An Introduction to the ICT in Schools Team – South Tyneside

Welcome to the ICT in Schools team website!

Whether you are a newly appointed leader joining our borough’s vibrant educational community, or a long-standing partner who has championed our vision for years, we are thrilled to welcome you.

Our team is deeply woven into the fabric of South Tyneside’s education system. For decades, we have been more than just a support service; we have been an integral, trusted partner to the borough’s primary and secondary schools. Our enduring mission is to ensure that technology is never just a classroom add-on, but a transformative force that elevates teaching, accelerates learning, and protects student well-being.

Our Journey: A Legacy of Innovation from OpenZone to The Word

We are immensely proud of our rich history and the deep roots we have planted in South Tyneside. Many of you will remember our foundational years at the OpenZone CLC. It was there that we broke new ground, working hand-in-hand with generations of local teachers to place digital learning firmly at the heart of our community’s educational landscape. The legacy we built together at OpenZone established South Tyneside as a forward-thinking leader in educational technology.

Today, that same pioneering spirit drives us forward from our state-of-the-art home within The Word, National Centre for the Written Word in South Shields.

Being embedded in this iconic, inspirational building allows us to bridge the gap between rich, traditional literacy and cutting-edge digital innovation. In this unique environment, we continue our tradition of excellence—ensuring our students are not just passive consumers of technology, but fluent creators prepared for a future where coding, digital citizenship, and AI literacy are the new forms of global communication.

We are proud of where we come from, inspired by where we are, and entirely dedicated to where we are taking South Tyneside’s and neighbouring borough’s schools next.

What We Do

Our services are designed to be a comprehensive package of support, tailored to the specific needs of your school. We work closely with school leaders, teachers, and students to provide:

Curriculum Support: From film-making and podcasting to animation and coding, we provide hands-on support to embed new technologies into your curriculum. We act as a test-bed for innovation, helping schools to realise the full potential of new tools.

Technical Advice: We offer expert guidance to help you navigate the complexities of school IT infrastructure, including hardware, software, networking and filtering and monitoring, ensuring your systems are robust, secure, and fit for purpose.

E-Safety & Safeguarding: We are committed to helping schools create a safe digital environment. We provide advice, training, and resources to help staff and students and wider stakeholders understand and manage the challenges of online safety, ensuring compliance with the latest guidance.

Professional Development: We run regular CPD sessions and workshops for pupils and staff, and wider stakeholders from quick “Duo Courses” to in-depth training on new technologies and pedagogies. We aim to build confidence and agency across all our schools.

Resource Loans: We offer a wide range of loan kits and equipment, helping schools to access expensive technology without the need for large capital expenditure, from robotics to iPads.

Our Vision

Empowering Classrooms, Securing Futures: Welcome to the ICT in Schools Team

In a rapidly shifting digital world, technology is no longer just a tool in the classroom it is the foundation of modern learning. Our overarching objective is to close attainment gaps, spark innovation, and elevate the quality of teaching and learning across South Tyneside. We are dedicated to equipping our young people with the digital fluency, resilience, and confidence they need to thrive in a tech-driven future.

True digital transformation requires a robust, secure environment. That is why we anchor everything we do in the DfE’s Core Digital Standards and the latest Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidelines. From secure cloud computing to rigorous filtering, monitoring, and AI governance, we ensure your school’s digital estate is as safe as it is innovative.

Whether you are a headteacher navigating long-term digital strategy and compliance, a teacher looking to supercharge your curriculum with emerging technologies, or a staff member requiring agile technical support, the ICT in Schools team is your dedicated partner.

Innovation Meets Collaboration

Step into our modern, tech-forward learning hub designed to give both students and educators hands-on experience with the future of education. We collaborate directly with your school on dynamic, cross-curricular projects—from immersive film-making and podcasting to animation, coding, and the responsible adoption of AI. Together, we unlock the full potential of educational technology to captivate minds and streamline educator workloads.

Our Strategic Objectives

• Deliver an Excellent Educational Experience: We help you build a culture where technology seamlessly enhances inclusion, engagement, and student outcomes.

• Achieve and Maintain DfE Digital Standards: We guide your school through the core benchmarks for broadband, wireless infrastructure, network switching, and cloud solutions.

• Guarantee Robust Digital Safeguarding: We provide expert support to meet statutory filtering, monitoring, and cyber security requirements, creating a safe, resilient online environment for your entire school community.

• Drive Attainment and Teaching Excellence: We integrate high-impact educational technologies that elevate learning standards and reduce staff administrative burdens.

• Act as South Tyneside’s Testbed for Innovation: We trial, evaluate, and pioneer new ways of working, ensuring our schools are always one step ahead of the digital curve.

 

Our overarching objective is to improve attainment and enhance the quality of learning and teaching across South Tyneside. We believe that by working together, we can equip our young people with the digital skills and confidence they need to succeed in an ever-changing world.

Whether you’re a headteacher looking for strategic guidance, a teacher seeking curriculum inspiration, or a school staff member needing technical help, the ICT in Schools team is here to support you.