Pupils at an Ammanford primary school have been commended for their digital skills after scooping two awards at a recent ceremony.

 

Ysgol Bro Banw walked away with the Digital Project Award and Online Safety Award at the National Digital Learning Awards at the Liberty Stadium on June 21.

 

The school beat off competition from schools across the country to win the Digital Project Award with a project created to help develop boy’s literacy through Minecraft.

 

The group of boys, known as The Superheroes created their own adventures in the role of superheroes. Once they had written their story, they got to act it out and build a set through Minecraft to create a superhero episode.

 

The episodes were then published on to all iPads across the school so other pupils can watch and comment.

 

Teacher Lucy Lock said: “This project has hugely enhanced the boy’s literacy and digital competence skills, whilst having a positive impact on behaviour too.”

 

The Online Safety Award highlights teaching digital competence through flip teaching.

 

“We recognised there was an issue with some children playing unsuitable online games such Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto.

 

“We addressed this issue by getting our year 5 and 6 children to create digital lessons about the dangers of playing unsuitable games.

 

“Pupils then taught the lessons to year 2 pupils form our school year 3 pupils from Ysgol Gymraeg.

 

“As year 2 and 3 pupils look up to the older pupils, we believe it will go a long way in preventing them playing these unsuitable games and it is something we will continue to do year on year.”

 

Pupils from the school were also invited to speak at the Liberty Stadium this year to discuss the success of their E-Safety initiative Gwylan yn Gwylio.

 

Hannah Kirkwood and Jay Hughes from Year 6 helped out with the presentation which was shown to educational professionals eight times over throughout the day.