Digital Schools Awards talks to Lucy Scollen and Kay Harvey at Heriot Primary School in Scotland about their digital journey and why they applied for the digital schools award during the pandemic.
Lucy and Kay explain how they integrated blended learning and remote learning to learning and teaching in their school.
A handful of nursery schools have become the first in Scotland to complete a pioneering education initiative developed to encourage digital learning amongst children.
Pre-schools from across Scotland were officially recognised by Education Scotland today (Tuesday 17 September) for their commitment to promoting digital skills in the classroom. They were joined by more than 70 secondary and primary schools at the largest ever Digital Schools Awards, held at St Mungo’s High School, Falkirk, where a total of 114 schools were officially recognised.
To better equip the next generation, awarded nursery schools provide access to the latest hi-tech equipment, including green screens and stop-motion animation technology. Independent learning is also encouraged on SMART boards and tablets, and classes are prepared to teach pupils about safety online.
The extension of the Digital Schools programme to pre-schools follows the successful roll out of the initiative across secondary and primary levels and signals the growing importance for young people to develop digital skills.
To date more than half Scottish schools (51%) have signed up to the Digital Schools Awards – a nationally recognised programme developed in collaboration with Education Scotland and industry titans HP and Microsoft. The education initiative is the most successful of its kind in Scotland and aims to inspire schools to better integrate digital learning into the curriculum.
The Digital Schools Awards programme is driven by a consensus among policy, academic, technology and business leaders that schools play a central role in shaping Scotland’s future as a digital nation. It is also regarded as a vital tool in tackling Scotland’s growing digital skills gap, which currently has a deficit of around 8,000 jobs a year.[1] The presentation ceremony follows the release of figures from the SQA which show a 21% drop in uptake of computing science from 2017 – 2019. [2]
As well as recognising schools which have successfully implemented digital learning within the classroom, awards were also presented to the first 10 Scottish schools to complete the Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety (CR-IS) Badge. Launched in February 2019, the Digital Schools Awards CR-IS Badge aims to educate pupils on how to remain safe online.
Digital Economy Minister, Kate Forbes, said: “The Scottish Government recognises the knowledge, skills and attributes that children and young people need to acquire to thrive in our interconnected, digital and rapidly changing world.
“The Digital Schools Awards are a great way to encourage schools to develop new and innovative ways in which to achieve that aim, as well as to recognise excellence.
“My congratulations to this year’s award winners, who are being rightly celebrated for their dedication and enthusiasm for digital.”
Steven Pavia, HP, said: “Combining digital technology with the world-class fundamental learning applied at Scottish schools is crucial for the next generation to thrive in our everchanging cyber-physical world.
“The Digital Schools Awards is a great example of education, industry and government working together to prepare the next generation. To achieve the accreditation is a fantastic achievement, and I would like to congratulate each school on their success”
Paul Morrison from Microsoft said: “Technology is an incredible tool – one which encourages connectivity, creativity and independent exploration. Opening our young people to the possibilities of the digital world and providing them with the skills needed to prosper within it is an important task – and one we are committed to supporting. “
Stephen Phee, head teacher at St Mungo’s High School said: “We are delighted to be recognised as a Digital School. It is a testament to the hard work of our teaching staff, who have been instrumental to developing and implementing our digital learning strategies.
“As teachers, we have long understood the importance of embedding digital skills within the curriculum. The Digital Schools Awards provided us with the framework and support needed to bring technology into the classroom in an effective and responsible manner.”
To achieve Digital Schools Awards accreditation, schools are required to self-assess their developments in digital technology under common practice areas of Leadership and Vision, Digital Technology for Learning and Teaching, School Culture, Professional Development and Resources and Infrastructure.
The programme promotes skills such as digital innovation and creativity; computational thinking; advances in STEM; the use of digital technology to promote higher order thinking skills; support for digital equity and access and the need for cyber resilience.
Schools are encouraged to register for the programme through the www.digitalschoolsawards.co.uk website where they can undergo a self-evaluation of current practices and standards.
An innovative scheme promoting excellence in digital learning and teaching, is set to be offered to Scottish secondary schools with the express aim of equipping pupils with cutting-edge digital skills.
Your school is encouraged to register for the Digital Schools Awards Programme Northern Ireland.
The Digital Schools Awards Northern Ireland is a national awards programme which promotes, recognises and encourages best practice use of digital technology in primary schools.
For more information and to register your school go to http://www.digitalschoolsawards.co.uk and join the fast growing community of Digital Schools across Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
Some of the benefits of becoming a digital school:
• The programme has presented many schools with an achievable recognised award for their deployment of digital technologies;
• There is an emerging community of practice among schools who are sharing innovations and best practice;
• Encourages whole-school and policy-led approaches to the use of digital technologies in teaching and learning;
• Schools, in undertaking the self-review framework are engaging in activities that are promoted by National, European and International organisations and are therefore more global in their approach;
• Early evaluations suggest that schools welcome the self-review process and the recognition that being awarded a Digital School brings.
The programme is supported by HP, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Microsoft and Intel in Northern Ireland.
Digital Schools of Distinction is an awards programme which aims to promote, recognise and encourage excellence in the use of technology in primary schools in the Republic of Ireland
Minister for Education John O’Dowd welcomes HP Inc, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Microsoft support for education.
Primary schools in Northern Ireland are urged to sign up to the Programme, which will help schools assess progress and recognise excellence in the use of technology at primary level while providing practical support and encouragement.
Education Minister John O’Dowd formally presented the awards at a ceremony in Parliament Buildings.
BELFAST – 14 Mar 2016 – Nine new primary schools in Northern Ireland were today recognised with the Digital School of Distinction award.
Supported by HP Inc., Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Microsoft, the Digital Schools of Distinction Award has been developed to help schools to integrate technology into the classroom.
Ballyclare Primary School is is one of the first schools in the North of Ireland to have been awarded the Digital Schools of Distinction Award.
Mrs K. Mulligan, Principal of Ballyclare Primary School, Ballyclare, which has just received its ‘Digital School of Distinction’ status said that the programme offers a real opportunity for primary schools to build on their digital capabilities;
“We have been on an exciting journey of ICT for a number of years and I commend our staff and pupils for all that has been achieved to be in this outstanding ICT category. We are equipping our pupils and staff to take a leading role in the Learning and Teaching our ICT vision and practice offers for the 21st Century.”
