The South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) is one of ten Regional Broadband Consortia (RBCs) in England that were set up in 2000 in order to deliver the Government's agenda to provide a broadband infrastructure to all schools. SWGfL work with Local Authorities (LAs), Local Safeguarding and Children's Boards (LSCBs), Children's Services, Strategic Managers, Policy Makers, Suppliers and Educators at both a regional and national level.
As a consortium of 15 LAs, including 2,438 schools, our strategic drivers are informed by those of our constituent members. The National 'Every Child Matters' agenda highlights the need for all organisations working with young people, including schools, hospitals and police, to work closely together to support the five aims and outcomes to:
- Be healthy
- Stay Safe
- Enjoy and achieve
- Make a positive contribution
- Achieve economic well-being
This strategic plan is set in a challenging political
and economic climate for Local Authorities and
schools. It will therefore be imperative for SWGfL
to be able to demonstrate quality, choice, flexibility
and value for money in everything that it does.
Building on the success of the past three years, SWGfL is entering an exciting and challenging phase of development and will need to constantly review how things are done, its structures, processes and systems from top to bottom to ensure we remain adaptable, flexible and develop our capabilities with the ambition of delivering high quality services at an affordable price.
As a technology service provider and developer it is
recognised that technology brings with it the potential
for change and that this needs to be carried out in
the context of government initiatives such as:
- Harnessing Technology
- Building Schools for the Future
- Transformational Learning
- The new primary curriculum
- Parental engagement and reporting
- Interoperability
- The 14 - 19 Agenda
- Local Safeguarding and Children's Boards
- Working together to Safeguard Children 2006
- Safe to Learn
Underpinning the delivery of products and services aligned to these themes will be the need for a resilient and high quality broadband network and an emphasis on
E-Safety. This focus on ensuring children and young people remain safe will continue to be a major priority for the Trust over the period of the plan. SWGfL will provide the strategic input together with the operational support and technological solutions.