Shining Example Of The Digital Age

Flintshire County Council is delighted that Cornist Park Primary School has been held up as a shining example of how digital technology can enhance school life, following Estyn’s Chief Inspector’s Annual Report published recently.
The school in Flint was chosen as one of Welsh Government’s “digital pioneer” schools in 2015 and, since that time, has improved the digital competency of pupils staff, parents, governors and the wider community by embedding digital technology in school life. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Headteacher Nicola Thomas said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Since being selected as one of the digital pioneer schools, we have really embraced the challenge to engage fully with the digital age. For me, it’s great to see the children so engaged and motivated in what they are doing, opening their minds to look for other ways of answering questions, getting their learning recorded and using it in different ways to research their learning. The classroom is now worldwide – not just out of a book or out of a teacher’s mouth.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The school has taken digital technology to a whole new level. A key aim of the school is to enable pupils, staff, parents, governors and the wider community to connect, collaborate, and communicate online in a responsible and safe way. Pupils are involved with raising awareness of “eSafety” and digital learning among their own school community as well as in other schools across the County. They have even held a drop in session at a local bank to help customers learn about being safe online. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Youth, Councillor Chris Bithell, said: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“To have one of our County’s schools held up as an example of best practice for the rest of Wales makes me very proud. The staff and pupils at Cornist Park have really taken on board this challenge to develop digital technology and learning – I’ve even heard one member of staff describe the tools as a “digital pencil case” with the technology always in the classroom ready to help with literacy, numeracy and other curriculum areas.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The full case study on Cornist Park can be viewed online at https://www.estyn.gov.wales/best-practice/digital-technology-primary-school-life ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​