In Week 11 of our Lunch & Learn CPD series at St Ignatius, I had the pleasure of running two sessions exploring the potential of Google’s NotebookLM. Each session catered to a different phase, one for EYFS–KS2, and one for KS3 to KS5 but both revealed how powerful and adaptable this AI tool can be across all areas of teaching and learning.

Part 1: NotebookLM for EYFS–KS2 (Notebooks for Little Thinkers)

In this lively and curiosity-filled session, we asked: What would you do if you had your own teaching assistant who had already read everything for you?

Staff were introduced to NotebookLM’s Gemini 2.0 engine and its surprisingly intuitive features for early years teaching. Despite my admitted lack of EYFS expertise, we explored several use cases that sparked real excitement:

• Picture Book Discussions
  Uploading a wordless picture book, we generated vocabulary banks, story prompts, and character questions. Watching the AI interpret images for rich language development felt like unlocking a hidden teaching tool.

• From Newsletters to Podcasts
  One of the session highlights was converting our school newsletter into a live, interruptible podcast. It was a real wow factor where I could pause and ask, “Who was the student of the month?” It was a big hit, offering a new way to promote active listening in young learners.

• Thematic Planning Support
  Staff explored how uploading observation notes or topic webs could instantly generate inquiry questions, EYFS vocabulary, or role-play ideas. This made NotebookLM feel like an adaptable planning companion that speaks their language.

• CPD & Communication
  Beyond classroom content, we discussed how NotebookLM could transform PD notes into action plans, and turn newsletters into friendly family updates with home learning prompts—bridging classroom and home in new ways.

“This felt like having a reflective partner who doesn’t get tired.”