Professional Development

Staff Evaluation

At the start of our Digital Schools Award Journey (2023/2024 session), staff evaluated themselves against this category. They did this collaboratively using a Carousel. Here are the examples they gave:

  • February, September and May cluster in-service days
  • Digital workshops at the In-Service Day attended by teachers and teaching assistants
  • Extra-Curricular digital clubs
  • CLPL at Professional Learning Academy
  • Lawthorn’s Digital Learning and Teaching Strategy
  • Courses taken by staff available through NAC e.g. promethean board training – and elsewhere e.g. Apple Store
  • iLearn Modules
  • Digital Safety Week

Drop -In Sessions 2025
Throughout this year we have planned some ICT Drop-In sessions to help keep staff up to date with their ICT skills. Staff are asked for suggestions as to what we can offer.

This year, so far, we have already delivered:

  • 9th October: Classroom Screen
  • 23rd October: Getting started with Canva
  • 6th November: Presenting with Canva
  • 4th December: AI

Further planned sessions are on the poster attached below:
Drop-in sessions

Click the link below for feedback from staff who attended the Classroom Screen and AI Drop-in sessions.
Classroom Screen Drop-In
AI Drop In

Collegiate and In-Service Training
Over the last two sessions, we have had a large focus on the development of ICT.

On during the 2023/2024 session, our focus was a cluster approach to develop consistency and planning. This saw the ICT co-ordinators in each of our cluster schools host two in-service days. The first was an evaluation and identification of next steps. Following this, we developed planning frameworks that were then evaluation by teaching staff and then introduced to the planning of all schools in the cluster.

During this process staff from all cluster school staff (Dreghorn Primary, Springside Primary, Glebe Primary and Elderbank Primary) evaluated their current skill level in all aspects of ICT. The ICT Co-ordinators then prepared an in-service day where all cluster staff attended, and attended workshops delivered by teacher volunteers and ICT Co-ordinators.

Workshop lists for Cluster In-Service Day Digital Skills Training, plus times for independent learning where staff could explore resources and the compiled blog:

In Service 4 Digital Workshop Lists
Independent Groups Times
Blog with links aimed at supporting staff with Digital Technologies

In-Service Day Training (24th May 2024)

During our May 2024 In-Service Day, Rosslyn Lee (North Ayrshire Council’s Digital Development Officer) was invited to attend the school to deliver CPD on supporting pupils learning using accessibility tools. This was delivered to both Teachers and Pupils Support Assistants.
Below is the link to the agenda for the day and the Sways used and shared at the training:
2022-2023 – In-service Day Plans – May 2024
Sway: Accessibility through Chrome
Sway: Accessibility Tools in Microsoft 365

In-Service Day Training 23.09.25

During this in-service day, there was a focus on leveraging digital and in the morning staff were signposted to the following resources and given time to explore:

  • Chat GPT
  • Magic School AI
  • Micro:bits
  • Google Earth Education
  • Padlet
  • Chatterpix

They were also updates about the procedure for requesting apps (managed by Jamf via North Ayrshire Council), the apps that are already available on the iPads.

In the afternoon, staff attended two more in-depth workshops, one on Stop Motion Capture and one on using the Green Screen.

Link to In-Service Day Slides (23.09.25)
Examples of work from the teacher afternoon workshops:
Stop Motion Capture
Stop Motion Capture 2
Green Screen 1
Green Screen 2

Staff also completed submission sheets to say what they will try from the day:

Staff submissions: In-Service Day 23.09.24

Evidence of increased confidence and skill
Our recent trio visit (24th and 25th February 2025) as part of the authority quality assurance calendar noted: There was effective and purposeful use of a range of digital technologies evident across the different learning communities, including padlet, indy cars, Kahoot, and embedded tools for drawing and timers. Trio Feedback 2.3 Lawthorn Feb 25

At the August 2024 in-service day, staff in the senior and middle school completed a ‘Deep Learning Teacher Self Assessment Tool’ which dedicated one section to ‘Leveraging Digital’. They then completed this again in March 2025 and there was a marked improvement in how they rated the practice against the markers for this particular section. Please see evidence below:
Deep Learning Teacher Self Assessment Tool
Staff Evaluation Analysis Deep Learning – August
Staff Evaluation Analysis Deep Learning – November