Department of Education Guidelines • Digital Strategy
Digital Learning Framework for Primary Schools: Practical Guide for Teachers, SSE & Summer CPD
The Digital Learning Framework for Primary Schools (DLF) serves as the national roadmap for integrating digital technologies into everyday teaching, learning, and assessment across Irish classrooms. Aligned directly with the Looking at Our School quality framework and the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027, it provides primary teachers and school leaders with concrete “Statements of Practice” to evaluate and enhance digital competence.
For educators seeking Department of Education approved Summer CPD courses to earn EPV Days, upskilling in digital pedagogy remains one of the most practical, high-impact investments you can make for your classroom and whole-school digital planning.
Key Takeaways for Irish Primary Teachers
- Two Core Dimensions: Mirrors Looking at Our School across two foundational pillars: Teaching & Learning (learner outcomes, experiences, and collaborative practice) and Leadership & Management.
- Statements of Practice: Details progressive benchmarks ranging from Effective Practice to Highly Effective Practice, helping schools identify their current stage and outline clear next steps.
- The Driver for SSE: Forms the compulsory foundation for developing and reviewing your school’s Digital Learning Plan (DLP) under School Self-Evaluation processes.
- Curriculum Integration: Designed to complement the Primary Curriculum Framework, inclusive education principles, digital citizenship, and STEM literacy.
How the DLF Works in the Classroom
Rather than treating educational technology as an isolated subject, the DLF focuses on embedding technology meaningfully across the curriculum:
1. Learner Outcomes & Experiences
Pupils move beyond passive consumption to become active, reflective creators using digital tools for collaborative projects, multimedia storytelling, assistive technology, and computational thinking.
2. Teachers’ Individual & Collaborative Practice
Focuses on using digital platforms for formative assessment, differentiated instruction, lesson preparation, and peer-to-peer resource sharing across the staff room.
Digital Technologies, EPV Days, and Summer CPD
Engaging with digital learning frameworks is not just a whole-school compliance exercise—it directly informs your summer upskilling. Completing a Department of Education approved Summer CPD course focused on digital learning delivers twin benefits:
- Earn EPV Days: Fully certified completion of a 20-hour approved summer course entitles eligible primary teachers to 3 Extra Personal Vacation (EPV) days for the upcoming academic year (subject to standard Board of Management approval rules).
- Targeted SSE Alignment: Teachers acquire ready-to-use resources, interactive media tools, and digital assessment workflows that directly contribute evidence toward their school’s Digital Learning Plan.
Enhance Your Digital Teaching & Secure Your EPV Days
Our online Summer CPD courses are fully approved by the Department of Education, self-paced, and filled with classroom-tested digital strategies tailored for primary teachers in Ireland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Digital Learning Framework still current?
Yes. The framework remains the Department of Education’s active standard for digital evaluation in primary schools, supported centrally under Oide Technology in Education and the national Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027.
How does digital CPD support our School Self-Evaluation (SSE)?
When teachers complete approved courses exploring digital assessment or interactive learning, the strategies implemented in class can be cited directly as targets and evidence in the school’s annual Digital Learning Plan.
Can I earn EPV days for completing digital technology courses?
Yes, provided the course is formally sanctioned and approved by the Department of Education for summer CPD. Successful completion of each eligible 20-hour online course awards an official Certificate of Completion valid for EPV days.