Alan Nevitt

Advisory Officer for ICT and Special Educational Needs, Flintshire, North Wales

Upon leaving college, Alan was appointed to Ysgol Belmont special school for children with Moderate Learning Difficulties in January 1976. Throughout his time here he enjoyed responsibility for all ages (except very early years children) and for all aspects of the curriculum. During his period as head of School Leavers he developed an interest in the use of computers and technology generally to support the learning of children with special needs. At this time a Channel 4 film crew arrived to record aspects of class computer use to be used as the launch video for the infamous MicroSpecial box of BBC progams.

Alan was fortunate in September 1995 to obtain a 2 year secondment to Kelsterton College, Connah's Quay to conduct an action research programme for Council for Educational Technology (now BECTa). This investigated the use of IT to support the learning and teaching of students with Special Needs attending a vocational course at a college of FE.

Alan gained a secondment to become an Advisory Teacher in Clwyd for ICT and SEN under GEST funding. He attended the course in Bangor that Martin Littler helped to deliver in September 1988! This role involved supporting IT development in all areas of Special Educational Needs including Learning Difficulties, Profound and Multiple Difficulties, Physical, Sensory and Behavioural Difficulties.

In September 1998 following Local Government Re-organisation, Alan was appointed to his present post in Flintshire. The nature of the post has remained the same with the assessment of the needs of the individual child, the integration of ICT into the National Curriculum and the support of all schools undertaking ESTYN Inspections. Alan and his advisory colleagues are now enjoying the stimulating experience of encouraging selected primary and secondary schools to produce material for a NGfL project investigating the use of ICT to support literacy through ICT. This involves the use of Internet, e-mail and conferencing with children of all abilities creating web pages. This exciting project will soon be extended to involve more schools and a special school will link via video conferencing to a similar school in South Wales.

Throughout the years Alan has delivered support and Inset using joviality and humour. He has developed a reputation for delivering interesting content through a relaxed, friendly style without the complicating jargon!

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