Why schools run DigiSmart

Over the years we have been able to identify and hear about why schools choose to offer the project and why local authorities choose to support take-up. They do so for a variety of reasons, including:

Child Centred Benefits

to motivate under-achieving Year 5 children to make strong learning gains, especially in literacy and ICT
to boost children’s self-esteem, seeing this as fundamental to each child’s well-being and stamina for learning
to achieve a positive knock on effect in terms of children’s engagement back in the classroom and within the school community
to benefit from peer consultancy where the DigiSmart graduates act as buddies and pass on their skills to others
to help develop safe and smart Internet usage by vulnerable children and, through opportunities provided by the project, to raise awareness throughout the whole school

Improving Attainment

as a targeted strategy, to bring up the achievements of children not likely to gain level 4 by the end of Key Stage 2
to benefit from a developing record of assessment which charts the improvements made by individual children

Whole School Benefits

to offer quality out of school hours’ provision that been tried and tested over several years
to benefit from a ready made teaching and learning package that is regularly reviewed and updated
to take advantage of valuable professional development provided for teaching staff which enables them to transfer insights and strategies into their wider teaching practice
to build closer links with parents – many schools have found DigiSmart an effective way of engaging the interest and support of parents, including those who are harder to reach
to affirm, celebrate and promote success within the school and across the wider community

National Priorities

to target support to children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM) as a strategy for reducing persistent gaps in attainment - research reports consistently indicate that these children are twice as likely to struggle to achieve, at primary school and beyond
to aid children’s transition from primary to secondary school
to benefit from a partnership framework that supports the requirement to deliver a core offer of Extended Services
to support the Every Child Matters national framework
as part of being or becoming a Healthy School – DigiSmart children have been actively involved in submissions for National Healthy School status
as part of their provision and dissemination of e-Safety learning experiences for children and to provide evidence of this for OFSTED

Also see:

	Gains for children		How it works in schools		Ingredients for success
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