PUPILS and staff of Lampeter’s Ysgol Bro Pedr are advancing their digital competence in ‘an interesting and exciting way’, according to a report by education watchdogs.

Estyn inspectors who visited the ‘pioneer’ 1,040-pupil, 3-19 school, also spoke of ‘a positive effect’ seen in terms of pupils’ participation and interest ‘in addition to the staff’s confidence in presenting various aspects of information technology and the use of equipment, with which they may previously have been unfamiliar’.

The report was written in response to a request for advice from the Welsh Government in the Cabinet secretary’s annual remit letter to Estyn for 2017-2018.

It focuses on how schools are beginning to ensure that pupils develop their digital competence as set out in a 2015 study entitled Successful Futures.

“Training in a homely environment ensures that software and ICT equipment that are already on the school’s network are used in an interesting and exciting way,” it states.

“Following a successful inspection in October 2016, where provision for ICT was judged as being excellent in the primary sector, the school restructured responsibilities.

“As a result of this, one co-ordinator was established as a digital lead with responsibility for developing digital competence across the 3-19 age range.

“Planning and preparing in order to incorporate the requirements of the DCF across the curriculum was one of the priorities in the School Development Plan for 2017-2018.”

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