundation Charity’s two key principles (the BeLF Model):
1. include all children and their families in the chosen year groups and,
2. the programme can be sustained in future years so that all children in the school and their families continue to benefit.
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
Parental Contributions form part of the funding required for a sustainable programme. They demonstrate the commitment of parents and carers to the programme and help to ensure that the programme will continue for the benefit of pupils in the current and subsequent years.
For those schools in disadvantaged communities a significant amount of the funding will come from grants, other charitable funds and any funding the school can contribute itself, but some of that funding relies on the existence of Parental Contributions.
The Parental Contributions are a charitable donation towards the programme, not a payment towards a computer . To make the scheme affordable to all, the amount of the contribution does not cover the full cost of running the programme. It’s important that everyone participates. If too many parents are unhappy about contributing, it may not be possible to get the programme started in the school. Parents and carers can choose not to participate if they so wish but, once they are clear how the Programme works, they are usually keen to participate. No child will be excluded from the programme because of their financial circumstances so parents and carers are urged to discuss any issues they may have with the school so they can ensure every child is included.
We ask that the Parental Contributions are made using the Government’s Gift Aid scheme. The Equity project has been running since 2002 and has involved providing devices to over 23,000 and involved 45 schools. Schools such as St John’s Wall , Castle Vale, Hodgehill Girls, Handsworth Wood Girls are now in the 3 rd year of the project.
3.3.2: The Universal Home Access programme At our best attended has been a challenge in 2009 / 2010. This was a government scheme Home Access event at to help children on free school meals get a grant to purchase a Washwood Heath on computer and a year’s internet access. Our focus was on making February 23rd we met schools and parents aware of the scheme and helping them to over 100 parents. We access the applications and, ultimately the devices and connectivity. visited two other schools Despite an array of problems that were not addressed by the on the same day. model such as culture, language and child safety we successfully assisted 11,500 children in Birmingham to access the grants.
3.3.3: Safer internet access.
There is a worry from the parents that we meet regarding Three schools; Hillcre st, allowing unrestricted internet access to their children. Some Holyhead, and Bordesley children are restricted from using the internet at all because of Green Girls', are helping us their family’s fear of the internet. So part of our challenge has understand the requirements become to find access to the internet which is as safe as for safe and affordable possible, and that can also be demonstrated as safe to parents. internet access. The answer may be in age-restricted access.
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
BeLF has teamed up with Steljes to provide safer internet access to pupils. Just a few days before the end of summer term the BeLF provided internet dongles to three schools. These schools, which were already involved in the BeLF programme, used parental contribution funds from previous projects to provide internet access to students and their families via dongle modems.
These dongles are different to the usual dongles available from the shops. They offer managed access so pupils cannot access certain sites such as gambling and adult orientated websites. Access depends on age group so parents and teachers have the peace of mind that children are more safely surfing the internet. BeLF has now started to roll out a further 500 dongles to schools.
3.4: The schools involved in the BeLF programme.
Key: Purple = Schools received an Elf Grant Purple Bold = Schools received Elf Grant in 2010
• Aston Manor School • Holyhead School • Bartley Green a Specialist Technology and • Holy Trinity Catholic media Arts College Sports College • The International School and Community • Baverstock School College • Bishop Challoner Catholic School • Kings Heath Boys Mathematics and • Bordesley Green Girls' School Computing College • Bournville School a Business Enterprise • Kings Norton High School College and Sixth Form Centre • Lordswood Boys specialist sports college • Broadway School and sixth form centre • Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology • Moseley School, A Language College College • Park View School • Castle Vale School Performing Arts College • Perry Beeches School • Cockshut Hill Technology College • Queensbridge Visual and Performing Arts • Dame Elizabeth Cadbury Technology College School • Frankley Community High School • Saltley School and Specialist Science College • Four Dwellings High School • Selly Park Technology College for Girls • George Dixon International School and Sixth • Sheldon Heath Community Arts College Form Centre • Shenley Academy • Golden Hillock School: Specialist College for • Small Heath Technology College Sports and the Arts • St Alban's CofE School • Great Barr School • St Edmund Campion Catholic School • Handsworth Wood Girls' a Visual and • St Paul's School for Girls Performing arts specialist college and sixth • St John Wall Catholic School form centre • St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School • The Heartlands Academy • Swanshurst School • Hillcrest School and Sixth Form Centre • Washwood Heath Technology College • Hodge Hill : Sports and Enterprise College • Waverley School • Hodge Hill Girls' School • Yardleys School
Total 45
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
4: Achievements & Performance
4.1: Equity Programme 2010
BeLF has been involved in Universal Home Access programme and its success in Birmingham throughout its lifespan. From our participation in the early taskforces, through to the presentations to over a hundred schools, and the constant individual support to many members of our community. BeLF also worked closely with Birmingham City Council (BCC) and Digital Birmingham in assisting with the myriad of questions and issues raised by the programme.
In 2010, within the Universal Home Access Programme, “This may have shown the best of BeLF made contact with over 340 schools to make BeLF. We had the contacts with the parents aware of the programme and to encourage schools and an understanding and parents with children that were entitled to free school ability to communicate with huge meals to apply for a grant to get a free computer and a numbers of parents. As much as year’s free internet access. Every school in Birmingham possible we also brought equity and was contacted by BeLF to inform them of the scheme fairness to the model. There were and assistance was offered. BeLF had the most contact some real challenges in getting the with primary schools and this gave us the opportunity Programme to work, given the realities to work with those who had not previously been we face in Birmingham. involved in the BeLF projects. Language/culture and communications through the application phase, and a In spite of an array of problems that weren't addressed simple understanding of the by the Government’s Programme such as culture, distribution process through vendors, language and child safety BeLF managed to assist were the key areas where our help was parents to access 11,500 grants. BeLF held events in 46 needed. I am very happy that the schools, talking to parents about the scheme and sheer numbers show that BeLF made a encouraging them to apply for the grant real difference.”
The national Universal Home Access programme is now Ian McCall, Head of BeLF in its final stages. There are still applications being processed for Looked After, and SEN children, but the majority of the awards have been granted.
Bordesley Green Juniors invited parents from other schools to our Home Access event and we were able to help families from a wider area.
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
4.2: Equity Programme; achievements to date.
The programme has now delivered over 23,000 devices to pupils in Birmingham in the past 4 years.
The earlier parts of the programme were ‘pump-primed’ by national ‘Computers for Pupils’ funds, and subsequently assisted by the National e-Learning Foundation grants. While this top-down funding is coming to an end, the Parental Contributions remain strong.
In the absence of external funding, from Sept 2010, the Small Heath is transforming Equity programme continues as a sustainable programme teaching and learning with supported by the re-cycling of the parental contributions. over 550 devices, in conjunction with the Virtual Over the last three years the Equity programme has provided 23,000 devices to school children in Birmingham. Technology Learning Centre. On average throughout the period, each month BeLF received £26,356 in donations from 2922 contributors . It has been recognised that this has been a considerable step in closing the Digital Divide in our City. We are now moving towards a more focused approach. This means that where BeLF previously took an approach that most children in a class would need and receive a device, we are now trying to address a gap, by finding which children are still excluded – for instance the group that just missed out on qualifying for the Universal Home Access grant. We also need to recognise that our model is more reliant on Parental Contributions, and that we may no longer be able to provide devices to some schools unless we have some assurances of a certain level of contribution from that school. The schools form our initial As a consequence of the numbers of devices we have provided test group, like Castle Vale BeLF has identified that there is a growing need for safe and are now into their 4th year of affordable internet access we have therefore provided funds parent-supported for the provision of Dongle connectivity. So our solution for some of our schools has shifted from a device to a device and sustainability. connectivity, or to connectivity only.
Hillcrest School is now into its third full year of sustainability. Its current projects address the 6th form and the new Year 7s.
4.3: What the pupils say
What better evidence of effectiveness than listening to what some of the recipients say!
• ‘I will not have to wait my turn to get on the PC’ • ‘I could take my time with work as I would not have to let my sister use it after me’ • ‘I could do all my homework on the laptop’
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
• ‘The laptop I received was cool. I am able to use my USB stick and bring work backwards and forwards from home and school’ • ‘I am so glad I have my own laptop at home. It makes it easier as I do not have to share with my brother’ • ‘It great, really small and fast and I use it more than I thought I would’ • ‘My homework is now always far neater because I can do it on my laptop’
5: Future Plans
Normally in September, we have a number of new projects starting up within schools as a result of priming by the national eLF grants. While we traditionally had little support or guidance from Becta, funds for the National eLF schemes had been channelled through them. Unfortunately, Grant Round 14 was disappointing as the new Government severely reduced the grant funding for the year. There were limited funds available nationally. We responded to this by re-cycling the parental funds that we continue to collect more quickly than we had previously. So the immediate impact to our schools was minimised.
This was, however, evidence of direction changes from the new Government that we have yet to fully adapt to. Our key challenge, in the medium term, is to understand how we fit and add value in a new landscape and to fully understand and work with initiatives like ‘Big Society’, ‘Pupil Premium’ and ‘Free Schools’. We hope to continue our success within this changing environment.
We have shown that BeLF is an efficient and effective agent for change. We have also shown a leanness and agility in delivering results and benefits that will be increasingly valued. We now need to explore with stakeholders, funders, and especially schools, how and where we will continue to add value.
So while our key risk is the decrease in simple top-down funding, our proven abilities to work with, simplify, stretch and augment complex funding streams are attractive offers to stakeholders and partners who are adapting their approaches in a changing environment.
In the meantime, and certainly through 2011, we have considerable momentum, with many parents making on-going contributions into the existing projects. These will naturally decline without further external investment, but many of them remain robust with funds still being collected from parents for future cohorts. BeLF’s greatest success in the last three years was in establishing and maintaining this funding cycle.
We do have a risk though, caused perversely by the Home Access scheme. Although we tried to influence the way that this scheme was run, it remained resolutely a ‘handout’ not a ‘hand-up’ model. This has actually impacted on our sustainable and sustaining parental revenue streams. The question was occasionally posed; ‘Why should I contribute to a school fund for the benefit of everyone in my school, when I can get mine for nothing?’ We have yet to fully understand the impact of this, which will cause a drop off in our on-going donations. Our ability though to make the ‘hand-up’ model work, does though show our fit within the newer ‘Big Society’ thinking.
Birmingham eLearning Foundation. Annual Report 2009 - 2010
We also need to accept that in tough economic times, our donations from parents will naturally be constrained. It is simply becoming more difficult for families to contribute sums of £5 or £8 per month. And without large numbers of parents making these contributions, we lose the critical mass to launch and maintain the programmes.
Some of the programmes though remain very successful, and this success means that in some of our schools we may even have reached a saturation point causing us to divert some of the momentum and funding towards Primary feeder schools. Much of the funding available in the last few years has been targeted at Secondary schools, and we will continue our endeavours to work with Primaries.
In conclusion, BeLF will continue its efforts, albeit in a changing political landscape, because there is no shortage of children and families that need our help. Our new government, and new stakeholders will bring a new approach to funding and delivery of value, but we will continue to add value in the areas of ICT in education, the digital divide, and the achievement gap between children from low income households and the better off.
As we face an age of austerity, while our funding will be constrained and changed, the need for our services and assistance has never been greater.
6: Acknowledgements
We would like to acknowledge the following people for their significant contribution towards the success of Birmingham eLearning Foundation.
Firstly, a big thank you goes to David Wimpress for all his leadership, guidance and support over the years and his continued support since his retirement as Chairman of the Board in December 2009. Thank you to all the Trustees who give so much time each month to the activities of the Birmingham eLearning Foundation and we are very fortunate to have a very active, experienced and dedicated Board, chaired by Ruth Garner who brings a balance of organisation and compassion. Our thanks also go to Paul Pearce for his services to the Board and to the high quality data/information he regularly provides.
Thank you to all who have worked in partnership with us during the year including Birmingham City Council, the National e-Learning Foundation, Schools, Pupils and Parents and thank you for the support received from the private sector including Service Birmingham, RM plc., It’s Learning UK, and Steljes Ltd.
Finally, our thanks go to Ian McCall who is tireless in his mission to get home / school access to pupils across the City within a safe and equitable model. We also thank Sophie Choudry for her able services to the administration of the Birmingham eLearning Foundation and to Heather Pearce for her work within finances.
Ruth Garner, Ian McCall and Sophie Choudry. Birmingham eLearning Foundation. December 2010