Published: Wednesday, 28th October 2020
Our Inspire Learning programme has been named a winner in two categories at the 2020 Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Awards.
These prestigious awards recognise achievements of local authorities across the UK.
The programme won in the 'Future Places' and ‘Public/Private Partnership’ categories during an online ceremony on Wednesday 28 October.
Categories
This Future Places award is for councils that have worked creatively with technology to make the area they serve more prosperous, ‘liveable’ and resilient in the face of likely social, economic, demographic, political or environmental trends.
The Public/Private Partnership category recognises councils who work with private or voluntary sector organisations to devise better, more efficient services.
Inspire Learning is run in partnership with SBC's IT partner CGI, alongside XMA and Apple.
Leader of Scottish Borders Council, Councillor Shona Haslam:
“To win in two categories at these national awards is an incredible result for everyone involved with Inspire Learning.
"All pupils from P4-S6 in the Scottish Borders now have their own iPad and a suite of digital learning tools. This is delivering great outcomes in classrooms and at home, where it proved invaluable during the COVID-19 lockdown.
"Inspire has quickly become embedded at the heart of what learning and teaching looks like in the Borders. Its ambitions were clear and direct: to raise attainment, support equity and inclusion, and help prepare pupils for a digital future. We strongly believe the programme will ensure these young people are well placed for the future in terms of skills and employability, and we are confident it can lead to even more people seeing the Borders as an attractive place to live and work.
“Alongside CGI, other partners and of course our amazing young people and teachers we are delivering a programme that is creating a world class digital learning environment across the Scottish Borders that reduces inequality and improves academic performance.”
Lindsay McGranaghan, CGI Vice President and Business Unit Lead Scotland:
“CGI is delighted that Scottish Borders Council has won both of these awards. Through Inspire Learning, CGI has worked tirelessly with the council to use creative technology to make the Borders a more prosperous, attractive place to live, learn and work in.
“This unique, ambitious programme has made the vision of digital learning a reality, benefiting both pupils and teachers alike. In the long term, I have no doubt that Inspire Learning will offer massive service improvements for the Scottish Borders, boosting digital skills, and employability among the young, and making this forward-thinking rural region an ever more attractive place to live and learn.
“Inspire Learning is a perfect example of how the public sector and private enterprise can combine to offer world-class learning opportunities for both pupils and teachers in the Borders.”
The original LGC Awards ceremony had been due to take place in London on 18 March but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.