Direction, Not Just Devices:
Northgate British School's Next
Chapter with All Prints
Part Two
Executive Summary
“Digital leadership is about improving learning, not increasing screen time. It means selecting the right tool, for the right purpose, at the right time.”
— Thomas Sale, Digital Lead, Northgate British School
1,900 of 2,400, across 80 classes.
Every strong foundation invites a bigger question. For Northgate British School, that question came once the technology was in place. How do you turn a successful iPad deployment into a lasting culture of digital learning?
Our first case study told the story of the deployment, the moment Northgate put Apple technology into the hands of its teachers and students. This second case study picks up where that left off. With the devices live and the programme growing, All Prints recommended a next step: appoint a dedicated Digital Lead to give the programme strategic direction from within. Northgate did exactly that, and this is the story of what changed.
The school hired Thomas Sale, an experienced Assistant Head, to lead data, reporting, EdTech and innovation. In a remarkably short time, he set a clear whole-school direction, targeted training to where it was needed most, and began building the systems that make a digital programme sustainable. All the while, the partnership with All Prints deepened, evolving from technical support into a strategic relationship focused on teaching, staff development, and the road to Apple Distinguished School recognition.
Drawing on the voices of the Digital Lead, the senior leadership team, and teachers across the school, this case study shows how in-house digital leadership, guided by the right partner, turns a deployment into a direction.
The Story So Far
Northgate British School began its Apple journey with a bold deployment. As documented in our first case study, the school rolled out a one-to-one iPad programme with All Prints as its trusted Apple Premium Education Partner, putting devices into classrooms across the school and building the technical foundation for digital learning.
That deployment was a success, but it was never meant to be the finish line. A programme of this scale needs someone to guide it day to day, to set expectations, target training, and make sure every device serves a clear purpose. All Prints understood this, and recommended that Northgate appoint a dedicated Digital Lead to carry the vision forward from within. This case study is the story of that next chapter.
That scale now speaks for itself. The programme has grown from a promising start into a whole-school way of working, reaching the vast majority of Northgate’s 2,400 students across 80 classes.
The Gap After Deployment
Once the devices were live, a familiar challenge emerged. The hardware was in place, but the consistent, purposeful use of it was not yet guaranteed. The school had strong resources: a one-to-one iPad programme, two full iMac suites, and a robotics lab. What it needed was a shared approach to turn those resources into changed classroom practice.
The senior leadership team saw it clearly. As the Principal put it, the gap that remained after the initial deployment was in the setup of devices and the provision for their use. To close it, they wanted to enhance the school’s digital provision around Apple technology and immersive learning, and they wanted a focus on teaching and learning at the center of it. All Prints recommended a dedicated Digital Lead, because, in the Principal’s words, they understood the needs of the school and the vision for EdTech. That recommendation set the next chapter in motion.
Enter the Digital Lead
Northgate appointed Thomas Sale as Assistant Head, leading data, reporting, EdTech and innovation across the whole school. He brings over 24 years in education, having supported more than 900 teachers as a Lead Curriculum Specialist with the UAE Ministry of Education, and held senior roles including Head of Computing, Director of IT and Innovation, and Whole School Education Technology Coach at Kent College Dubai. His path has spanned classroom teaching, pastoral leadership, curriculum development, and senior leadership, beginning in UK primary schools before moving into international education in Dubai.
What makes his early impact striking is the timescale. Within just three weeks of joining, he had already mapped the school’s needs, set a whole-school direction, and begun rolling out targeted training. It is a testament both to his experience and to how ready Northgate was to take this step.
Setting the Direction
From the outset, the Digital Lead set a strategic direction focused on embedding digital learning across teaching, assessment, and school operations. The aim was a coherent strategy where every digital decision improves learning, supports staff, or prepares pupils for the future. As he described it, the goal was purposeful use of technology, developing the one-to-one iPad programme, setting consistent expectations across all phases, and training staff on tools such as Apple Classroom, Seesaw, Freeform, and more.
A defining part of this direction was a clear approach to AI. Rather than leaving it to chance, he introduced an approved set of tools built on safe, responsible, and effective use, alongside stronger digital safeguarding and better use of assessment data to help teachers respond to pupil needs.
Closing the Gaps
The Digital Lead began by listening. Through staff surveys, classroom visits, professional conversations, and system usage data, he built a clear picture of where confidence, experience, and need varied across the school. Rather than giving everyone the same training, he prioritised support where technology would have the clearest impact on teaching, workload, and pupil outcomes.
What he found, and what he built in response, tells the story of the role’s value:
He set common whole-school expectations, led focused training on effective iPad use and Freeform for modelling and adaptive teaching, and introduced targeted support for staff using assessment data. He established an approved AI toolset with clear guidance, and strengthened the operational backbone with a central IT ticketing process and clearer procedures. Classroom visits and staff feedback now help him review progress and ensure technology leads to real changes in practice.
The Partnership Matures
As the Digital Lead’s role grew, so did the relationship with All Prints. What began as technical support evolved into a strategic partnership focused on teaching, staff development, and long-term digital improvement. This is the natural next stage of a strong partnership, and it is where All Prints adds its deepest value.
Sabe Gnanam, from the All Prints EdTech team, has worked closely with the Digital Lead to understand Northgate’s priorities and deliver targeted staff training, including effective iPad use, accessibility features, Apple Teacher certification, and Freeform for adaptive teaching. As the Digital Lead described it, the conversation is now about how Apple technology supports classroom practice, staff confidence, and pupil outcomes, rather than focusing only on devices. Together, they are working toward a shared long-term goal: Apple Teacher certification for every teacher, and Apple Distinguished School recognition across every phase.
What Teachers Are Seeing
For teachers, the difference is felt day to day. Having an expert on hand has changed how quickly they can solve problems and how confidently they can try new things. Across those surveyed, the Digital Lead’s support was rated as considerably strengthening their teaching and helping them innovate with iPad.
How Teachers Rate the Digital Lead’s Impact
my teaching
my needs
with iPad
Teachers consistently rated the Digital Lead’s impact on their teaching and their use of iPad as considerable.
When asked where that support helped most, teachers pointed to the practical, in-the-moment value of having someone to turn to:
Where the Digital Lead Adds the Most Value
when stuck
apps & features
specific lessons
subject / year
Quick answers when stuck and learning new apps were the most valued forms of support.
The stories behind these numbers bring them to life. One teacher asked for help after a Freeform training session, and the Digital Lead came and modelled it live in the classroom, showing exactly how it would work. Another was supported through a technical issue with a teaching app. A third described how the Digital Lead helped a whole team resolve a collaboration problem with their question sets, then explained the fix step by step so they could do it themselves in future. This is support that builds capability, not dependency.
The teachers’ own words capture the difference best:
- “Top tips at our fingertips.”
- “Daily digital support means help is always within reach.”
- “Having daily access to digital support has made a real difference, as challenges can be resolved quickly and confidently, allowing us to focus on teaching and use digital tools more effectively.”
A Measurable Difference
From the leadership perspective, the change has been strategic as much as practical. Since the Digital Lead joined, the Principal reports that the programme has gained greater direction, consistency, and purpose. Teachers have clearer guidance and greater confidence, and leaders have stronger strategic oversight and a better understanding of where investment will have the greatest impact.
The senior leadership team pointed to several concrete differences:
Better consistency in how technology is used between classes
Stronger uptake of training among staff
Faster training turnaround, so teachers get support sooner
More teachers creating their own digital resources
Tellingly, the school is now investing more of its own time in training and support than before, a sign that digital leadership is becoming embedded rather than outsourced. As the Principal explained, embedding digital leadership within the senior leadership team has transformed the programme from a standalone initiative into an integral part of the school’s strategy, where decisions are made faster and digital development is driven by teaching and learning priorities rather than technology alone.
On the question of sustainability, the Principal was clear that the value lies in building internal capability:
“With All Prints’ expert guidance, we have been able to build sustainable digital leadership from within, empowering our own people with the confidence, skills and strategic understanding to lead meaningful digital transformation. Their support has not simply introduced new technology; it has strengthened our internal capacity to innovate, collaborate and create lasting impact.”
Looking Ahead
Northgate’s digital journey is now set on a clear and confident path. The long-term vision is a digitally confident, data-informed school where technology supports excellent teaching, reduces staff workload, and improves outcomes for every pupil. The Digital Lead wants digital practice to be consistent across all phases, with staff choosing tools for their educational value, and pupils growing into confident creators, critical thinkers, and responsible digital citizens.
Two milestones anchor that vision: Apple Teacher certification for every teacher, and Apple Distinguished School recognition across every phase. The school has set a clear baseline to measure progress against: today, many of Northgate’s teachers hold Apple Teacher certification, and the goal is to certify every one. With digital leadership now embedded in the school and All Prints alongside as a strategic partner, the school is positioned to scale with confidence, expanding where there is clear educational value and lasting impact. The deployment gave Northgate the tools. The direction is what will carry it forward.
Acknowledgments
This next chapter was made possible by the dedication of Northgate’s leadership and staff.
Special recognition goes to
Thomas Sale
Assistant Head, Digital Lead
Northgate British School
Thomas Meakin
Senior Leadership
Northgate British School
Sabe Gnanam
EdTech Consultant
All Prints
All Prints extends its gratitude to the leadership and teachers of Northgate British School
for their continued partnership, and for their commitment to building sustainable,
in-house digital leadership that will serve their pupils for years to come.