Capita and the Education Authority NI have announced the winners of the seventh annual 'NI Schools ICT Excellence’ Awards. The winning schools are St Brigid’s Primary School, Downpatrick; St Colman's College, Newry; and Clifton Special School, Bangor.
According to Professor John Anderson, Chair of the Innovation Forum, speaking at the recent Awards Ceremony at the Merchant Hotel for the schools which entered for the ICT Excellence Awards which evaluate the positive benefits of ICT in education
“In this seventh year of the ICT Excellence Awards we are seeing a step-change in just how well digital technologies are being used to support learning for the benefit of pupils, teachers, and parents.
The theme this year of collaboration was absolutely aced this year by the radical change across all 27 post-primary EOTAS (Education Other Than At School) acting together to introduce ‘state of the art’ devices, online collaboration and new digital qualifications.”
Resilience and fast-tracked responses
Speaking on behalf of sponsors, Managing Director, Capita Education and Learning, Marianne Betts, said:
“We are incredibly proud to sponsor the ICT Excellence Awards. All the finalists highlighted how vital the creative use of digital technology can be to support learning and developing skills at school. We received some incredible entries – congratulations to all the winners for this much-deserved recognition.”
Digital learning welcome boost to teacher professional learning
Alison Chambers, Department of Education’s Professional Learning and Collaboration Director speaking at the Awards said,
‘The ICT Excellence Awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase how schools and EOTAS centres are enthusiastically and innovatively utilising digital technologies to enhance collaboration and teacher professional learning for the benefit of our children and young people’.
Excellence across Northern Ireland schools
Cynthia Currie, Education Authorities’ Interim Director of Education said,
”EA recognises the remarkable opportunity this competition gives to celebrate excellence across our education system, represented not only by the shortlisted schools and Education Other than at Schools (EOTAS) centres, but all who entered for the 2022 Awards and indeed children, young people and teachers right across NI who continue to develop increasing excellence in practice in the use of digital technologies.”
Eminent educationalist praises world-leading practice in Northern Ireland’s schools
“The practices and uses of technologies in schools (primary, post-primary, special) and in EOTAS Centres are world-leading. Leaders and teachers have embraced the potential that technologies can offer – with creative solutions, focused for educational needs, integrated to support learning, teaching, administration, management and parental engagement, both on-site and on-line.
The technology provision you have in your schools is unique. The provision enables adoption, cross-school sharing and development, through crucial and critical insights of leaders, teachers, pupils and parents - making a difference for the benefit of all.”
Said Professor Don Passey of Lancaster University, pre-eminent world research authority on technology-enhanced learning. Speaking on behalf of the judges, he thanked the schools for the “inspiration they brought to bear that continues to astound the judges.”
Editor notes
The theme for the ICT Excellence Awards this year was Digital technologies, Collaboration, and Teacher Professional Learning.
The awards are jointly sponsored by Capita and the Education Authority’s C2k. Twelve schools and providers left the awards ceremony with prizes.
The Primary Schools Category
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Winner:
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St Brigid’s Primary School, Downpatrick
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Highly Commended:
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Hardy Memorial Primary School, Richhill, Co Armagh
Our Lady and Saint Patrick Primary School, Downpatrick St Theresa's Primary School, Glebe |
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Finalists:
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St Joseph’s Primary School, Strangford
Edendork Primary School, Dungannon |
The Post-Primary Schools Category
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Winner:
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St Colman's College, Newry
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Highly Commended:
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Malone Integrated College, Belfast
Our Lady's Grammar School, Newry |
The Special Schools Category
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Winner:
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Clifton Special School, Bangor
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Highly Commended:
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Knockevin Special School, Downpatrick
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The EOTAS Centres Category
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Winner:
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Collective entry on behalf of the Post-primary EOTAS Service (all 27 post-primary EOTAS Centres)
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The judges’ conclusions are published in a report
