SETT: the Scottish Learning Festival takes place in Glasgow in September with its usual high-profile line-up of inspirational speakers and its true enjoyment and sharing of good classroom practice (pages 24-25). All who have attended so far recognise its importance and significance for placing teaching and learning centre stage (with ict in support) and enriching professional development for teachers. However, research conducted months after the event confirms that its effectiveness continues well after the conference doors have closed, and validates its clear focus on teaching and learning. Everyone involved in London’s BETT Show would do well to visit Glasgow this year and consider how these insights could help make bett a better event for teaching and learning.

Government technology agency BECTA is understandably sensitive about criticisms from special needs experts about the way it has dispersed its sen team in its current round of re-organisation (see page 4). It would do well to listen and reconsider rather than attempt to convince critics who are having trouble with the evidence. There was once a recognised, valued team of nine people. Now there isn’t. OK, some of the team had been employed on the Communications Aids Project which has now been completed, but BECTA could have attempted a creative response to exploit and prolong all the benefits and the new network of experts that cap had produced.

This is a very important area - the learners here are the most vulnerable of all - so it’s never too late to reconsider.

It’s a very far reaching policy, but there’s not much advice available for teachers wanting to know about the roles of ict for Every Child Matters.

Which is why our writers have scoured their sources to report back on the early adopters for TES Online and for our Web Extra section at www.tes.co.ukonline (check it out).

Our contributors are getting a little fed up with continually responding to government agendas and who can blame them? Remember embedding ICT in the classroom? It’s only partly done but now we hear precious little about it even though it’s still a key issue. So in our next issue they will be sharing their insights on ict’s importance for 21st century learning. Be sure to revisit on September 15.

Have a good summer...