ESTYN
What are they looking for?
Support on this page is based on:
There are Guides for inspectors on what they expect learners to be able to do...
By Progression Step 1 pupils can:
• begin to recognise simple rules that keep them safe online
• save and retrieve their digital work from apps and familiar software
• can create simple digital content, adding text and images, simple animations and videos
• control devices by giving simple instructions and spot mistakes and correct them. For example, when producing simple algorithms to control a toy
• present data they have collected into simple charts and talk about what they have found out
By Progression Step 2 pupils can:
• understand basic rules of how to keep safe online, including using passwords, and not sharing personal information with strangers
• begin to understand how the overuse of digital devices can impact personal well-being
• begin to communicate online using simple methods such as email
• Work collaboratively with others on familiar platforms to create shared documents, for example using online word processors, presentations and spreadsheets
• understand how to save and retrieve their files from different locations
• create, edit, and improve digital content, combining text, images, sound, animations and videos using more sophisticated software tools, for example, adding hyperlinks, copy and paste, crop and rotate images.
• create flowcharts/diagrams of instructions and create and follow simple algorithms to predict outcomes or spot errors.
• collect, organise and analyse data in a range of formats, for example, tables, charts, databases and spreadsheets and use these to answer questions
By Progression Step 3 pupils can,
• understand how to keep safe online, including thinking critically about the information shared and understanding how to identify secure websites or false information
• understand appropriate online behaviour and develop strategies for dealing with online dangers such as bullying, sexual content and racist or homophobic language
• develop a secure understanding of the importance of balancing screen time with other activities, for example, understand why gaming is sometimes difficult to limit and how it can affect well-being
• begin to understand how to cite sources when carrying out research, for example when referencing online or offline sources
• use a range of forms of digital communication and understand which is best to use in different contexts, for example, email, video conferencing, instant messaging
• collaborate with others to create and refine their work, responding to each other’s online feedback
• independently select and use software to incorporate a wide range of multimedia components and use a growing range of editing tools to make quality digital content, for example, use a range of text formats, spellchecker, find and replace, word wrap, adjust and refine images, trim and split sound and video clips, create transitions, embed objects into presentations
• create and refine algorithms, including identifying repeating patterns and adding loops
• use sensors and actuators to gather data and control physical models
• use and design spreadsheets and databases to collect and analyse information or to support an investigation or research project
• use a range of formulae in spreadsheets for example + - / x, sum, average, max, min
Teaching and learning experiences
When evaluating how well the curriculum provides learning opportunities for pupils to develop those skills outlined above, inspectors should consider how well settings:
• ensure that digital skills are planned and taught systematically to support all pupils in developing their understanding; this is particularly important for those pupils who have not had a wider of using digital resources outside of school
• ensure that their curriculum builds pupils' skills progressively and includes aspects such as coding and the use of databases and spreadsheets across the curriculum, which are commonly weak in schools
• ensure that learners have regular access to digital resources appropriate to their age, and help to develop their independence in choosing when and how to use digital tools
• plan for digital experiences in other AOLEs, making sure the skills developed to support and enhance learning across the curriculum, for example by mapping out where digital skills can be taught, then applied and developed purposefully, in new contexts
How you can evidence this:
Schools can identify what progression looks like by using digital skills.
Coding and databases and spreadsheets are covered across the school's curriculum.
Make use of storybooks and games to support learners' understanding.
Map out/track your DCF coverage against the AOLEs to ensure a spread of digital experiences.
Care, support and guidance
Inspectors should find further information on each school’s approach to online safety in the self-evaluation form that schools complete before their inspection (‘Self evaluation form for Safeguarding and Child Protection’).
Both the DCF and the current subject orders place great importance on the safe and appropriate use of digital skills, and this should be embedded throughout all activities.
Schools can complete the 360 Safe Cumru and 360 Digi Cymru trackers available on the Hwb platform.
You can also share examples of where the Citizenship strand of the DCF is covered in your school on the tracking document.
Leadership and management
Inspectors may hold discussions with leaders and teachers to consider how well they address national priorities, including effective approaches to teaching which improve pupils’ digital skills. Inspectors may discuss the school’s approach to evaluating and improving provision for the teaching and learning of digital skills. Schools may reference their use of the Welsh Governments 360 Cymru self-review tool which supports the Digital Profesional Learning Journey (DPLJ).
Inspectors may consider:
• if leaders are well-informed about developments in the teaching and learning of digital skills, provide strong leadership and convey high expectations about pupils’ progress
• if the development of digital technology has an appropriate level of priority in strategic planning
• how well the digital lead supports other teachers with their planning and if professional learning successfully develops staff skills to improve the teaching of digital skills
• how well staff and pupils use digital platforms to keep parents informed about their children’s progress and how well they use digital skills to support their learning at home
How you can evidence this:
Your school could make use of E-Portfolios to support the monitoring of work created against the progression map of the school.
Your school's digital strategy.
Support for staff with training and ideas to implement digital into their pedagogy.
The use of E-Portfolios will support learners sharing their digital work at home, as well as digital being a part of your school's reporting criteria.
Listening to Learners
Younger pupils in the Foundation Phase
Communicating
What do you like about working with the computer/tablet?
Can you show me ….. a picture/photo/the icon for a preferred activity/the tablet/PC?
What did you do? Show me how you can open and close apps on a tablet e.g. to use a drawing app.
Show me how you can move objects across the screen on the computer or how to draw a picture.
Can you take a picture? Show me?
Data handling
Possible awareness of live’ graphs using pupils and progressing onwards to use a Pictogram
Can you sort these objects? – with objects/on screen
Modelling
What do you like about working with a programmable toy (i.e. BeeBot etc)
Can you make it go? What does it do? How do you control/use it?
Online Safety
Who is this? – looking at a picture of self/ familiar person
Year 2 pupils in the Foundation Phase
Communicating
What do you like about working with the computer/tablet?
Can you show me examples of what you have done?
Can you show me a story/presentation that you’ve done using the tablet or computer?
How do you change the size or colour of words on a page – or how they look (changing font)?
Can you show me examples of pictures you’ve taken using a camera or tablet?
What do you do if you need help?
Could you change it? Make it better? How?
How do you share your work? How do you save your work?
Data handling
Can you show me examples of graphs that you have created using a tablet or computer? – progression is usually from ‘live’ graphs and pictograms in N/R/Yr1 to block (Yr1) and bar graphs in Yr2
More able pupils may be able to show you examples of getting answers from a database.
Can you think of an example of where you used the internet to look for information?
How did you do this?
Modelling
How do you control/use a programmable toy (i.e. BeeBot etc)?
Can you show me how to move the programmable toy around the smallest square it can normally create?
How about a rectangle? (For more able pupils you could ask what changes they would have to make to create a square double the smallest size).
Online Safety
How do you stay safe online?
What do you do if you find something that’s not nice on the computer?
How do you share information?
Pupils in lower key stage 2
Communicating
What do you like about working with the computer/tablet?
Can you show me examples of what you have done?
Can you show me a story/presentation that you’ve done using the tablet or computer?
How do you change the size or colour of words on a page – or how they look (changing font)?
How do you add pictures, video or sound?
Can you show me examples of pictures etc you’ve added to a piece of work?
Can you play me any sound you’ve created using an app e.g. GarageBand?
Can you show me any videos or animations that you’ve created?
Data handling
Can you show me examples of graphs that you have created using a tablet or computer? – progression is usually from ‘live’ graphs and pictograms in N/R/Yr1 to block (Yr1) and bar graphs in Yr2 to bar and line graphs in Yr3&4
Can pupils show you examples of getting answers from a database or using a database in thematic work e.g. a data file on ‘Ourselves’ or how they classified animals or materials using a branching database?
Can you give you a range of examples of where they have used the internet to look for information? How did you do this?
Modelling
Can they explain how to control a programmable toy to create various simple shapes? (Are they beginning to understand how changing one variable affects another in models or simulations e.g. doubling the size of a square created using a programmable toy or creating rectangles of various sizes?)
Can they talk you through how they used a simulation online e.g. XYZ in Hwb? Supplementary guidance for the inspection of digital competence in schools 9
Online Safety
How do you stay safe online?
What do you do if you find something that’s not nice on the computer?
How do you share information?
Tell us a rule about how the internet should be used here at school.
Pupils in upper key stage 2
Communicating
What do you like about working with the computer/tablet?
Can you show me examples of what you have done?
Can you show me a story/presentation that you’ve done using the tablet or computer for a specific purpose or audience?
How do you change the size or colour of words on a page – or how they look (changing font)?
How do you add pictures, video or sound?
Can you show me the front page of a newspaper that you’ve created i.e. a columned document with pictures?
Can you show me examples of pictures etc you’ve added to a piece of work?
Can you play me any sound you’ve created using an app e.g. GarageBand?
Can you show me any videos or animations that you’ve created?
Can you show me how you send and receive information electronically?
Data handling
Can you show me examples of graphs that you have created using a tablet or computer? – progression is usually from ‘live’ graphs and pictograms in N/R/Yr1 to block (Yr1) and bar graphs in Yr2 to bar and line graphs in Yr3&4 to bar, line and scatter graphs in Yr 6
Can pupils show you examples of how they added to or amended a database? More able pupils may be able to show you how they created a database (Level 5)
Can you please show me how you can search and sort on more than one field on a database – e.g. how many pupils have blonde hair and blue eyes?
Can you give you a range of examples of where they have used the internet to look for information? How did you do this?
Modelling
Can they explain how changing one variable affects another in models or simulations e.g. doubling the size of a square created using a programmable toy or creating rectangles of various sizes; or the effect of a 15% rise in costs on the fruit on their Fruit Shop spreadsheet?
Can they explain how to use a spreadsheet as a currency converter or to calculate the area and perimeter of a room?
Can they talk you through how they used a simulation online e.g. XYZ in Hwb?
Online Safety
How do you stay safe online?
What do you do if you find something that’s not nice on the computer?
How do you share information?
Tell us a rule about how the internet should be used here at school.
Pupils in key stage 3
Communicating
Can you show me a story/presentation that you’ve done for a specific purpose or audience using a tablet or computer?
Can you talk me through how you prepared/found and combined the various pieces of information and media?
Can you show me various copies that show how you refined the work and came to the finished piece of work?
Can you show me the front page of a newspaper that you’ve created i.e. a columned document with pictures?
Can you show me examples of pictures etc you’ve added to a piece of work?
Can you play me any sound you’ve created using an app e.g. GarageBand?
Can you show me any videos or animations that you’ve created?
Can you show me how you send and receive information electronically?
How do you use ICT to check the accuracy and plausibility of information? (by comparing information from different sources, and making choices to meet the needs of a specific purpose or audience).
Data handling
Can you show me examples of graphs that you have created and explain how you did this?
Can you show an example of a database you created?
How do you use databases to follow complex lines of enquiry and draw conclusions? e.g can you please show me how you can search and sort on more than one field on a database – e.g. how many pupils have blonde hair and blue eyes or how many pupils weigh > 40kg and are < than 120cm tall?
Can you give you a range of examples of where they have used the internet to search and sort on more than one field on a database e.g. a Ford Focus with 5 doors and worth between £4000 - £4500? How did you do this?
Modelling
Can you explain how changing one variable affects another in models or simulations e.g. the effect of a 17.5% rise in costs on the profit made by the seller?
Can you explain clearly what a formula does inside a cell?
Can you explain how to use a spreadsheet to calculate the area and perimeter of a room?
Can you talk me through how you used a simulation online e.g. https://hwb.wales.gov.uk/search?query=simulations – can they vary the rules within them and test hypotheses?
Online Safety
How do you stay safe online?
Tell us a rule about how the internet should be used here at school.
What opinions do you have about issues raised by the use of ICT?
What are the dangers associated with misuse of the internet/related technologies?
What are the implications of using networks?
Pupils in key stage 4
Communicating
Can you show me a publication/presentation/video/animation that you’ve done for a specific purpose or audience using a tablet or computer?
Can you talk me through how you planned the work?
Can you show me various copies that show how you refined the work and came to the finished piece of work?
How did you refine your choice of selected information to match the needs of a specific purpose or audience?
How do you identify the advantages and limitations of different applications and select and use suitable ICT facilities?
Data handling
Can you show me examples of graphs that you have created and explain how you did this?
Can you show me how you designed a database (i.e. making appropriate choices within a data-handling application, using its specialised functions)?
Modelling Can you show me how you designed a computer model to meet a specific need?
Online Safety
How do you stay safe online?
Tell us a rule about how the internet should be used here at school.
Can they discuss in an informed way the social, economic, ethical and moral issues raised by ICT?
Questions for senior leaders
Select the most appropriate questions according to lines of inquiry:
IA1
What is your view on standards of digital skills across the curriculum in the school?
The answer could be: (Primary) As a school cluster we have identified the digital skills we would like our year 6 pupils to leave with, we have a plan of how we develop these skills in our school at different stages. We make use of a tracking tool to identify where our learner's digital experiences support the coverage of the DCF.
(Secondary) All our feeder primary schools work to ensure that the digital skills our learners arrive with are of a similar standard, this allows us to continue their development throughout their time with us. We have identified the skills we expect to be developed at different points in the school, and through tracking the DCF coverage we ensure our learners have a broad range of experiences to apply their digital skills.
IA2
What is your view on how well pupils know how to keep safe online? How do you know?
The answer could be: We take the online safety of our learners incredibly seriously and hope that as a school we prepare them for the digital world they are already living in. We ensure that the citizenship strand of the DCF is covered, and staff are expected to record the activities they have done to support our learner's understanding of these skills.
Refer to any additional resources used to support online safety at your school. e.g. We make use of Google's BeInternetLegends activities to support an understanding of online safety,
IA3
What actions have you taken to promote the development of digital skills and online safety throughout the school? How are you planning to develop learners’ skills?
The answer could be: By ensuring that our learners can develop all aspects of the DCFs strands, throughout their time in our school. We identify the DCF coverage on our tracking tool, this ensures that our staff are accountable for identifying where they have included these skills.
Online safety is developed through the Citizenship strand of the DCF, we also take part in Online Safety Day where our learners complete tasks relating to the theme.
IA5
Are there any barriers preventing pupils developing good digital skills?
The answer could be: Access to digital tools and applications can be a barrier to learners developing their digital skills, as part of our school's digital strategy we have identified measures to support our learners without access to devices at home. All our learners have the same access to applications at home as they have in school when they are asked to complete tasks from home.
IA3
How do you ensure the curriculum provides appropriate opportunities for learners to develop their digital skills?
The answer could be: Through the effective implementation of the DCF all our teaching staff are expected to implement the skills within the DCF into their pedagogy which will enhance learning experiences. Teachers identify where in their pedagogy the DCF skills have been experienced by our learners. We track the AOLE in which those skills have been experienced, allowing us to ensure there is a broad curriculum.
IA4
How do you track and monitor pupils’ progress in digital skills?
The answer could be: that we make use of a spreadsheet that staff complete with tangible examples of activities that our learners have had the opportunity to develop the DCF skills. We have also identified what we would like progression to look like for a learner's digital skills as they move through our school, we use these two tools to look at the work of our learners to identify if what they are creating is moving along those lines of progression.
IA4
Is information on pupils’ skills developments shared effectively between phases? Evidence?
The answer could be: As we have identified what skills we would like each year group to develop, staff are accountable for ensuring that opportunities have been given to develop these skills appropriately. Evidence can be found in the work of learners having the skills of that year and those of previous years.
IA4
How secure are your online safety procedures? How well do they use 360 Degree Safe Cymru to review and improve their online safety policies and practice? What do they use if they have not registered or not active in using 360 degree Safe Cymru? Is this robust enough?
The answer could be: We make use of the 360 Degree Safe Tool on Hwb to identify how well we support our online safety procedures. This tool allows us to track the progress we are making with the online safety procedures we have in place.
If your school has additional online safety procedures, these can be noted in this answer.
IA5
How do you ensure progression and suitable breadth of digital skills are covered in all age groups and areas of learning / subjects?
The answer could be: We have identified the progress of the digital skills we hope our learners make throughout their time with us. These digital skills are expected to be implemented consistently across the AOLEs. Through the use of a DCF tracking tool, staff identify the activities which learners have completed to develop their understanding of the DCF skills. We can see which AOLEs our learners have been able to apply their DCF skills and ensure that there is a broad and balanced curriculum for them.
IA5
What training and support have staff received to improve the use digital tools across the curriculum?
The answer could be: Staff have access to training on how to make use of the applications they have at their disposal through the Hwb platform, this is available to them on the Flintshire Support Website.
As well as how to use the apps in isolation there is also support for them on how they can adapt their teaching activities to use digital to enhance the learning experiences of their learner.
There can also be a reference to any additional support your school offers its staff.
IA5
How do you ensure value for money when procuring ICT equipment and training?
The answer could be: Your school has identified the costs of sustaining your current levels of device-to-pupil ratio. The headteacher is aware of the savings needed to continue to be resourced effectively. When procuring new devices we make use of the Welsh government's procurement catalogue. Or we ensure that the devices bought will work within the infrastructure we have in Flintshire by liaising with our federated technician.