One Million Primary School Students Are About to Get a Digital Literacy Boost

CityFibre and 8billionideas are teaming up to bring classroom-ready tech skills to schools across the UK.

We're thrilled to announce Future Ready Learners – a major new national initiative from CityFibre, the UK's largest independent full fibre platform, in partnership with 8billionideas. The goal? Boost digital literacy for one million primary school students by 2030.

What is The Tech Toolkit?

At the heart of the programme sits The Tech Toolkit – a practical, classroom-ready learning resource that introduces primary-aged students to the technology and digital knowhow they'll need for the world ahead. Built around real-world applications, it helps young learners explore the online world safely, responsibly, and with confidence.

Designed for use both in the classroom and at home, the Toolkit isn't about ticking a curriculum box. It's about building the kind of digital curiosity and confidence that sticks.

Why now?

The UK keeps getting more connected, but skills haven't kept pace with access. The numbers tell the story:

• 7.3 million people (18%) in the UK lack the minimum essential digital skills for work, and 3.8 million (7%) lack them for everyday life (UK Government Digital Inclusion Action Plan)
• Around 8 million adults lack foundation-level digital skills (Lloyds/Good Things Foundation)
• 37% of young people worry they lack the digital skills to land a good job, and 41% aren't sure which skills to even start building (The King's Trust)

Closing that gap starts early and primary school is exactly the right place to start.

The rollout

Future Ready Learners is a four-year national programme, running through to 2030, reaching primary schools across the UK state sector. Over that time, 20,000 Tech Toolkits will be distributed, each one reaching roughly 50 students.

What people are saying

Simon Holden, CEO 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 CEO 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 of 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."

Where this is headed

This is just the start. Future Ready Learners is designed to grow, with potential to expand into new formats, including home-based learning that brings parents into the journey alongside their kids.

By bringing connectivity, education, and community engagement together, CityFibre and 8billionideas are building something bigger than a one-off programme: a model for making sure that as connectivity spreads, so does everyone's ability to actually benefit from it.

Find out more

Want to know how your child or school can get involved? Head to 8billionideas.com/the-tech-toolkit.

About CityFibre

CityFibre is the UK's largest independent full fibre platform, providing critical digital infrastructure that underpins economic growth and innovation. With a mission to unlock the UK's digital potential, CityFibre is committed to delivering high-quality connectivity and driving meaningful social impact.

About 8billionideas

8billionideas is a global education company headquartered in the UK and the UAE. The company works with governments, schools, and organisations in more than 25 countries, reaching over one million learners worldwide. Its award-winning Critical Curriculum spans eight key pillars — entrepreneurship, careers literacy, wellbeing, leadership, performance, financial literacy, sustainability, and technology — designed to support practical skill development, confidence, and professional growth across a range of learning contexts.