Schools recognised for digital innovation in learning at the ICT Excellence Awards

This is a result of schools also embracing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and virtual reality to improve outcomes, support creativity and break down barriers to learning.

The NI Schools ICT Excellence Awards, now in their eleventh year, recognised 24 schools and education centres for using technology to help young people become active creators, not just passive users, with digital tools. The awards, judged by leading education experts, highlight how digital innovation is reshaping learning across the curriculum, from early years through to specialist and post-primary settings. 

Opening the awards ceremony, EA Chairperson, Mervyn Storey, said:

“We are moving beyond standalone IT literacy toward ‘digital capability’. This means empowering learners to apply digital tools, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving across every single subject, from STEM to the humanities.”

This year’s winners demonstrate how technology is helping teachers reduce workload, support pupils with additional needs and open up new pathways into learning, qualifications and future careers.

Smarter technology, stronger support for pupils

St Teresa’s Nursery School in Belfast won the Nursery Setting Award for the second time, after using AI to make micro-adjustments to teaching, freeing teachers to focus more time on individual children.

This approach alongside structured, age-appropriate digital engagement, resulted in a 40% drop in dysregulated behaviour, with the school reporting children noticeably calmer and more motivated.

Neighbouring St Teresa’s Primary School was named joint Primary School Award winner. Technology is embedded across every year group, from Micro:bits to podcasts. Voice typing and immersive readers in the school’s specialist units are helping remove traditional learning barriers for pupils with additional needs.

Technology helping pupils re-engage with education

Post-primary Education Otherwise Than at School (EOTAS) centres across Northern Ireland were joint winners of the new Creativity Award supported by Northern Ireland Screen. Young people facing exclusion, trauma or severe learning blocks, re-engaged with education through filmmaking, game development and photography using industry-standard equipment, earning accredited qualifications and opening up direct career pathways.

Together, this year’s winning entries show how schools and education centres are using digital technology to make learning more inclusive, practical and engaging for children and young people across Northern Ireland. Recognised at the awards were:

Nursery Winner: St. Teresa’s Nursery School, Belfast

Primary Joint Winners: Strabane Controlled Primary School, Strabane and St Teresa’s Primary School, Belfast

Post Primary Winner: Thornhill College, Derry

Special School Winner: Clifton Special School, Bangor

The Creativity (Screen-based) Award Joint Winners: St Colmcille’s High School, Crossgar & EOTAS post-primary centres

Head Judge, Professor John Anderson MBE, said:

“For the first time, teachers and pupils are using Artificial Intelligence to make learning visible – helping young people become far more effective learners. The standard of entries this year was exceptional, and we are seeing innovation at every stage of education. I would like to thank all of the schools who continue to push boundaries in their use of technology, as well as our sponsors and partners – the Education Authority NI, EdIS/C2k, Capita, and NI Screen – for their ongoing commitment to supporting digital excellence across Northern Ireland.”