Open Source Schools Steering Group

After the election and looking to the post-Becta future, Open Source Schools has been making new plans to ensure that the community is able to respond to the changing educational landscape where the benefits offered by open source are becoming ever more important.

A number of core community members were invited to a meeting on 29 June 2010 to develop an action plan for the future, and this group will continue to meet virtually or in real space on a regular, monthly basis. The group initially consists of:

Tim Bateson, Network Manager, Houghton Kepier Sports CollegeAlan Bell, CTO, Open Forum EuropeMiles Berry, Senior Lecturer in ICT Education, Roehampton UniversityPaul Haigh, Assistant Head, Notre Dame High SchoolBrian Lockwood, Head of IT, Egglescliffe SchoolAnne Matthews, Director, AlphaPlus Consultancy LtdDavid Willmot, Head of D&T, St Thomas More Language College 

This informal steering group agreed to work together on a voluntary basis and a number of tasks are already in hand.  Over the summer work on the website will be undertaken to develop the navigation to provide tailored content for specific audiences, initially senior leadership and network managers.

The withdrawal of the Harnessing Technology Grant is requiring senior leadership teams to review their IT strategies. within the community there is wide experience of the challenges, successes and benefits of implementing open source solutions as well as information about cost savings. This information will be shared on the website, and will form the basis of a conference for senior leaders planned for early November following the Comprehensive Spending Review. 

Wikis and turnkey solutions for network managers are also being developed.

For its part, AlphaPlus has offered to continue to host the website and to make some funds available to support the work of the community in these early stages. 

The group will also consider the longer term governance of the community and its resources, and welcomes involvement from all members of the community, whose views and character it seeks to represent.