One million primary school students to benefit from digital literacy boost

New partnership from CityFibre and 8billionideas will deliver practical, classroom-ready toolkit to schools across the UK

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, June 23, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has launched Future Ready Learners, a major new national initiative designed to boost digital literacy for one million primary school students by 2030.

Delivered in partnership with global education organisation 8billionideas, the programme will equip young learners with the digital confidence, knowledge and future-ready skills they need to thrive in an increasingly connected world.

At the heart of Future Ready Learners is The Tech Toolkit, a practical, classroom-ready learning programme designed to introduce primary-aged students to key technology and digital knowhow through engaging activities based on real world applications. The programme also helps young learners understand how to navigate the online world safely, responsibly and with confidence.

A national programme for future-ready learning

While the UK continues to advance digitally, access to both connectivity and the skills required to use it effectively remains uneven. Millions of adults lack essential digital skills for everyday life and work, and many young people are concerned they lack the foundation-level knowledge they will need for the future.¹

Future Ready Learners will be delivered through a four-year national rollout until 2030 to be adopted by a wide range of primary schools throughout the UK state sector. The programme will distribute 20,000 Tech Toolkits over four years, with each expected to reach around 50 students apiece.

Designed for use both in classrooms and at home, The Tech Toolkit will build confidence, curiosity and foundational digital skills among primary-aged learners, while helping them develop safe and responsible online behaviours and supporting teachers and parents in navigating an increasingly digital future.

Simon Holden, Chief Executive Officer of CityFibre, said: “With over one million connections across our full fibre network, CityFibre is trusted by millions of people to power their digital lives. Through Future Ready Learners, we’re enabling teachers to help the next generation leave primary school with the skills and confidence they need to explore a rapidly changing digital world, and all the opportunities it creates.”

David Harkin, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 8billionideas, added: “Future Ready Learners is about turning access into opportunity. By combining infrastructure with education, we can help young people develop the skills they need not just to participate in the digital world, but to shape it.

“Digital literacy, critical thinking, creativity and problem-solving are becoming fundamental skills for the future. Starting that journey at primary school age gives young people the strongest possible foundation for the opportunities ahead.”

Sue Atkins, President Montessori UK and Founder of The Parenting Coach, said: “Digital literacy is becoming as fundamental as literacy and numeracy for today’s children. Programmes such as Future Ready Learners help ensure that young people develop not only an understanding of technology, but also the confidence, curiosity and critical thinking skills needed to use it positively and responsibly.

“Children are encountering technology earlier than ever before, yet digital literacy can no longer be viewed as an optional extra. It is becoming a fundamental life skill, and the earlier we help young people develop the confidence, curiosity and critical thinking skills to use technology positively and responsibly, the better prepared they will be for the opportunities and challenges ahead.”

Future Ready Learners is designed as a long-term national programme, with the potential to expand into additional learning formats, including home-based learning with parents.

By combining connectivity, education and community engagement, CityFibre and 8billionideas aim to create a model that delivers lasting social impact and reflects a clear ambition: to ensure that as connectivity expands, so too does the ability of individuals, families and communities to benefit from it.

CityFibre’s partner, 8billionideas, specialises in practical, real-world learning. Working with governments, schools and organisations in 27 countries, the organisation designs programmes that build confidence, capability and future-ready skills, with a focus on learning that can be applied immediately in real-world contexts.

For more information about Future Ready Learners and how your child and school can benefit, contact https://www.8billionideas.com/the-tech-toolkit

¹ Statistical sources:
• The UK Government's Digital Inclusion Action Plan states that 7.3 million people (18%) in the UK lack the minimum essential digital skills for work, and 3.8 million people (7%) lack the essential digital skills needed for life.
• Lloyds/Good Things Foundation data indicates around 8 million adults lack Foundation-level essential digital skills.
• Research cited by The King's Trust found that 37% of young people are worried they do not have the digital skills needed to secure a good job, while 41% are unsure which digital skills they should develop for the future.

Jon Bramley
8billionideas
7949623963 ext.
email us here

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