{"id":3693,"date":"2026-06-01T13:31:00","date_gmt":"2026-06-01T12:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/stthomasaquinassecondaryschoolglasgow\/?page_id=3693"},"modified":"2026-06-01T14:24:24","modified_gmt":"2026-06-01T13:24:24","slug":"apple-distinguished-school","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/blogs.glowscotland.org.uk\/gc\/stthomasaquinassecondaryschoolglasgow\/?page_id=3693","title":{"rendered":"Apple Distinguished School"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Apple<\/figure>
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We are proud to be recognised as an Apple Distinguished School 2022-2026.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Our Journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Started in 2019, learning from home in lockdown. We quickly got back into the classroom and our digital learning flourished. In 2022 we were awards Apple Distinguished Schools status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, we have been getting inspiring pupils to get creative and solve problems; staff have imagined new ways to craft engaging lessons, and this impact is driving our community to defy all expectations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

VIDEO APPLICATION EMBEDS HERE<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Snapshots<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1125 <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

iPads. 1:1 for each of our pupils and teachers. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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57<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Apple TV’s each in teaching space<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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20<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Digital Ambassadors, leaders and captains<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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51<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Apple Teachers<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Teacher Portfolio<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Apple Learning Coaches<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Our aim as a school is to become sector leading, that we are willing to creative and innovative, just as our young people are, and just as they challenge us to be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headteacher C McInally<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Our Vision<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Striving, Thriving, Achieving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our curriculum should equip pupils with the digital skills needed for a future that isn’t even imagined yet. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Our Future<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We are completely rewriting our curriculum to provide the very best for our pupils. This coming year its all about feedback<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Inspiring Change<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Final exams have always been sat with paper and pen – but now with Exam.net we have pupils who struggle to read and write, or have illegible handwriting, or simply thrive when typing – using the same amazing device they use day-in-day-out in their final exam. Sticking to the rigid security rules but allowing pupils to use translators, readers, dictators, keyboards and other accessibility tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The introduction of Magma Maths has changed numeracy education for so many of our pupils. They used to fear mistakes in a maths classroom, but the friendly flame AI, the discreet teacher support and the gamified lessons have turned this around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impacting Lives<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Our school has a large number of pupils who are new to the country and to our language. The iPad is a fundamental part of these new Scots accessing our curriculum in a way they can understand. As they can take the iPad home they can support their family to learn English and complete homework tasks together. We do so much for our EAL learners – but the independence the iPad gives them is life changing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine New Creativity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Apps like Canva and GarageBand are used across the school for modern and engaging ways to display knowledge. In Computer Science we record podcasts debating whether Windows or Mac is better. In art we bring drawings to life with animations in Stikbot studio. In D&T Canva AI is used to render our designs into real life scenarios. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Staff Training<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As schools do, we get many new staff each year. We give them in house training on the core digital learning & teaching tools – then give them access to hours and hours of live and pre-recorded teacher training via the Apple Regional Training Centre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al staff will undergo the “Outstanding Teaching Intervention” training programme. This is a yearlong scheme where staff practice new classroom techniques in Engagement; Challenge; Feedback. All of these are supplemented with creative ways to use the iPad and its apps to delivery better lessons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Learner<\/figure>
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From our learner survey for S1-3 pupils we see that most of our lessons include the use of an iPad. We are using all of the other data from the survey to perfect our lessons. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Because our school is incredibly diverse, our approach to equity and supporting that diversity is really enabled by our digital approaches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headteacher C McInally<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"BeCLEAR<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n

Curiosity Love Equality Ambition Respect<\/p>\n\n\n\n