In 2022 Primary Goal secured £580,000 of apprenticeship levy funding for St. Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust which secured over 40 places on our Digital Champion Programme. An incredible impact we have delivered time and again to many Schools and Trusts across the nation. 

A year later, we look at how our Digital Champion Programme has benefited St. Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust and the far reaching and positive impact the programme and funding has had. 

What is the Digital Champion Programme?  

Our Digital Champion Programme is like no other. It’s run by our in-house experts, who are Digital EdTech and Pedtech specialists. This programme is designed to grow digital capacity across each school and support digital strategies across all levels of organisations we work with.  

For educators, it’s a game-changer. It helps you understand how Digital applications and technology fits into your teaching and school life, making lessons more engaging, accessible, and inclusive, driving staff retention, learner progress and attendance.   

Additionally, it bridges the digital gap and ensures that everyone, from students to the entire community, reaps the benefits. These benefits include improved student outcomes and getting students ready for the future job market which is increasingly demanding basic digital skills no matter the role. Technology moves fast, so we’ve made it our mission to ensure that educators are up to speed and fully equipped to teach the next generation. 

How has our Digital Champion Programme benefited St. Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust? 

At St. Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust, Primary Goal’s Digital Champion Programme has become a cornerstone of innovation and progress. It’s not only helped to pass on digital skills to students, but it has also fostered a culture of skill sharing among staff members, continuous learning and growth that benefits everyone. 

Our Digital Champion Programme has boosted confidence among educators of all levels when it comes to teaching digital skills. With tailored training and hands-on guidance, they have not only mastered various digital tools but have also gained the assurance to seamlessly integrate them into their teaching and leadership methods. This newfound confidence doesn’t just stop at the classroom door; it radiates throughout the school community. When teachers feel secure in their ability to navigate the digital landscape, it naturally translates into more engaging and interactive lessons for the students.  

The programme has most importantly led to enriched learning experiences for children within the Trust. Primary school students have been able to delve into the wonders of outer space through immersive AI experiences that are much more engaging than just textbooks alone. By helping teachers to integrate cutting-edge technology like AI into the curriculum, we are ensuring everyone is prepared for a future where digital literacy has never been more important.  

Kelly Deavile, Head of Digital Transformation at St Barts Multi Academy Trust says;  

“I am so pleased with how the apprenticeships have been embedded across the trust. The staff and I are really enjoying the programme and are seeing the impact they are having through their digital champion work. I am starting face-to-face network meetings in a couple of weeks for all digital champions and digital leaders to discuss and share all things digital, so it really is helping us to drive the digital change. 

Anne, our apprenticeship coach, is just fab too, Anne is so responsive and supportive with a whole manner of queries and issues. She gets on to things straight away and nothing is too much trouble for her. We are really enjoying Andy’s live sessions too. He delivers in a way that you don’t feel like you are being talked ‘at’ and are actually part of a bigger conversation. 

The content is really interesting, the sessions are relaxed and so informative. Considering they take place at the end of the day I really look forward to them, we all do.” 

Feedback from those on the course include: 

“I love to learn new things and the course was a great opportunity to do that. It’s given me the confidence to use technology in school and in my own teaching.” – Ruth Jones, Class Teacher 

“It’s had a positive impact on other members of stuff because as I’ve been developing my skills, I’ve been able to share that with others.” – Natalie Salt, Higher Level Teaching Support   

By equipping educators with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate the digital landscape effectively, we are nurturing a generation of learners who are proficient in technology and capable of using it to solve real-world challenges. The Digital Champion Programme is not just a training initiative; it’s a transformative journey that empowers educators and enriches students’ lives. 

Lisa Sarikaya, Chief Executive Officer at St. Bart’s Multi-Academy Trust says; 

“I am keen for us to develop any further ways to work together as I can honestly say the trust and apprentices have got so much out of the work that we have done with you so far. Thank you so much for these opportunities and if we can aide any of your future ideas or future projects we would happily jump on board.” 

What is apprenticeship levy funding?  

The government’s apprenticeship levy is a tax that employers with a payroll exceeding £3 million (threshold) are required to contribute to. These contributions are subsequently pooled into a dedicated fund, which can be tapped into to assist in covering the funding that is linked to apprenticeship training.   

Louise Salmon, CEO of Primary Goal, said; “At Primary Goal we make sure that stakeholder relationships are really strong to ensure that the Apprenticeship Levy funding goes back into education across our country, impacting the workforce of today, and tomorrow.”  

Interested in helping your team improve their digital skillset? Enquire here to find out more.