B
USINESS
P
LAN
2012 – 2013
Contents
Introduction
3
Organisation
7
Strategic Drivers
9
Business Highlights 2010/11
Key Business Activities 2011/12
10
10
Risk Management
12
Key Performance Targets –
Balanced Scorecard
12
Resource Management
15
Introduction
The mission of C2k is to provide, for Northern Ireland’s schools, a world class Learning Technology service and optimise its use throughout the Community.
In pursuance of the vision set out in the Mission Statement, C2k aims to achieve excellence in service delivery by:
Providing a consistently high quality service to meet customer needs;
Working with education stakeholders across the Education Support Services to secure the effective uptake and use of the service;
Achieving a high level of customer satisfaction;
Successfully managing relationships with external providers;
Developing excellent public relationships;
Developing the ability to manage change effectively;
Securing resources to deliver the service;
Achieving best value for money; and
Delivering the service within budget and on time.
So that these objectives can be achieved, C2k is committed to a programme of staff and organisational development and has recently achieved re-accreditation within the Investor in People programme.
To this end the Project works with staff to:
Develop a culture of creativity, innovation and teamwork;
Effectively invest in staff for career development and business performance;
Support staff in transitioning into ESA; and
Motivate and empower staff to deliver an effective service to schools.
Rationale
C2k is a regional Project, funded by the Department of Education through the Western
Education and Library Board (WELB), whose purpose it is to deliver to schools a high quality, sustainable ICT infrastructure, connectivity and resources in support of school management, teacher professional development and their delivery of the Northern Ireland curriculum.
Grant-aided schools receive a core entitlement, based on pupil numbers, including:
65,000+ networked computers and printers;
connection of the schools’ computers, via a managed local network, to secure central services with access to email and the Internet;
full integration of a broad range of school-provided kit;
access to a wide range of content and services to support the Northern Ireland Curriculum and the professional development of teachers;
connection of schools' networks into a single Education Network across Northern Ireland, with a wide range of tools to facilitate the development of on-line teaching and learning; and
full service support co-ordinated through a central help desk.
C2k works with a wide range of partners from both private and public sectors to deliver an integrated and supported service, installed, maintained and upgraded by specialist providers.
C2k-Delivered Services
The C2k service is delivered through a mixed model of private sector and public sector
resourcing. Most of the provision is through the private sector managed service and associated contracts as referred to below.
In broad terms C2k as an organisation fulfils two main roles within the service delivery model: 1. The role which is referred to in Public Private Partnership contracts as the ‘Intelligent
Customer Function’ and covers areas such as contracts and service implementation management, service needs appraisal, technical specification of requirements and quality assurance of solutions. The primary remit for this aspect of the C2k service is the
delivery of continuous service improvement that takes account of technology change throughout the lifetime of the managed service contracts.
2. A more direct school support role particularly around system management and administration, functionality of desktop and curricular toolsets and in relation to management information business processes. Staff in the Service Delivery and Implementation Teams provide this through a broad training and support programme, with their primary responsibility being to fully realise the benefits of the investment made in the C2k service.
This service delivery model reflects the optimum mix of private and public for the current contracts, on the basis of availability of specialist expertise and skill sets, balance of management and deliverability risk and value for money.
Private Sector Partners
From 1 April 2012 the full range of Local Area Networking, Wide Area Networking,
Connectivity and Management Information services for schools is being provided through a five year, managed-service contract with Northgate Managed Services. Europe’s first Education Cloud environment provides schools with secure access to digital resources online, 24 x 7 from a wide range of devices. As part of this service Eircom will deliver superfast connectivity to the Education Cloud, providing schools with up to 200Mb of bandwidth. Altogether this new provision has been designed to create a dynamic, future proofed, flexible service that will deliver increased access to a rich pool of learning resources. It will support collaboration between schools and will help develop skills which will equip learners for the future.
Further, a contract is held by HP to provide a data warehouse service (eSchools) which extracts schools data, primarily from the schools’ MIS, collating the information into a central database. Standard reports are available to schools and advanced analysis tools provide business
intelligence information to other stakeholders including DE and the ELBs.
Key elements of the C2k service
Quality of Service - Contract management arrangements are in place to ensure
continuity of service to all users and an annual survey, linked to the contract payment mechanism, monitors the quality of service experienced by schools. The C2k network and the services which run over it are widely acclaimed as one of the most successful, regionally delivered, educational shared services anywhere in the world.
Safety and Safeguarding - Keeping children, young people and teachers safe, when
working online, is a top priority for all concerned. The World Wide Web can be celebrated as the largest accessible store of information anywhere, but its design as an open system makes it simultaneously wonderful and potentially dangerous. C2k has an impressive track record of providing safely filtered Internet access for schools and in supporting fully informed practice, as part of a service platform common to all schools and with built in protective solutions and measures. However sophisticated a filtering system may be, e-safety in schools must always be supported by clear policies and good practice. Comprehensive safety support and materials for schools are provided by C2k and the Department.
Similarly security of personal information is of critical concern. C2k, and its subsidiary eSchools Project, provide industry standard levels of protection to all data held and transferred within the system. Identity management, intruder detection, electronic data interchange and data encryption are deployed consistently across the C2k network, including the Managed Service laptops provided for use by teachers.
A comprehensive suite of management software - The C2k service provides a
consistent and comprehensive suite of software to support the management and administration of all key business activities undertaken in schools. These systems support management activity from the classroom to the boardroom and feed the eSchools Data Warehouse with extensive primary information that can be used to support the corporate systems within the Boards. They also provide the Annual Census data to the Department and are now a flexible source of Business Intelligence for all managers across the education service.
A flexible online learning environment - All Northern Ireland’s schools have access to
a secure, web-based learning environment that offers a valuable range of facilities for teachers. It supports a variety of pedagogical models, allowing teachers to blend diverse learning components to a range of learning styles and facilitates collaborative learning within and between schools. It personalises the learning experience for pupils and, being accessible from within and beyond school, it acts as a foundation for the bridge between home and school. In addition this facility provides schools with the opportunity to develop an online curriculum resource pack ready for use during extreme weather conditions or a pandemic. During the current year this service will be transitioned to the
Industry strength email - The email services for staff and pupils are high specification,
secure services using Microsoft software. They are delivered free to schools for all staff and pupils as part of the C2k suite of services. The services extend to include web versions of the Microsoft products that can be accessed remotely.
Premium content for teaching and learning - All schools, through their connection to
the C2k service, have access to a unique array of licensed premium content. In support of the new curriculum, through a process of regional licensing, C2k has put in place for schools some of the best online digital learning resources available at a fraction of the cost which schools would pay if buying them as individual school licences. Schools can further expand this provision through local licensing arrangements.
Video on Demand and Video Conferencing - Video on Demand is C2k’s own
“YouTube”, a managed area where schools can upload and play video, inserting their own video clips into the learning platform or other locations.
The C2k video conferencing service provides all schools with a “Virtual Classroom” that can extend the learning experience to any location beyond the school. Shared lessons between schools can be delivered, pupils can “attend” events in the Louvre, NASA or anywhere else around the world or they can engage in debate with politicians and personalities. Children, unable to attend school for any reason, can still share in the classroom experiences of their peers and the video conferencing facility also offers a cost effective vehicle for the delivery of professional development and support to teachers, without the need to travel.
Infrastructure provision - Every school receives an allocation of workstations and
laptops, based on pupil enrolments, that is connected into a distributed local area network. The range of this network is extended into all teaching spaces using cabled and wireless connections, as appropriate, meaning that every pupil in school today has local and immediate access to the full range of digital resources needed to support their learning. Within the new contract the wireless element of the network has been
enhanced to support the connection of a wide range of access devices, allowing schools to plan to move towards one to one access if required.
All of the services listed above are reliant upon the economies of scale secured by C2k through its managed service contracts. This new C2k Education Network has been designed to react to the changing nature of technology and, at the same time, meet the specific educational
requirements of Northern Ireland’s schools. It will place Northern Ireland in the vanguard with those other nations who recognise the valuable contribution that digital technologies can make to promoting an attractive and relevant learning experience for all young people that helps develop, in them, appropriate skills for a rapidly changing world. This investment in digital technologies for our schools will clearly support the development of our economy and, potentially, attract investment from major international companies into the region.
Education is a global growth industry. Using the Education Network entrepreneurial schools will be able to become providers of educational services beyond their own physical boundaries and local constituencies, potentially allowing Northern Ireland to become a net exporter of educational services.
Organisation
C2k is governed by a Project Board representative of the key educational stakeholders. The Board is chaired by the Chief Executive of the Western Education and Library Board, who acts as Accounting Officer for the Project. Membership consists of Senior Officers from the
Education and Library Boards, the Department of Education, ESAIT, CCEA, CCMS, GTCNI and schools. The Board is responsible for:
realising the benefits of the investment in the C2k service through its ownership of the overall strategic direction and conduct of the project;
monitoring progress, timescales and costs;
reporting to the Department of Education as required;
reviewing identified resource requirements at various stages of the Project and making recommendations as appropriate;
providing the C2k Director with advice and guidance on policy implications, both known and emergent, and directing the procurement strategy to support the stated aims and objectives;
recommending the tolerance levels within which the Director will operate; and
ensuring that the Project objectives and deliverables are achieved to specification. To fulfil its remit, C2k operates across two main divisions:
School Services- which provides support for the implementation and uptake of the solution; and
Managed Services- the intelligent customer and contract management functions that ensure on-going quality of service.
Within each division a number of business units operate, each led by a senior manager. The Management Board of the Project is comprised of these senior managers, along with the Project Director, and takes responsibility for the day to day delivery of all aspects of the C2k service. The Organisational Structure is as follows:
Project Board
Project Director
Head of School Services Head of Managed Services
Heading:
the Implementation Team responsible for: Implementation management;
Legacy connection service management; New service delivery;
Catalogue management; and
Communications policy management.
5 Service Delivery Teams responsible for: service delivery to schools;
Training and support for Management Information Systems (MIS);
Training and support for Curriculum management system and learning toolset; and helpdesk services.
the Curriculum Development Team responsible for:
LAN content development; WAN content development;
Learning platform raining programme development;
Stakeholder support and training and User Forum management.
and the MIS Development Team responsible for:
MIS software development; Interface development; Data interchange management; Stakeholder support; and
Training programme development.
Heading:
the Technical Development Team responsible for:
Technical development; Service integration;
System security management; Connectivity management; OS development;
Upgrade planning;
eSchools development; and Strategic partnering.
the Contracts and Finance Teams responsible for: Supplier management; Contracts monitoring; Budgetary control; Audit function; Financial management;
Management of External Advisers and Consultants;
Project administration; and Procurement function.
In 2011-2012 a second round of Voluntary Severance allowed a further 16 members of staff to leave the service. The business case associated with this programme made provision for this refinement of the Management Team.
Also the new support arrangements within the C2k Education Network contract provided for the transfer of 16 Technical Support Officers from C2k to Northgate Managed Services on 1 July 2012.
The staff resources deployed to carry out the C2k work programmes within the teams specified above, for 2012-2013, are detailed in Annex 1.
Strategic Drivers
As a Project managed by the Western Education and Library Board, the Business Plan is
developed to reflect the corporate priorities of the Board and is checked for compliance with the Board’s Business Plan.
The principal strategic drivers of the C2k service are the Department of Education’s Strategic Framework and Business Plan along with key Departmental Policies including the Education Technology Strategy document “emPowering Schools”, the Curriculum Reform programme, and the “Every School a Good School” strategy.
Further, the management and administrative needs of schools, the Boards, CCMS, CCEA and the Department must be addressed through the continued development and support of the existing management information systems.
Also, all major activities of the Project will be aligned to support transition of governance arrangements to a single Authority, if appropriate.
Key priorities and actions, impacting directly on C2k, as set out in the Department’s Strategic Plan for Education include:
1. Valuing Education
1.2 - To create a desire for learning. 2. Fulfilling Potential
2.1 - To provide flexible learning opportunities that meet the varying needs and abilities of all young people.
2.2 - To raise educational attainment in all young people.
2.4 - To foster creativity and provide young people with the knowledge and skills for life, employment and future learning.
3. Promoting Equality and Inclusion
3.1 - To ensure equality of access to educational and youth service provision and to facilitate parental and pupil choice as far as possible.
4. Resourcing Education
4.1 - To secure the necessary funding to deliver high quality education and youth service.
4.2 - To use resources effectively, efficiently and equitably to support and improve learning.
4.3 - To have highly skilled and motivated teachers, youth workers and support staff. These priorities are reflected in the C2k priorities for 2012/13.
In support of the Department’s priority to reduce the bureaucratic burden on schools C2k will continue to develop and support the effective use of the MIS software and will liaise closely with the stakeholder community through the Using Schools’ Information and Data (USID) Group.
Further, to assist teachers, schools leaders and other stakeholders in their effective use of data, the project will continue to develop and deploy Value Added measures and will work closely with the eSchools Project to support the development of meaningful management information and business intelligence.
Business High-lights from 2011/12
The C2k project continues to deliver a high quality of ICT educational services to schools in NI on time and to budget. The major activities and developments completed in the 2011/12 year are summarised in the C2k Annual Report as detailed in Annex 2.
During the year the organisation sought to have its Investors in People Accreditation renewed. Following a re-assessment in the spring re-accreditation was confirmed with the receipt of the assessor’s report on 9 May 2012.
Key Business Activities 2012/13
The major activities of both divisions within C2k, for the current year, will centre on the
successful transition to the new C2k Education Network being delivered by Northgate Managed Services through the EN(ni) contract.
School Services
Implementation of the new services and seamless transition from the existing services, are the core responsibilities of the Service Delivery and Implementation Teams within C2k. These Teams are the prime interface with the user community and employ the majority of staff within the organisation.
Managed Services
The testing and signoff of the C2k Education Network is the responsibility of the Integration and Development Team. During the current year support for the transition to the new service functionality will be a key focus of activity for the Managed Services function. The Team will also take the lead in the continuous improvement of the EN(ni) and eSchools services.
Monitoring and management of the contractual arrangements is also a critical activity to ensure continuity of high quality service from the Prime Contractor. Good supplier management is essential to control expenditure and secure value for money in a rapidly developing service environment. The Contract Management and Financial Teams will take the lead in contract management and budgetary control. During the current year development of a new model of contract monitoring and management will be a top priority.
External drivers
Demands from across the Education Service that will shape the activities of the C2k Divisions throughout 2012/13 will include:
The needs of schools – effectively supporting their curricular, administrative and management functions;
The central departmental policy document “Every School a Good School”;
Mandatory testing as identified within the Revised Curriculum – the new Computer Based Assessment packages within the Primary School;
Statutory Reporting – the Annual Census Return;
Corporate Services, in particular, support for ad-hoc reporting from the eSchools Data Warehouse;
The ET Strategy/emPowering Schools Strategy – renewal of DE advice to schools on e-safety in light of the new C2k EN functionality; and
The DE Strategic Plan.
C2k priorities – The critical activities for the year
The divisions within C2k will carry out their broad responsibilities as detailed above in light of the needs of schools and the broader Education Service and, as necessary, will give priority to:
Securing continuity of service as the existing Managed Services are transitioned to the new C2k Education Network (C2k EN) supplied by Northgate Managed Services; Training and support for schools and stakeholders in their use of the new C2k EN
services;
Implementation and support of the new computer based assessment solutions; Ongoing support, in collaboration with CCEA, for e-moderation and on-line
examinations;
The further development of data to inform and support school improvement; A review and strengthening of the systems in place to ensure security of data and
e-safety in light of the new functionality within the C2k EN; Support for eLearning using the Fronter learning platform;
Support for the implementation phase of the eSchools project through: - Advising schools on the effective use of the service; and
- Securing further development of the reporting functionality within the service; and
A response to the IiP Post-Recognition Report that supports the continuous improvement of C2k’s approach to staff management and development with a focus on:
- Involving staff in the strategic planning process;
- Promoting the competency framework for managers; and
- Developing the key skills needed by staff to meet current and future service requirements.
The high level Implementation Plan for the delivery of the C2k Education Network is detailed in Annex 3.
Risk Management
C2k recognises its responsibility to the Project Board, the WELB, the Department of Education and to its users for the key role it has in the management of risks that might impact on its ability to deliver effective services to schools.
C2k has identified and reviewed areas of significant risk and monitors appropriate actions for their effective management. Both of the managed service contracts have their own Risk Register which is monitored in the context of contract and programme management. In addition, C2k has established a corporate Risk Register and this is regularly reviewed by the Management Board.
The C2k Risk Register and associated risk management plans have been updated to comply fully with WELB revised risk management guidelines and procedures, which themselves are derived from Department of Finance and Personnel guidance.
The C2k Risk register has been developed to align with the WELB Corporate Risk Register and each key risk in the Risk Register is cross referenced to the relevant WELB corporate risk. A copy of the current register is attached as Annex 4.
Key Performance Targets
C2k uses the Balanced Scorecard to set and monitor key performance targets across the organisation.
The Risk Register and Scorecard have been reviewed to ensure compliance with the Corporate Governance and Risk Management requirements of the Western Education and Library Board.
C2k Balanced Scorecard – Key Performance Targets
CUSTOMER
Objectives Measures of Success Targets Actions/Initiatives
To provide a consistently high quality service to meet customer needs
Delivery of Business Plan Actions Service level provision
Customer satisfaction index
Customer service rating
95% up to date
Service Credits: <3% of the unitary charge Help Desk: 60% C2k 2nd line calls fixed <1 day
Overall Satisfaction Index > 80%
Customer complaints to Service Feedback: <20 per month
Course evaluations: >85% good or better
Quarterly review of targets within plan Monitor service
Conduct annual survey
Monitor Monitor
To secure the effective uptake and use of the service
User log-ons
Rating in ETI Surveys
Teacher weekly usage: > 95%
Pupil weekly usage >80% primary and special
>90% post-primary Strengths in use of ICT outweigh
weaknesses in the majority of Inspection Reports
Analyse statistics
Analyse findings
Organisational Learning and Growth
Objectives Measures of Success Targets Actions/Initiatives
To develop the culture of creativity, innovation and teamwork for all staff
Response to suggestions from staff for improvement to service
Number of opportunities for teams / groups to meet for social and / or team building events
100% response within a month
1 team event per year 1 C2k event per year
Monitor and respond to suggestions
Organise event
Organise annual staff day
To effectively invest in staff for career development and business performance
Staff Development Plan 100% up to date Maintain Plan
To motivate and empower colleagues to deliver the service effectively % staff retention % staff attendance
Staff perception of service quality
Staff Review Programme
<10% staff turnover
>95% attendance
>95% consider C2k provides a high quality service
Completion by > 90% staff
Monitor staff turnover
Adopt WELB Attendance Policy Survey as part of WELB Survey
INTERNAL PROCESSES
Objectives Measures of Success Targets Actions/Initiatives
To successfully manage relationships with external providers
Dispute resolution process
Level of agreement re service charges Involvement with partners in strategic planning
<4 occurrences per annum <1% of invoices disputed
Quarterly meeting of Programme Review Group
Monitor service against contracts Monitor service against contracts Maintain programme for strategic partnerships
To develop excellent public relations
Coherent Corporate Identity
Involvement with Stakeholder community in strategic planning
Information to stakeholders fully up to date
4 meetings per year with DE and CCEA
Maintain C2k Website Maintain C2k Exchange
Establish and service strategic groups
To develop the ability to manage change effectively Business Plan Risk Register Use of Intranet
Up-to-date relevant plan
Risks appropriately identified and managed Documentation 100% up to date Review plan Review quarterly Monitor content
FINANCE
Objectives Measures of Success Targets Actions/Initiatives
To secure resources to deliver the service
Essential services delivered to Business Plan
Annual budget adequate to deliver essential services
Production of annual and rolling budget plans
Develop/update Business Plan Develop Business Cases as required
To achieve best value for money
Contract and catalogue pricing
Efficiency savings
Improvement in pricing
Corporate Savings of 20% on last year
Conduct review and benchmarking as appropriate
Manage in-house services
To deliver the service within budget and on time
Actual annual expenditure matches budget
Resource Management
Human Resources
Staffing costs have reduced from £5.1m as of March 2009 to £3.5m in 2012-13 (a 31.4% reduction) and the number of staff has fallen from 135 to 86 through the application of the WELB Voluntary Severance programme and the transfer of 16 Technical Support Officers to Northgate Managed Services under TUPE (representing a 37% reduction on the number at March 2009).
The staff resources required to carry out the C2k work programmes are detailed in Annex 1.
C2k Budget
2012-13 Resource Allocation Plan
The actual C2k allocation figure included in allocation letters to ELBs dated 15th May 2012 indicated a total allocation of £36,434M (£36,310M to WELB and £0.124M to other ELBs).
Allocation £’000s Notes
Managed Service Charges for C2k EN (Northgate MS)
31,286 Monitored by C2k Project Board
eSchools Service Charges (HP) 574 Monitored by e-Schools Project Board Software licensing and
maintenance
351 Accrued and ongoing commitments
Corporate running costs 4,099 Including salaries, supplies and services Allocations to other Boards 124 Running costs of non-WELB C2k
Support Centres
Annexes
Annex 1
Project Resourcing
Annex 2
C2k Annual Report 2011/12
Annex 3
C2k EN Implementation Plan
Annex 1
Annex 2
C2k ANNUAL REPORT 2011-12
C2k is managed by the Western Education and Library Board, on behalf of the five education and library boards, and funded by the Department of Education to help schools in Northern Ireland achieve new standards in teaching and learning through the effective use of Education Technology. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive educational ICT initiatives implemented in the UK and has made a major contribution to the transformation of education in Northern Ireland.
It has successfully provided schools with a comprehensive managed ICT service, which delivers, inter-alia:
a Local Area Network (LAN) in each school, with access to a Northern Ireland Wide Area Network (WAN) through dedicated broadband connections
administration and management systems for schools, connected to the eSchools warehouse
access to a managed learning environment (LearningNI), and, through it, filtered access to the internet and e-mail
a secure videoconferencing service called the Virtual Classroom full service support via the C2k help desk
C2k is delivered through a number of Public Private Partnership contracts which enable services for schools to be procured from specialist ICT providers. The contracts (known as lots) are generally for a 5-year period, with options for extension.
The current contracts are for schools’ equipment and internal networks (Lot 3 for post-primary and special schools, Lot 6 for post-primary schools) and a wide area network (Lot 5) which links all schools and provides them with access to the internet and a virtual learning environment (LearningNI). There is also a contract to provide schools with a management information system known as SIMS.net.
These managed service contracts expired in 2009 and have since been extended until a new contract is procured to renew the Department of Education’s centrally funded educational technology provision. The procurement process for the new contract commenced in the summer of 2010 and was well underway by the end of the financial year. The contract was awarded in March 2012 with the new service provider taking responsibility for the delivery of the new service on 1st April 2012.
The new service will provide a single education network for Northern Ireland and will be called the C2k Education Network for Northern Ireland.
C2k Education Network (ni) will deliver to all grant-aided schools an integrated suite of technologies that will have the potential to engage learners, enhancing achievement and extend learning opportunities across local and global communities. At the heart of C2k Education Network(ni) the personalised learning (My-School) and working environment, for
pupils and teachers, will integrate tools, applications and services across both local area networks in schools and the regional, wide area service and will support the personal and professional learning, teaching and management needs of the schools’ education community in Northern Ireland. Technical, data and content interoperability will be key to ensuring that this solution offers its users the most efficient means of achieving their goals. At the heart of this vision is the requirement for a modular, flexible and standards-based interoperable solution that maximises the possibilities offered by current and emerging technologies.
C2K SERVICE DEVELOPMENTS 2011 – 2012
During the year C2k developed the following enhancements and additions to its service:
Primary Schools
C2k continued with visits to all primary schools to promote best ICT practice and to help schools to maximise the use of their C2k systems.
Post Primary and Special Schools
In response to schools’ requests and curriculum demands additional local area network storage has been installed in post primary schools to provide staff and pupils with extra storage space. The new Storage Area Network (SAN) server has been sized to provide an average of 2 GB for teaching staff users, 1GB for non-teaching staff users, 2 GB for KS4 students and 1 GB for KS3 students.
C2k Exchange
C2k Exchange has evolved from being a support document library for school staff into C2k’s core communications platform.
The use of Alerts, Announcements, Document Centre, My School, Emails for C2k, RSS feeds, Zones for Video conference, Filtering and Internet Safety Zone and the along with Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and feedback links have change how C2k works and interacts with target staff audiences in schools. With granularity, the number of target groups has increased. Audiences for FMS Users, Assessment Co-ordinators, Data Analysts have all been recently added.
Information is communicated to schools and surveys conducted via C2k Exchange on behalf of all C2k’s educational partners and stakeholders, including the Department of Education, CCEA, NI Assembly and Education Library Boards. Using the School Notice Board, schools and partners can submit notices which are of interest to the wide education community. The use of on-line forms reduces the administration burden by providing a simple process to request changes to school roles, enabling schools to make software enquires and to register and search for a video conference partner. The use of forms has facilitated tracking of schools requests and improved response times. Online course evaluation forms have improved the quality of attendees’ feedback which contributes to C2k’s course planning.
The partner site on C2k Exchange continues to enable C2k and its private sector partners to share and contribute to the provision of correct, precise and efficient information during
eLearning
C2k’s current online platform is LearningNI which is a flexible online learning environment developed for teachers and pupils in Northern Ireland schools and educational support organisations. It provides access to a library of digital resources licensed from educational publishers and customised to the revised Northern Ireland Curriculum. It facilitates collaboration through online courses, email, discussions and video conferencing using the Virtual Classroom. As part of the new C2k Education Network managed service, LearningNI will be replaced by Fronter. This new robust online learning platform is being used by students across the world and has a wide range of choice with extra functionality and tools which can be selected as required.
Development and uptake of eLearning has continued following the introduction of wikis, Blogs, SCORM functionality and Flexible Permissions.
The LearningNI accreditation programme continues and to date 337 teachers have achieved the LearningNI User Award, 28 teachers have achieved the LearningNI Leader Award and 11 teachers have achieved the LearningNI Expert Award.
The LearningNI Expert Award was set up in 2010 and was developed by C2k to provide teachers with the skills and knowledge to integrate use of the LearningNI platform across subject areas at a whole-school level. The Expert Award has been developed to link with GTCNI Competencies 14, 20, 24, 11 and 6 to reflect on the process of course preparation, creation and implementation, and it takes about one year to complete.
Video Conferencing
C2k continued to enhance the video conferencing service and its use by schools. C2k has worked with its managed service provider to provide Elluminate as the core product for desktop videoconferencing and collaboration. Without the need for scheduling sessions, all teachers now have access to their very own permanent virtual classroom. Teachers can invite other members of the C2k network, as well as external guests, to participate in a video conferencing session whenever they wish. A specially designed portal page has been developed and can be accessed, via LearningNI, to enable teachers to manage their Virtual Classroom sessions.
In addition C2k has extended the use of the Tandberg video conferencing gateway and recording infrastructure, in its data centre, by providing a MOVI video conferencing license to all schools. Using a web camera and audio devices, MOVI allows a desktop or a laptop within a school to become a high quality video conferencing device. This gives all schools additional opportunity to take part in group sessions scheduled between schools and with external content providers.
Schools continued to use video conferencing to support school work within Northern Ireland and beyond. Among some of the projects utilising this on a regular basis are Comenius, EMU and Dissolving Boundaries projects.
C2k have continued to showcase the potential of video conferencing over the past year. Events have included video conferences in support of CCEA’s Stemworks, the anniversary of the Titanic, the Olympics and Hate Crimes.
InCAS
The requirement for all Primary 4 to 7 pupils to complete InCAS assessments in the autumn term was again facilitated by C2k. The InCAS Assessment Software, as specified by CCEA, was installed on every C2k computer and laptop in all primary, preparatory and MLD special schools prior to September 2011 to enable assessments to be completed and reports prepared for parents throughout the term.
Schools Management Information Systems (SIMS)
Throughout 2011, Service Delivery teams continued to support, by Help Desk, remote support and school visits, the wide range of software provided by C2k for the administration and management of all of Northern Ireland’s schools. The provision of new functionality within the following modules necessitated appropriate training in:
VC – Elluminate online training
SIMS.net - Admissions, Housekeeping and Reporting Assessment – Data input and Analysis (Primary schools)
Assessment - Pupil Tracking and Performance Analysis (Post primary Schools) Further training to accommodate new school staff was provided in:
NovaT Timetabling
FMS (Financial Management System) Personnel
Examinations Reporting to parents
C2k worked closely with CCEA in the continued support of Assessment and Profiles software for annual reporting to parents. Collaboration with, and training of, CASS colleagues continued in 2011 in a number of areas, namely Behaviour Management, Pupil Tracking in Assessment Manager, SEN and Video Conferencing. Support for ETI in the inspection process led to further developments in the method of data transfer which is now more streamlined and in providing school support for Follow-up Inspections. Support for the October Census Return by all schools to the Statistics Branch in DE maintained the year on year improvement in this annual process. An additional Performance Summary report was required in September 2011 from all post primary schools. This was successfully supported and DE reported high levels of satisfaction with the quality of data provided.
Support for managers in both post primary and primary schools in making more effective use of data to inform their decision-making further developed during 2011.
C2k staff updated a range of Pupil tracking packs in Assessment Manager for Key Stages 2, 3, 4 and Post 16. These have greatly facilitated target setting and the monitoring of pupil performance in primary and post primary schools, in support of Every School a Good School
and Count, Read, Succeed. All of these developments have been introduced whilst keeping the associated workload of teachers to a minimum.
eSchools
In November 2011, the eSchools data warehouse solution went fully live with the achievement of the Contract Performance Point contractual milestone.
eSchools continues to provide stakeholders, including schools and DE/ELB representatives with monthly report packs, to support ongoing school improvement activities. To date, there is almost 3 years of data available within the warehouse to support trend analysis. Weekly validation reports also continue to be issued to schools, improving the overall quality of data. In June 2011 and March 2012, examination performance reports were released to schools. These reports contain key indicators, enabling schools to compare their performance against schools of a similar type, within the same free school meal band.
In October 2011, 89 schools (Voluntary Grammar and GMI) participated in an eSchools pilot which enabled them to submit school meals census data to DE Statistics Branch via an online form.
Stakeholder workshops took place throughout December 2011, to identify future exam reporting requirements. These workshops were attended by representatives from DE Inspectorate, DE Statistics, ELBs and Post Primary Schools. Enhancements to existing exam reports have been identified and these are being progressed.
The Department of Education committed to making available to schools and employing authorities, on a quarterly basis, new absence reports detailing headline rates of absence, the associated substitution costs and the main reasons for permanent teacher absence. In January 2012, eSchools developed a mechanism to distribute these reports to schools on behalf of DE. eSchools has commenced development of a new level of functionality which will deliver advanced analytic capabilities. This is a pilot exercise and will give eSchools Power Users the ability to perform advanced analysis on Examination Results.
eSchools will continue to evolve to meet stakeholder requirements and to support school improvement.
Wide Area Network
Regional Broadband Consortia - C2k continued its collaboration with the Regional
Broadband Consortia across the UK by providing access to the National Education Network (NEN) teaching and learning resources for all schools. Representation is maintained at the NEN technical strategy group, esafety group, communications group and the content group.
A2C - C2k worked with CCEA to facilitate the first stage of the A2C Project to package
deploy and support the migration application to transfer EDI files between Examination Centres and awarding organisations.
User Management Service – During 2011 the C2k User Management Service was improved
to provide enhanced reporting on staff roles.
Internet Filtering Service - The managed service continues to upgrade the filtering
infrastructure in line with industry recommended changes.
Shibboleth Access – Access to additional school purchased content was provided through the
Shibboleth Infrastructure
ESAIT – In 2011, C2k continued to be involved in the planning and implementation of
corporate IT services in readiness for the introduction of the Education and skills Agency (ESA). C2k has representation on the ESAIT Manager Group, Domain Admin Group; Network administration group, Intranet Group and Service Desk Group.
Changes to Schools’ Estates
During 2011, C2K managed the transfer of C2k services for: 6 school moves which included 3 large post primary relocations; 2 mergers; 9 closures; and one new school.
Annex 3
SERVICE PROVIDER IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Milestone Number
Deliverable Number
EVENT PARTY
MS 001 Confirmation of Selected Bidder status C2k MS 002 Commence detailed planning phase for Stream
1, Stream 2 and continuous improvement plans
Contractor
MS 003
Commence procurement of core Virtual Data Centre, network infrastructure, WAN circuits and hardware
Contractor
MS 004 Commence LNI to Fronter cloud migration work stream
Contractor
MS 005 Commence PLWE implementation at interim staging environment
Contractor MS 006 Due diligence of the Lot 5 data centre complete Contractor
MS 007 EN(ni) Effective Date C2k
MS 008 EN(ni) primary & secondary virtual data centre infrastructure build complete
Contractor
MS 009
Interconnects installed and commissioned between Lot 5 data centre the Contractor’s managed network
Contractor
MS 010 Issue continuous improvement plan to the Authority
Contractor
MS 011 Tier 2 Post Primary Pilot WAN switchover completed & commence main rollout
Contractor
MS 012
New EN(ni) DT & QA active directory,
Microsoft exchange organisation and Microsoft Lync build completed at secondary Virtual Data Centre
Contractor
MS 013 Core EN(ni) backbone infrastructure build (MLPS) available
Contractor
MS 014 Altiris client management suite deployment to primary data centre complete
Contractor MS 015 Fronter cloud implementation completed Contractor MS 016 Symantec End point Security implementation
at data centre complete
Contractor MS 017 School consultation visits completed Contractor MS 018 Commence zone integration server build at
production Virtual Data Centre
Contractor
MS 019
EN(ni) new active directory (Production) built and tested in interim staging environment and moved to secondary Virtual Data Centre
Contractor
and Post Primary Schools
MS 021 Core Service Readiness Review C2k & Contractor MS 022 Eclipse library management data centre
implementation complete
Contractor
MS 023
PLWE implementation complete at staging area (DT&QA) & transferred to secondary Virtual Data Centre
Contractor
MS 024 Stream 1 Security review completed Contractor
MS 025 Stream 1 BCP/DR review completed Contractor
MS 026 Email migration process completed in D&T & QA.
Contractor
MS 027 Compuware systems management suite data centre deployment complete
Contractor
MS 028 PLWE user provisioning for Post Primary & Primary Schools Complete
Contractor
MS 029
Transition of existing Lot5 active directory, exchange organisation and OCS (D&T,QA) to the new secondary Virtual Data Centre
Contractor
MS 031 MERU wireless implementation at data centre complete
Contractor
MS 032
Move video conferencing equipment from the Lot 5 data centre and reconnect service at new data centre complete
Contractor
MS 034 Schools Transformation Programme POC & pilot Schools completed
Contractor
MS 035 Core Services Cutover Criteria Review C2k & Contractor MS 039 Lot 5 TUPE process completed for helpdesk
staff transferring to Contractor
Contractor
MS 040 LOT 5 TUPE process for technical team completed
Contractor
MS 041 Staff transfer process for C2k SIMS / MIS Support Staff complete
Contractor
MS 043
Transition of existing Lot5 active directory, exchange organisation and OCS (Production) to the new primary Virtual Data Centre complete
Contractor
MS 044 Active directory decommissioning at Lot 5 data centre complete
Contractor MS 045 LNI content migration to Equella complete Contractor MS 046 Migration of Primary Staff mailboxes to the
Virtual Data Centre
Contractor
MS 051
Commence implementation of Capita’s partnership exchange (Px) at primary Data Centre
Contractor
MS 052 Complete Securus cloud data centre implementation
Contractor
MS 053 Commence new Service Desk pilot Contractor
MS 054 Decommissioning of hardware not being moved from Lot5 data centre complete
MS 057 Commence internal security audits in the new virtual data centres
Contractor
MS 058 Commence Installation of WAN Circuits at the Tier 3 Primary Schools
Contractor
MS 061 WAN router procurement for all Post Primary and Primary Schools complete
Contractor
MS 062 New EN(ni) ISO20000 compliant Service Desk go live
Contractor MS 063 Complete ISO27001 data centre audit Contractor MS 064 School WAN circuit order process complete Contractor MS 066
Complete implementation of SIMS Discover application across all Post Primary & Primary Schools
Contractor
MS 067 Eclipse library deployment to all Schools as detailed in Annex I of Schedule 2.1
Contractor
MS 070 Decommission the existing Lot 5 call management Help Desk System
Contractor
MS 071 Decommissioning of redundant hardware from Contractor’s Virtual Data Centre complete Contractor MS 073 SIM7/8 rollout to centrally hosted Primary
Schools completed
Contractor
MS 074 SIMS7/8 rollout to All Primary Schools completed
Contractor
MS 075 SIMS7/8 rollout complete to all Post Primary Schools
Annex 4
C2k RISK MANAGEMENT
C2k Corporate Strategy
The mission of C2k is to provide, for Northern Ireland’s schools, a world class Learning Technology service and optimise its use throughout the Community.
In pursuance of the vision set out in the Mission Statement, C2k aims to achieve excellence in service delivery by:
Providing a consistently high quality service to meet customer needs;
Working with education stakeholders across the Education Support Services to secure the effective uptake and use of the service;
Achieving a high level of customer satisfaction;
Successfully managing relationships with external providers;
Developing excellent public relationships;
Developing the ability to manage change effectively;
Securing resources to deliver the service;
Achieving best value for money; and
Delivering the service within budget and on time.
So that these objectives can be achieved, C2k is committed to a programme of staff and organisational development and has recently achieved re-accreditation within the Investor in People programme.
To this end the Project works with staff to:
Develop a culture of creativity, innovation and teamwork;
Effectively invest in staff for career development and business performance;
Support staff in transitioning into ESA; and
C2k Risks
Each year a Statement of Internal Control is signed by the Chief Executive of WELB, as Accounting Officer, on behalf of the whole Board (DAO (DFP) 25/03).
An essential requirement in the Statement is to state whether Risk Management is in place throughout the Board.
The Business Objectives of C2k, for 2012/13, are aligned with the WELB’s Corporate Strategy and set out in the C2k Business Plan. This Risk Register identifies key risks that could militate against the achievement of those objectives and the action being taken to reduce those risks. The document is considered to be a live document as the mitigation of risks is under continuous review.
The Corporate Risk Register is reviewed quarterly by the C2k Management Board and submitted, annually to the Project Board for review.
The C2k Risks include:
1. Failure to provide consistently high quality service to meet customer needs 2. Failure to implement appropriate security measures
3. Failure to operate and provide efficient and effective services during transitional period following contract expiries
4. Failure to adequately invest in service development to support the achievement of high quality education in a technologically rich environment
C2k Risk No. 1 Link to WELB Risk No.1 and 9 Risk Evaluation
Risk Description:
Failure to provide consistently high quality service to meet stakeholder needs Inherent Impact Likelihood Residual * Impact Likelihood Residual Risk Score Consequence Critical (5) Probable (4) Major (4) Possible (3) 12
Managed service not delivered to customers Services under-utilised
Service failures impact on educational provision Management information unavailable or incomplete Bureaucratic burden on schools increased
Lead Risk Owner Date Reviewed
C2k Director June 12
Potential Root Causes Current Actions to Manage Risk
(Include corresponding Business Plan Ref., where appropriate)
Responsible Official
Business Plan Ref
Failure to secure funding to deliver contracted services Close liaison with DE Directorates
Careful monitoring of budget spends
Director
Complexity of service and resilience of technical design Continuous service monitoring
Close and continuing engagement with Service Providers
Director
Failure to meet managed service contract quality targets Payment mechanism based on
achievement of service levels
Regular service reviews in place within contract governance structure
Customer Satisfaction Survey conducted annually
Head of Managed Services
Failure to achieve quality targets for the C2k service Consistent delivery model achieved
through Service Team structure Help Desk reports continuously monitored
Restructuring of C2k to take account of needs of transition to EN(ni)
Training and support plan to address needs of schools to be incorporated in a project plan
Ongoing staff development
Head of School Services
Changes in technology Engagement with industry to monitor
technical developments Membership of NEN
Service Improvement programme with suppliers facilitated through Change Control
Head of Managed Services
Changes in stakeholder requirements Regular liaison with stakeholders on
development requirements
Feedback from school engagements Development of a Communications Plan with schools and stakeholders
C2k Exchange used to conduct regular needs analysis
Director
Failure to effectively communicate customer responsibilities Focused multi-modal training
programme in place
Use of Portal service as a comprehensive communications service
Identification of key stakeholder personnel in Communications Plan
Director
Uncertainties arising from the possible transition of governance to ESA Regular staff updates provided by WELB
CEO
Membership of ESAICT Programme Board
Managing the impact of the Voluntary Severance programme
Managing the impact of TUPE
Accelerated nature of the programme to roll out CCEAs Diagnostic Assessment Software
Regular planning meetings with CCEA Researching alternative routes to transfer on-line data
Head of School Services
Contingency
Disaster Recovery procedures in place Off-site back up facilities
Robust contractual service levels and related payment mechanism Multiple communication routes
Project appropriately structured and resourced to meet the needs of EN(ni)
Action Plan for Improvement Action by Whom Date
C2k Risk No. 2 Link to WELB Risk No.1, 2 and 9 Risk Evaluation
Risk Description:
Failure to implement appropriate security measures
Inherent Impact Likelihood Residual * Impact Likelihood Residual Risk Score Consequence Critical (5) Probable (4) Significant (3) Possible (3) 9
Loss or misuse of sensitive or personal data Service failure / degradation
Children exposed to inappropriate content Children exposed to cyber-bulling or grooming Failure to comply with legislation
Lead Risk Owner Date Reviewed
Head of School Services July 12
Potential Root Causes Current Actions to Manage Risk
(Include corresponding Business Plan Ref., where appropriate)
Responsible Official
Business Plan Ref
Complexity of ICT solutions and evolving security threats Risk transfer to Managed Service
Providers
Ongoing threat assessment through Joint Security Forum
Maintenance of robust security policies
Head of Managed Services
Loss or theft of infrastructure Implementation of effective security
protocols with schools Portable Device encryption
Head of Managed Services
Failure to adhere to Principles of Data Protection Act Risk transfer to Managed Service
Providers Staff CR checking
Data Protection training for C2k staff Consultation with Joint Legal Service Data exposure
Head of Managed Services
New vulnerabilities as online services evolve Effective web and email filtering policies
Robust Child Protection protocols in place
Arbitration Group
Rapid response to blocking requests
Head of School Services
Increasing use of social networking functionality and extended virtual communities
Staff and guest CR checking
Proactive monitoring of usage and email traffic for unusual or inappropriate behaviour
Head of School Services
Contingency
Robust disaster recovery and back-up procedures
Robust security measures in place by data processors under contracts Regular security review with contractors
Site blocking the default response to internet threats
Action Plan for Improvement Action by Whom Date
Ongoing review of child protection protocols with ELBs and DE User training and support
Head of Managed Services August 12
C2k Risk No. 3 Link to WELB Risk No.3 and 9 Risk Evaluation
Risk Description:
Failure to operate and provide efficient and effective services during transitional period until full operational stage of EN(ni) contract
Inherent Impact Likelihood Residual * Impact Likelihood Residual Risk Score Consequence Major (4) Probable (4) Major (4) Possible (3) 12
Failure to maintain quality of service to schools Failure to remain within budget
Lead Risk Owner Date Reviewed
C2k Director July 12
Potential Root Causes Current Actions to Manage Risk
(Include corresponding Business Plan Ref., where appropriate)
Responsible Official
Business Plan Ref
Failure to successfully manage relationships with external suppliers EN(ni) service provider to have
responsibility for transitioning from existing service
Engagement within contracts through:
JCAB
Change Control meetings
Account review meetings
Head of Managed Services
Failure to manage contractual obligations Dedicated contract management function
in place
Formal service review meetings Regular appraisal of Authority contractual responsibilities
Head of Managed Services
Failure to secure wayleave approval for WAN upgrades Active liaison with Property Services
personnel – particularly in BELB Re organise roll out schedule to take advantage of early approvals
Head of Managed Services
Failure to provide appropriate training and support to schools during transitional phase
Transition provision in place for MIS, VLE, VC services
Training schedule to address key updates in service
Head of School Services
Failure to comply with procurement regulations WELB Standing Orders adhered to
Comply with EU regulations and DFP Procurement Guidance
Head of Managed Services
Contingency
Legal advice secured on related procurement risks
C2k Risk No.4 Link to WELB Risk No.4 and 9 Risk Evaluation
Risk Description:
Failure to adequately invest in service development to support the achievement of high quality education in a technologically rich environment Inherent Impact Likelihood Residual * Impact Likelihood Residual Risk Score Consequence Major (4) Probable (4) Significant (3) Possible (3) 6
Diminishment in quality of service
Need for schools to invest outside the service
Development of mis-match between service deliverables and user requirements
Lead Risk Owner Date Reviewed
C2k Director July 12
Potential Root Causes Current Actions to Manage Risk
(Include corresponding Business Plan Ref., where appropriate)
Responsible Official
Business Plan Ref
Failure to manage an ever increasing demand by Users Ongoing quality of service reviews with
service providers
Risk transfer arrangements within EN(ni) contract
Head of Managed Services
Failure to ensure the delivery of priority services within budget constraints Change Control approval by Project
Board
Alignment of Business Plan with DE priorities
Alignment of Business Plan with stakeholder programmes
Failure to maintain appropriate levels of staffing and relevant expertise under the restrictions imposed by Vacancy Control
Maintain relevant expertise within organisation through staff development and appropriate recruitment
Service Development Forum Effective engagement with user community through C2k Exchange Senior User Forum
Director
Failure to maintain a culture of creativity, innovation and teamwork Provide staff with opportunities for
professional development Liaise closely with HR to limit recruitment delays
Provide effective mechanisms for internal communications
Conduct regular Staff Reviews Maintain IiP accreditation
Director
Failure to effectively invest in staff development Participation in the Board’s PETF
scheme
Provide effective programmes of induction and mentoring
Provide opportunities for staff to engage in programmes of professional
development
Provide regular team building opportunities
Head of School Services
Contingency
Action Plan for Improvement Action by Whom Date
C2k Risk No.5 Link to WELB Risk No.7 and 9 Risk Evaluation
Risk Description:
Failure to exercise proper stewardship and make effective and efficient use of C2k services while remaining within budget
Inherent Impact Likelihood Residual * Impact Likelihood Residual Risk Score Consequence Critical (5) Almost Certain (5) Major (4) Possible (3) 12 Budget overspend
Inappropriate deployment of resources Underachievement of Value for Money
Lead Risk Owner Date Reviewed
C2k Director July 12
Potential Root Causes Current Actions to Manage Risk
(Include corresponding Business Plan Ref., where appropriate)
Responsible Official
Business Plan Ref
Lack of all necessary internal and external business case approvals regarding the utilization of resources
Continued review of DFP Guidance Reporting procedures through relevant governance bodies
Regular meetings with sponsoring DE Directorates
Director
Lack of adequate controls to minimise fraud and irregularity Compliance with WELB codes of conduct
for staff
Fraud Awareness training for all managers
Regular review of internal financial procedures
Regular internal audit checks Regular NIAO audit checks
Compliance with WELB Standing Orders Fraud risk matrix reviewed regularly
Head of Managed Services
Director Finance Manager
