Category: CRIS by stage

March 18, 2024

Introduction to The Digital Learning Through Play Award in ELC.

Introduction to The Digital Learning Through Play Award in ELC.

The Digital Learning Through Play Award in ELC in Scotland is a national award scheme to promote, recognise and encourage a whole setting approach to the use of digital technology in ELC settings.

The award framework echoes national practice guidance for the early years in Scotland, Realising the Ambition: Being me (2020), which guides and supports the ELC sector to provide high quality early learning and childcare, meeting the developmental needs of our youngest learners, enabling children to flourish as successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens, and effective contributors. 

Purpose of the award.

This award has been designed to support ELC settings to integrate digital technologies into children’s play and learning experiences, both outside and indoors. Opportunities to learn with and through technology in practical and creative situations, provide children with flexibility and choice while exploring technology as a way to solve problems.

Investigating virtual environments through digital technology can inspire curiosity and creativity, encouraging children to develop imagination, beyond what is possible without the stimulus afforded by technology. Through immersive, stimulating learning environments and meaningful adult-child interactions, children are inspired and motivated to learn.

Access the draft framework here.

Aug & Sep 24 educator webinars

24/25 Professional Learning Network

March 12, 2024

Summer term early level webinar dates for you diary.

The series of This is early level Digital and Spotlight CLPL sessions will be delivered for the final time in April and May. If you missed out on the previous webinars, there is still time to sign up.

The webinars are suitable for practitioners working with children at early level across a range of ELC settings and schools. A Glow log in is NOT required to sign up or join the online sessions.

Please click on the hyperlinks below for session information and sign up details.

APRIL 2024

Tuesday 16^th April 4pm This is early level Digital: CRIS 3 part course. SESSION 1

Thursday 18^th April 4pm This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Practitioner Collaboration.

Tuesday 23^rd April 4pm This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Transition

Tuesday 30^th April 4pm This is early level Digital: CRIS 3 part course. SESSION 2

MAY 2024

Tuesday 14^th May 4pm This is early level Digital: CRIS 3 part course. SESSION 3

Tuesday 21^st May 4pm This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Outdoor Play

Tuesday 28^th May 10am This is early level Digital: Spotlight on Making Data Visible

Sign up coming soon:

Monday 13^th May 4pm – The New Digital ELC Setting Award

Thursday 16^th May 10am – The New Digital ELC Setting Award

Friday 17^th May 12.30pm – The New Digital ELC Setting Award

July 3, 2023

Exploring early level Cyber Resilience with The Bongles and the Crafty Crows.

The Digital Team and The Bongles have joined forces in partnership with Cyber Scotland, Cyber Aware and the Scottish Book Trust to introduce younger learners to develop understanding of cyber awareness at early level, through the publication of the new Bongles book ‘The Bongles and the Crafty Crows‘, produced by Edinburgh based Story Learning Ltd.

Who are the Bongles?

The Bongles are a group of monster friends who live on a paradise-like planet.

They reuse and repurpose items that wash up onto their planet’s pristine shore and turn trash into treasure.

The rhyming stories are full of slapstick and silly humour, which both children and adults alike will find funny. The quirky and whimsical watercolour illustrations are sure to capture the attention of young readers.

The Bongles and The Crafty Crows – The newest book in the series helps children to learn about cyber resilience in a fun-filled way.

Story Summary

Three wooden crates wash up onto the shores of Bongle Island.

The Bongles really want to keep this new found treasure safe from the crafty crows.

Will the crows outsmart the Bongles’ padlocks and passcodes?

Will the crows take the crates full of treasure and keep it all for themselves?

‘The Bongles and the Crafty Crows‘ story book was included in the P1 Bookbug Family bags for every primary one child in Scotland in 2023/24!

There is also a variety of practitioner-created learning and teaching resources to accompany the story, a downloadable PDF of the book and an animation on the Bongles website and links to recordings of previous educator information sessions and children’s ‘read alongs’ at the bottom of this page.

You will also engage with this story in the 3-part series of early level Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety webinars, This is early level Digital – CRIS and through various cyber events throughout the year, which will be advertised here, on the blog.

Upcoming read alongs for children and webinars for educators during Book Week Scotland November 2024:

The Bongles and The Crafty Crows Accessible Read Along.

Educator Webinar. The Bongles & The Crafty Crows learning resource: supporting early level Cyber Resilience

AM Read Along – The Bongles and The Crafty Crows

Scottish Book Trust Event: Draw your own Bongles with Dean Queazy

PM Read Along – The Bongles and The Crafty Crows

December 2024

Na Bongles agus na Starragan Carrach, Foghlam Meadhan Gàidhlig – Leugh Còmhla ris an neach-aithris Linda NicLeòid!

February 2025

Educator Webinar. The Bongles & The Crafty Crows learning resource: supporting early level Cyber Resilience

More dates to be added!

The Bongles and The Crafty Crows articles and related links:

Early level learners paving the way for a cyber secure nation (linkedin.com)

Teaching Children Cyber Security Skills Is An Investment In Our Future – TeachingTimes

CyberScotland Week – Cyber Scotland

Three random words – NCSC.GOV.UK

The Bongles and the Crafty Crows Campaign Report November 2023

Previous webinar and read along recordings:

April 20, 2023

This is early level Digital – CRIS

(Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety).

When we use the internet we either consume, create or communicate. Each of these behaviours has different levels and types of risk. Join us in this series of three webinars to explore how we can support early level learners to gain knowledge and confidence in Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety. This webinar series is for all ELC practitioners working with early level learners across a variety of settings in Scotland.

The sessions will include examples from practice, centered around the Curriculum for Excellence early level Digital Literacy CRIS Experiences and Outcome,

I can explore, play and communicate using digital technologies safely and securely. TCH 0-03

illustrating what invitations to explore, play and communicate safely and securely may look like across a variety of ELC settings.

We will also refer to National self-evaluation framework for ELC, How Good is Our Early Learning and Childcare Quality Indictor 2.1 Safeguarding and Child Protection.

We welcome you to familiarise yourself with Curriculum for Excellence early level Digital Literacy Experiences and Outcomes prior to joining us.

Each session is accompanied by optional follow up reading/professional development centred on the Cyber Toolkit, coordinating with each session.

Attendees will be invited to submit a short blog post illustrating how the programme has impacted practice,

The examples of practice included in the session content will be ELC focused, however this session is for all practitioners working at early level across a variety of settings.

Glow login NOT required.

Each session will be repeated three times throughout the year 23/24 with morning and twilight options.

To get the most from this course, it is advised that you join the sessions in numerical order.

Session 1 (60 minutes) This is early level Digital, CRIS – Consume 7.9.23 & 9.1.24 & 16.4.24

Session 2 (30 minutes) This is early level Digital, CRIS – Create 3.10.23 & 20.2.24 & 30.4.24

Session 3 (30 minutes) This is early level Digital, CRIS – Communicate 7.11.23 & 12.3.24 & 14.5.23

April 6, 2023

Cyber security advice and guidance for Early Learning and Childcare providers.

All ELC providers want to create a safe and secure environment for the children in your care. As we become ever more reliant on digital technology it is increasingly important that you protect data (on children, staff and families), finances and also the integrity of any digital systems you use, including email, communication channels and databases.

There are a handful of steps you can take to minimise the potentially costly and disruptive effect of a cyber incident, and better safeguard the children in your care, as well as your business’s finances and reputation. This short seminar is for anyone working in childcare in Scotland. It is run by the National Cyber Security Centre (www.ncsc.gov.uk), and supported by the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and Care Inspectorate, as part of CyberScotland Week. It will provide you with advice and steps you can take to minimise the likelihood and impact of a cyber attack on your setting, and information about where to get help and advice if you need it.

Please click here to download e-pamphlet PDF Early Years practitioners: using cyber security to protect your settings.

Keeping-Under-Fives-Safe-Online2.pdf (childnet.com)

ELC cyber home

March 7, 2023

21 March 4pm, An Introduction to Digital Citizenship with Common Sense Education webinar

An introduction to Digital Citizenship for Early Learning and Childcare and Primary Practitioners with Common Sense Education.

Prepare your learners for success as digital learners, leaders and citizens. In this 30 minute webinar, you’ll learn the six core concepts on digital citizenship and how you can integrate common sense’s progressive scheme of work into your classroom/playroom.

This webinar is suitable for Teachers, ELC Practitioners including Childminders and Caregivers for early to second level learners.

All resources shared are available for free from commonsense.org/education

December 20, 2022

Cyber Security

ipsum lorum

go to Cyber home

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- As childminders, you want to create a safe and secure environment for the children in your care. As we become ever more reliant on digital technology it is increasingly important that you protect data (on… …

- This session's Cyber Scotland Week will take place 27th February - 5th March 2023.Let us know what you're up to on twitter @digilearnscot with #CSW2023 Education Scotland will be delivering and supporting live sessions all… …

- All ELC providers want to create a safe and secure environment for the children in your care. As we become ever more reliant on digital technology it is increasingly important that you protect data (on… …

- Education Scotland is proud to be Scotland's CyberFirst programme regional partner. Education Scotland's digilearn programme provides national guidance, support and inspiration to local authorities, schools and educators across all thirty-two local authorities. go to the… …

December 20, 2022

Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety for secondary teachers

This section aims to provide ideas, information and professional learning to support secondary teachers develop confident and responsible children and young people that are cyber resilient or interested in studying cyber security.

 go to cyber home

 DigiLearnScot home

Cyber resources

CyberFirst offers a range of learning courses and resources from age 11, including:

Trailblazers
Adventurers
Defenders
Futures

go to CyberFirst courses

Experience an interactive journey into the world of cybersecurity. This resource shines a light on some of the most important topics for how to stay safe inside the digital world and gives practical suggestions that help improve cyber resilience.

go to Living in a Digital World

This set of resources combines the SQA level 4 units in Cyber Security Fundamentals and Internet Safety.

They reinforce our belief that every learner should have the knowledge and skills to use the internet and online services safely, allowing them to spot potential risks and recover from any potential harm, they face while using online services.

go to Level 4 resources

This module has primarily been developed to further enhance the skills of the learners to take part in, for example, cyber competitions and challenges including the Cyber 9/12 College and Universities competition.

go to Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge page

Understanding cyber resilience and internet safety

The Teacher Cyber Toolkit is the main page for information, ideas and resources for teachers. It splits internet use into: consume, create or communicate and has resources and information for each of these.

go to Cyber Toolkit

Start here if you need support with basic digital literacy skills, such as creating passwords, logging in to Glow or connecting to Wi-Fi.

go to Teacher Digital Skills toolkit

This is Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety is the next step for teachers more confident in their own digital literacy. There are four sessions to choose from whether you are planning lessons or creating guidance for your school or community.

go to This is Cyber CLPL

Cyber across the curriculum

Cyber resilience and internet safety can be incorporated into other curricular areas, below are links to those which are ‘responsibilities of all’. This has been kept concise for simplicity but there are many other aspects that could be explored by teachers.

cyber security for secondary schools

Cyber security can be studied in Scottish education as a discrete subject. It offers challenge, problems to solve and opportunities.

go to cyber security

There are lots of areas of our lives now touched by digital technology and cyber resilience can help keep them safer, more private and fairer.

go to cyber in HWB

More of the information we consume is now online, in the form of news, social media and literature. Learners need support to find, evaluate and make use of these texts.

go to cyber in literacy

December 20, 2022

Cyber Resilience and Internet Safety for primary teachers

This section aims to provide ideas, information and professional learning to support primary teachers develop confident and responsible children and young people that are cyber resilience.

The key skills and knowledge for teaching cyber resilience can be found in the image opposite. The image can also be viewed with this link:
go to cyber resilience digital skills guide

These basic cyber resilience skills form part of the Learner Digital Skills toolkit for Digital Literacy in Curriculum for Excellence.

 go to cyber home

The Cyber Resilience Toolkit explains the main risks, potential harms and strategies to support children and young people reduce the risk of using the internet.

go to Cyber Toolkit

cyber resilience lessons

These cyber resilience lessons for primary and secondary learners are designed to be easy-to-use for educators, engaging for learners and to develop their resilience.

go to Cyber Lessons

This literature review, produced by the University of Glasgow, is clear about the need for children and young people to learn digital skills to help them become cyber resilient. It underpins our work on cyber resilience and internet safety.

Read the report here

Additional resources

The Bongles is story for younger learners that introduces the basic concepts of keeping devices secure with passcodes.
There are resources for teachers to support the learning.

go to The Bongles

CyberSprinters is an online game for 7-11 year olds that introduces the basics of cyber hygiene and security.
There are resources for teachers to support the learning.

go to CyberSprinters

CyberFirst Navigators is a series of interactive videos and supporting resources for 11–14 year olds.

go to CyberFirst Navigators

February 2, 2021

What is Internet Safety?

traffic light graphic for safe smart kind internet use
Share what internet safety looks like in your setting Please fill out this form

The Scottish Government (2017) states: “Every child and young person has an age appropriate and evolving understanding of the opportunities and risks which exist in the online world.”

This is defined within these outcomes:

Children and young people are aware of their rights and responsibilities in the online world
Children and young people are resilient and are equipped to help themselves and their peers
Children and young people are able to identify when they, or their peers, are at risk, and know what to do if they spot something

Internet safety deals with events and issues that are cyber enabled – that means it can be an issue online and offline. Cyber enabled issues include viewing inappropriate content, sharing images and videos, and harmful communication, such as cyberbullying and grooming.

Dealing with internet safety requires support with behaviours and understanding the needs that drive those behaviours, more than the use of an internet-connected device. When using the internet we want our children and young people to be safe, smart and kind.

Have you tried these free internet safety resources?

Younger Children’s Screen Time.

Sharing our reading with you… We recently shared a variety of recommend reading links around screen time. In this post we share some more, but… Read more

The BIG BIG Computing Quiz – Download

We a had a great turn out for the BIG BIG COMPUTING QUIZ on Monday 4th November to kick off Computing Science Week 2024! Over… Read more

Scotlands Digital Science Festival 1st to 8th November – Powered by Techfest

As part of Scotland’s Digital Science Festival, powered by TechFest, a number of online sessions are taking place that your Secondary School students won’t want… Read more

#CSW24 – Computing Science Week Scotland 2024

Computing Science Week 2024 will run from November 4th to 15th 2024. Both weeks will comprise of Live Lessons, Success Sharing Sessions, Educator Webinars, and… Read more

Recommended reading: Tackling Digital Exclusion – Audit Scotland

This blog post is a summary of key points in Audit Scotland’s report that might be useful for educational settings, such as schools, nurseries and… Read more

Computing Science in Scotland – Update

Over the next few months, we will be hosting a number of events to support Computing Science education in Scotland. These events include Computing Science… Read more

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Cyber resources

Understanding cyber resilience and internet safety

Cyber across the curriculum

Additional resources

Have you tried these free internet safety resources?

Upcoming CRIS Webinars