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This petition is now closed, as its deadline has passed.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to congratulate the Open University and other schools, colleges, local authorities and universities for utilising free and open source software to deliver cost-effective educational benefit not just for their own institutions but also the wider community; and to express concern that Becta and the Department for Education and Skills, through the use of outdated purchasing frameworks, are effectively denying schools the option of benefiting from both free and open source software and the value and experience small and medium ICT companies could bring to the schools market. More details
Submitted by Jocelyn E. Chappell of Pebble Brook School, Aylesbury – Deadline to sign up by: 12 February 2008 – Signatures: 119
More details from petition creator
Head teachers and principals should be able to make decisions about the goods and services that best suit the needs of their institutions. It is therefore important that they have the option to choose free and open source software. Sadly the Open Schools Alliance is obliged to catalogue the negative effect of government departments in this respect.
However open minded organisations independent from industry are still a force for good. For example on the day this petition was submitted the Bucks Herald described how free and open source software provided by Bucks County Council helped Winslow Church of England Combined School gain Arts Mark accreditation.
By allowing free and open source products to compete in the market, not only will choice be improved, but also the standard of material available. This is crucial in an era where competent information technology skills are paramount in the workplace.
Current signatories
Jocelyn E. Chappell, the Petition Creator, joined by:
- michelle walters
- Jeff Rollin
- Karen Francis
- Miles Berry
- Duncan Webb
- Tristan Kennett
- Francis Meynell
- Eric Sargeant
- Joe Gaffney
- Drew Buddie
- Ian Lynch
- Matthew Burling
- Jonathan Wells
- Paul Elliott
- John Ingleby
- Phil Driscoll
- Craig Rodway
- Mark Taylor
- CBrode
- Zbysiu Rodak
- Dale Jones
- David Perry
- Nic Fielding
- Edward Andrews
- Martin Woolley
- Francis Davey
- Colin Heesom
- Robin Green
- Andy Trevor
- Jo Harris
- Roy Schestowitz
- Joan Knott
- Tom Chance
- Nick Holme
- Yishay Mor
- Dave Crossland
- Ralph Corderoy
- Ben Walpole
- Jason Clifford
- Geoffrey Teale
- Adam McMaster
- Anthony M Byrne
- Geoffrey Clare
- Philip Hunt
- William Bagley
- Damien Berest
- Roy Gravestock
- Jon Grant
- Simon Judge
- Tony Dyer
- Pat Corbett
- Michael Hodgins
- Mark Simpson
- John Anderson
- Jane Bushell
- Mark Bell
- Richard Ackland
- Veronica Schwartz
- Paul Hynes
- john spencer
- Michael Day
- Ian Bissett
- Mark Nicholls
- David Taylor
- Andrew Hutchings
- Andrew Field
- Jeff Rhys
- Doug Belshaw
- Cheryl Phillips
- Dave Stacey
- Toby Inkster
- Ben Webb
- James Chorlton
- John Gardner
- Andrew Guard
- Steve Ballard
- Matt Gibson
- Lakvinder Singh
- Isabelle Harding
- Derek Scuffell
- Dr M.Forster
- Colin Bannister
- Paul Taylor
- Courtenay Probert
- Martin Smith
- Alan Campbell
- Craig Nelson
- Mark Sumner
- Steve Walker
- Sacha Varma
- Alex Petherick-Brian
- Peter James
- Crispin Weston
- D Needlestone
- Simon Marsden
- Peter Upton
- Lesley Binks
- Alistair Groves
- Christopher Billington
- Chris McGinlay
- Tim Jones
- Derek R Allum
- Riaz Sobrany
- Kevin J Henderson
- Daniel Marcus Caldon
- James Porter
- Steven Mitchell
- J RICHARDS
- James Burgon
- Feargal Hogan
- Abdullah Rhodes-Taylor
- Hariharan Raju
- Gregory Auger
- Joseph McGuire
- Stuart Leather
- mark woodbine
- James Dorney
- Kevin H
