Digital Schools Award

The Digital Schools Award initiative recognises the excellence in a school's approach to the integration of ICT in learning and teaching. The Award scheme is unique in that is has the full support, not only of NCTE, but also CESI, INTO, IPPN and NCCA, all of whose views have been fully represented in its development. The Digital Schools Award was launched by Minister Mary Hanafin, T.D in 2006 and now is available to all primary schools throughout the country. It is planned to extend the initiative to the post-primary sector in the future.

The award builds on the excellent progress, dedication and commitment of teachers and schools in relation to ICT usage and encourages them to strive for further progression and improvement. It focuses attention on using ICT by promoting good practice, expertise and innovation in teaching and learning.

For those with ambitions to become a Digital School, but work still to do, the initiative offers a roadmap. It can help them to develop their ICT planning and application to a point where there are benefits throughout the school, and across the curriculum. There are criteria clearly set out with a focused set of achievable targets to aim for. Such schools may contact the Digital Schools Coordinator at the NCTE and other schools who have achieved the award. All can offer support to schools interested in acquiring Digital School status.

School participation is optional and schools who wish to take part can do so in their own time and at their own pace. Schools who meet the criteria will be presented with a Digital School Award, which they maintain for two years after which time the school's Digital School status will be reviewed. The award includes a specially designed plaque and artwork which can be used on the school’s literature and website. The school will be listed as a Digital School on the Digital Schools website where examples of work and good practice from the school will be displayed.

To achieve a Digital Schools Award, each participating school must fulfil identified criteria organised under the following headings:

Leadership and Vision Criteria

ICT in the Curriculum Criteria

School ICT Culture Criteria

Professional Development Criteria

Resources and Infrastructure Criteria

To assist in this process and to see how your school meets the set criteria, a self-evaluation tool based on the Digital Schools' criteria has been developed enabling schools to identify areas that require improvement. The NCTE will play a role in coordinating schools as they strive to achieve a Digital Schools Award. When a school has completed its self-evaluation, it is in a position to identify areas where further work may or may not be needed.

A number of primary schools have been awarded Digital School status and you can see who they are by clicking on the Locate Digital Schools link.