Schools across Rhondda Cynon Taf came together on Monday 7 June and Thursday 10 June, to showcase and celebrate digital learning. The schools have been working together to develop innovate practices to support the development of digital skills within the Curriculum for Wales, and pupils were presented with the RCT Pupil Digital Leader Award, the culmination of a programme they’ve taken part in to improve digital leadership within schools. The scheme comes as part of the RCT Digital Strategy for Schools, funded by the Welsh Government HWB.
Digital learning has become an integral part of the school’s curriculum and the RCT Digital Team for Schools has developed a Digital Leader Network to support primary and secondary schools in their journey to effective digital learning. The Welsh Government Hwb EdTech programme has invested over £100 million to support the transformation of digital infrastructure and provide access to digital devices across all maintained schools in Wales.
The RCT Digital Showcase Event, which took place on the 7th July at Coleg Y Cymoedd stemmed from the success of last year’s event, this whole day event saw schools presenting a range of projects promoting digital learning across the curriculum and school-to-school collaboration.
All RCT schools were invited to attend as well as representatives from Welsh Government, the RCT Schools Improvement, Digital Improvement and ICT team, Central South Consortium and Technocamps. The schools had the opportunity to listen to a range of guest speakers and choose from a range of workshops highlighting effective practice in digital learning, including:
Strengthening Digital Collaboration Across the Aberdare Cluster - Presented by Michelle Lloyd, Llwydcoed Primary School
Voices of Mid Rhondda: a digital collaboration project focusing on the past, present and future of the community within the Ysgol Nantgwyn Cluster
Presented by Kayley Bartlett and Danielle Hipkiss, Cwmclydach Primary School
Pupil Digital Leadership: Supporting the Community to Stay Safe Online
Ceryn Morgan, Trehopcyn Primary School
Developing Effective Digital Learning within the Treorchy Cluster
Presented by Owen Wrangham, Penyrenglyn Primary School and Neil Arthur, Parc Primary School
Building Learning with Minecraft Education Edition
Presented by Dosbarth Mr Lucas (Year 4/5), YGG Llyn Y Forwyn and featuring the work of Year 4/5 Cymmer Primary School
Designing for Learning – A 3D Printing Collaboration: a collaboration between Porth Community School and the University of South Wales
Presented by Owen Jones, Porth Community School
Creating Hwb Escape Rooms to Enhance Enquiry-Led Learning
Presented by Kate Lewis, Treorchy Primary School
There were also a range of workshops focusing on cyber security and safe use of AI to support learning and teaching, delivered by Rhondda Cynon Taff Council, Hwb, Central South Consortium and Welsh Government Digital Resilience Team.
The RCT Pupil Digital Leader event took place on 10th July at University of South Wales. Pupil digital leaders from over 30 schools came together to share how they have been supporting digital leadership within their schools and communities. As well as sharing their learnings, pupil digital leaders took part in an escape room challenge before receiving their award for taking part in this year’s programme.
The RCT Pupil Digital Leader Award was presented by Tim Britton, Head of Achievement in RCT - Primary Sector. The award was given for achieving a range of milestones during the RCT Pupil Digital Leader Programme. This year also marked the first RCT Digital Ambassador Award, building up the good practice developed during the previous year. Schools taking part had the opportunity to work with the community to support an RCT wide initiative to keep people safe online through identifying mis and disinformation.
The schools receiving the award this year were:
RCT Pupil Digital Leader Award
Ton Pentre Junior School
Llwydcoed Primary School
Cymmer Primary School
Miskin Primary School
St Michael's Primary School
Cwmbach Primary School
Penrhiwceibr Primary School
Oaklands Primary School
Ynysboeth Primary School
Tai Centre
Abercynon Primary School
Aberdare Town CiW Primary School
Penyrenglyn Primary School
Gwaunmeisgyn Primary School
Gelli Primary School
Cwmaman Primary School
Ynyshir Primary School
Pontygwaith Primary School
Maesybryn Primary School
Penygawsi Primary School
YGG Ynyswen
Tonysguboriau Primary
Llwynypia Primary School
Maerdy Primary School
Darran Park Primary
Parc Primary School
RCT Pupil Ambassador Award
Brynnau Primary School
SS. Gabriel and Raphael Primary School
Trehopcyn Primary School
Treorchy Primary School
James Protheroe, RCT Lead Officer for Digital Learning in Schools, said: “From helping others to stay safe online or develop digital skills, to communicating with parents and the local community, these learners play an important role in leading digital learning in their schools.
“The showcase event continues as an annual celebration of digital learning across RCT, to share further knowledge and best practices in digital learning.”
Councillor Rhys Lewis, Cabinet Member for Education, Inclusion and Welsh Language, said: “A truly successful day for RCT schools sharing best practice and learning about the future of digital learning. Welsh Government HWB and partners were fantastic in supporting this scheme and teaching the schools about online safety, while promoting the support available to teachers integrating digital learning into the curriculum.
“I’m very proud of the pupil digital leaders and eager to see the future of the programme and how it develops future learning within RCT Schools, setting the pupils up for the future.”
Posted on 22/07/2025