This September the national key stage 3 strategy hits information and communications technology, a year after it began with a focus on English and numeracy. The strategy is intended to address the underachievement of some pupils in the first years of secondary school. Earlier this year, education secretary Estelle Morris said the strategy had the potential and the capacity to make a “big difference” to 11 to 14-year-olds. Some pound;500 million will be spent on the initiative.

By 2004, the target is to ensure that 75 per cent of 14-year-olds reach level 5 - the standard expected for their age - in ICT as well as maths and English. That figure rises to 85 per cent by 2007 and presents a considerable challenge for many schools in England, particularly in ICT as many do not have dedicated specialist teachers for this subject.

However, in September, the Department for Education and Skills will publish a framework to support the planning, teaching and assessment of ICT for KS3 and show how teachers can develop their own lesson plans from the QCA scheme of work for ICT.

The framework will include teaching objectives, based on the ICT programme of study, to track pupils’ progress and ensure continuity and progression from Year 7 to Year 9.

The strategy, led by Clare Johnson, former principal manager of ICT for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, places ICT as a discrete subject for an hour a week for each of the three year groups.

Six pilot teaching units for Year 7 and four for Year 8 were developed and tested in about 40 schools in five local education authorities, including Barking and Dagenham which also piloted the English and numeracy strategies. Steve Penrose, a senior adviser with the LEA, says the materials have evolved considerably during the pilot, which began in its eight secondary schools in April 2001: “The strategy has been very open to responses from schools and some materials have been radically reworked.”

The strategy will ensure that all schools are covering the programme of study properly, he says.

One of the problems it aims to solve is that many who teach ICT are not specialists and do so in addition to another subject. A business studies teacher might be very good at teaching spreadsheets, for example, but less confident about activities such as data-logging.

The hope is that the strategy will ensure everything in the ICT schemes of work gets covered. Steve Penrose believes the initiative will not demand radical change, but larger LEAs may find it difficult because of the resources required. The DFES says the emphasis on interactive, whole-class teaching means teachers will need access to an interactive whiteboard or large monitor. Some activities will require one computer per pupil.

Training is an key component, with an introductory day for each school’s ICT subject leader and another teacher, with a further day next year. Two less experienced teachers will also be trained for two days.

Although the strategy is not compulsory, Steve Penrose says schools will have to show they “have something better” if they do not follow it.