Vision and ambition for digital in schools

Digital in schools outlines a shared commitment of Local Authorities, the Association of Directors of Education in Wales (ADEW) and Welsh Government to empower learners to achieve their full potential through a robust and stimulating curriculum, exceptional pedagogy and the transformative power of digital innovation.

It is intended for local authorities and wider school improvement partners. It will also inform school leaders, teachers and other practitioners in maintained schools, pupil referral units (PRUs) and education otherwise than at school (EOTAS) settings.

To deliver a national approach to digital in education that enables schools to harness the opportunities of digital and emerging technologies, preparing learners to thrive in a global digital society.

We want all learners in Wales to benefit from the opportunities that digital technology provides. Through equitable access to high-quality bilingual digital tools, services and resources, learners will develop the knowledge, skills and confidence they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world and participate fully in a bilingual digital society.

We will support schools to use technology confidently, safely and purposefully to enhance teaching and learning and help realise the four purposes of Curriculum for Wales.

Our ambition is to create an education system where digital technology strengthens teaching and learning, supports participation, and equips learners with the digital skills, knowledge and experiences they need to succeed in further and higher education, future careers and life in a rapidly changing world, including through the confident use of technology in both Welsh and English.

Our approach to digital in schools is underpinned by a commitment to equity, inclusion and learner progression.

Every learner should be able to benefit from digital technology, regardless of background, geography or circumstance. Digital technology can play an important role in creating inclusive and accessible learning environments, helping to reduce barriers to participation and support equitable access to education. This includes meeting the diverse needs of learners, including those with additional learning needs (ALN), and enabling greater accessibility, communication and independence so that all learners can participate fully in education and realise their potential.

Technology should also support learners accessing education through Welsh or English, providing equitable opportunities to learn, communicate and succeed. Learners should be able to benefit from high-quality bilingual digital experiences that support the development and use of Welsh and English in learning and everyday life. Digital technology should also support the continued growth and use of the Welsh language, helping ensure learners can access and participate confidently in a bilingual digital society.

Digital should enhance, rather than replace, effective teaching, learning and human relationships. Technology is most effective when it supports high-quality pedagogy, enables collaboration and improves access to learning. Decisions about the adoption and use of technology should be informed by evidence, professional expertise and educational value, ensuring innovation responds to genuine educational needs and improves outcomes for learners.

We will promote the safe, responsible and ethical use of digital technologies. Safeguarding, privacy, security and wellbeing must remain at the heart of our work. We want learners and practitioners to become confident and resilient digital citizens who can engage critically with technology, understand its opportunities and challenges, and use it safely, responsibly and ethically. As technology continues to evolve, schools should be supported to understand and respond to emerging opportunities and risks, including those associated with artificial intelligence.

Collaboration will be essential to our collective success. Progress depends upon strong partnerships across schools, local authorities, national partners, academia and industry. Through a shared national approach, we will create the conditions that enable schools to benefit from digital technology while retaining the flexibility to respond to local needs and priorities.

Curriculum for Wales places learners at the centre of learning and provides schools with the flexibility to design curricula that reflect their local contexts and the needs of their learners. As technology continues to shape society, education and employment, digital should be considered an integral part of curriculum design, teaching, learning and assessment. Schools should be supported to respond confidently to changing and emerging technologies so that learners develop the knowledge, skills and experiences they need to thrive both now and in the future.

Digital competence is increasingly fundamental to participation in learning, employment and society. Alongside literacy and numeracy, it enables learners to:

• access information

• communicate effectively

• collaborate with others

• engage critically with information and data

• use technology creatively

• participate confidently in an increasingly digital and bilingual world

Learners should have regular opportunities to develop and apply digital competence through meaningful and authentic experiences across the curriculum, supported by the Digital Competence Framework and informed by the four purposes of Curriculum for Wales.

Learners will increasingly need to understand:

• online safety

• cyber security and cyber resilience

• misinformation, disinformation and manipulation online

• reliability, bias and credibility

• digital wellbeing

• data security and privacy

• the influence of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), on how information is created, shared and consumed

As technology continues to evolve, digital competence increasingly includes the ability to engage critically with information, data and emerging technologies. These skills are also essential in supporting learners’ progression through their education and preparing them for further and higher education, future careers and lifelong learning, including in a digital economy where skills in both Welsh and English support future opportunities.

Digital technology can play an important role in supporting learner progression and achievement. Assistive technologies, accessibility tools and other digital solutions can help remove barriers to learning and enable more personalised approaches that respond to individual needs. For learners with additional learning needs (ALN), digital technology can provide targeted support that helps schools respond to a wider range of learning needs and enables learners to access, engage with and demonstrate their learning across the curriculum.

Digital technology can enrich teaching and learning by increasing engagement, strengthening collaboration, improving accessibility and supporting more personalised approaches to learning. Emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and immersive technologies, have the potential to extend these benefits and create new opportunities for learners and practitioners. However, their adoption should always be guided by a clear educational purpose, ensuring technology enhances teaching and learning and responds to genuine educational needs. Technology should remain a tool that supports excellent teaching and learning, not an end in itself.

Our approach should help learners develop the confidence, resilience and critical thinking skills needed to navigate these challenges safely, responsibly and ethically. We want learners not only to respond to technological change, but to shape it confidently and responsibly as creators, innovators and problem-solvers.

A digitally confident education system depends on strong leadership and a workforce with the skills, knowledge and confidence to use technology effectively.

Leadership of digital should be recognised as a shared responsibility across the school community, helping create cultures where technology supports learner outcomes, practitioner effectiveness and school improvement. Effective leadership will ensure decisions about technology are aligned to educational priorities and informed by evidence and need.

As technology continues to evolve, practitioners require ongoing opportunities to develop their knowledge, skills and expertise. Professional learning should support practitioners to integrate digital technologies effectively into teaching, learning and assessment while helping them understand emerging developments and their implications for education. This includes developing confidence in digital pedagogy, digital competence, artificial intelligence, data literacy and the ethical use of technology.

Access to high-quality, nationally available professional learning will remain essential in enabling the workforce to respond confidently to future opportunities and challenges.

Technology should not only benefit learners. It can also help practitioners work more effectively by reducing administrative burden, improving access to information, supporting collaboration and streamlining routine processes. At a time when schools continue to face significant pressures, technology should be used thoughtfully to create more time and capacity for teaching, learner support and professional relationships. Realising these benefits will require ongoing support, professional trust and investment in workforce capability.

Sustaining progress will require a culture of continuous learning and improvement, supported through collaboration, professional learning, shared expertise and engagement with research and emerging evidence. This will help practitioners and leaders remain confident, adaptable and responsive to future developments.

Through the national Hwb ecosystem, Wales has established strong foundations for digital education. The Hwb ecosystem provides a coherent and connected digital education offer through a range of interconnected services, including the Hwb web platform, cloud-based digital tools and services, connectivity, infrastructure and devices. Together, these provide learners and practitioners with access to the digital services and technologies that support teaching, learning and school improvement.

Reliable, secure and sustainable technology provides the foundation for learners and practitioners to benefit from digital teaching, learning and school improvement. Equitable access to high-quality infrastructure, connectivity, devices, tools, services and resources is essential if schools are to realise the full benefits of technology. Through sustained investment and the continued development of the Hwb ecosystem, we will continue to provide a consistent national offer while supporting schools to respond to local needs and priorities.

Maintaining and developing these foundations will remain essential as technology continues to evolve. Schools need resilient infrastructure, reliable connectivity, effective safeguarding measures, robust cyber security arrangements and access to trusted digital environments. National standards, shared approaches and sustainable investment can reduce unnecessary complexity, improve consistency and help ensure schools continue to benefit from secure, reliable and resilient digital provision. At the same time, schools should retain flexibility to respond to local needs and priorities.

Technology provision should extend beyond infrastructure alone. Access to bilingual digital tools and resources should continue to support curriculum delivery, learner progression and inclusion. Digital technologies have an important role in improving accessibility, enabling more personalised approaches to learning and helping remove barriers to participation. This is particularly important for learners with additional learning needs (ALN), where technology can provide tailored support, improve communication, promote independence and help ensure equitable access to learning opportunities.

Through access to appropriate digital tools and services, we can help ensure all learners benefit from the opportunities technology provides and are supported to achieve their full potential.

As new technologies emerge, decisions should continue to be informed by evidence, research and emerging practice. Working collaboratively across the education sector will help ensure innovation is balanced with educational value, safety, security, privacy and ethics. By maintaining that balance, we can create a digital ecosystem that supports innovation while retaining the trust and confidence of learners, practitioners and communities.