Bryan Slater Director of Education	Distribution
	Headteachers, all staff and governors

The attached document is provided for your information:

INFORMATION	Title	Changes to MI Sheets and DfES Publications
	Summary of contents	Information on the plans to change the way in which MI Sheets and DfES Publications are to be made available to schools from November 2004.
	Associated documents	DfES Publications: www.teachernet.gov.uk\publications
	Date	September 2004
	Effective from	November 2004
	LEA Contact	Mick Sabec	(	01603 223499
	E-mail address	mick.sabec@norfolk.gov.uk
	Norfolk Self Review reference	7. How well is the school led and managed?
	Document reference	MI 162-04

Online DfES Publications for Schools

We have received notification from the Department for Education and Skills of a change in the way it will send essential information to schools. The DfES is going to replace the paper it sends to schools with a new online service. The DfES believe that this will make it easier for everyone, not just Headteachers, to access all their information and publications when they need it. The DfES will be writing to you with more information about this change imminently.

Currently, schools receive a monthly paper-based mailing containing various DfES publications, including the Spectrum newsletter. From November 2004 schools will receive a fortnightly email alert[1], highlighting any items that are essential reading for them. By clicking web links in the email it will be possible to view documents in the catalogue and decide which to order or download.

Teachers too can browse, select, order or download free material they need from the DfES, when they need it. In addition they can ensure that they don't miss out on essential information by registering to receive the new emailed Spectrum.

The DfES anticipate that other government bodies will join in with this scheme, BECTa have already signed up; negotiations with Ofsted and QCA are underway.

For more information go to: www.teachernet.gov.uk\publications or talk to us at the Headteacher’s Conference.

Management Information (MI) Sheets

Not surprisingly more people are reading MI Sheets since they have been made available through EsiNet. A great deal of this is done online i.e. no hard copy. However we recognise that as the primary medium for MI Sheets is paper this compromises the current electronic version as it leaves them not fully searchable and often split into multiple documents. In addition the increased use of online information (see above) means that we must improve links and access to online information. As a consequence with effect from November 2004 MI Sheets will also become entirely electronic.

From November, as now, you will receive your paper courier mail headed by a list of the documents published in the week. This will include MI Sheet titles – but there will be no MI Sheets in the pack. The MI Sheets will be available online via the e-Courier or through a revised and improved MI Sheet access page. This means the MI sheets will all be in one place, for all staff and will be searchable. In time we also hope to make the back catalogue consistent with the new, single format.

Despite this change we are aware that in some instances schools may still want a hard copy. Before making this decision please be aware that increasingly MI Sheets will make reference to other information via hyperlinks. Whilst access to this information is automatic in electronic documents, access through paper documents is much more challenging. Fully electronic MI Sheets bring additional benefits:

· You can forward hyperlinks of the document to interested colleagues.

· You can cut and paste relevant sections to your own documents.

· They will be automatically updated/replaced as necessary.

· You do not have to file them.

· The search facility means that there are fully cross-referenced.

· They are available to all users.

If you still feel that you need a hard copy of a specific MI sheet, - you can either print off all or part of the electronic version from EsiNet (they will all be printable), or you can request a hard copy by sending an e-mail to editor.edu@norfolk.gov.uk

Changing the way we work

These developments will undoubtedly mean we will all have to make some changes to the way we work. This applies to staff in the Education Department as well as in schools. In managing this process of change it is important that we do not all seek to re-invent the wheel. If you find a way of improving the way you work as a consequence of these changes, please share it with others through Education Home > School Staff > Professional Development > What Works for Us on EsiNet. There are already some useful tips there.

This change will mean all users, including Headteachers, will have access to MI Sheets and DfES documents at the same time, so people will have to learn that Heads will need to be given time to form a view. It may help if Heads can make this clear as part of their presentation of these changes.

For some, there may be a strong temptation to stick with the old ways and simply rely on the hard copy services offered. Whilst this may work in the short term, there is a danger that this approach seeks to ignore the transition that is being made to fully on-line services and communications. In time some hard-copy services will be withdrawn so it is best to view these developments as an opportunity to change existing practices to an on-line approach, but with the medium-term safety net of the hard copy if things do not work out as planned.

ICT Solutions (http://ictsolutions.norfolk.gov.uk/ ) offer a range of courses that may be of help to some colleagues that have difficulties or concerns when using computers.

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[1] We are currently negotiating with the DfES to include the details of this alert in the e-Courier so everyone has access, and its content will be filed and readily available.