Minecraft Education

Overview

Minecraft Education is a game based learning platform. It gives learners a virtual world where they can experiment, design and problem solve through play.

Learners can use creativity to:

build structures and create worlds
explore concepts across the curriculum
work collaboratively with peers

Minecraft Education also includes coding tools to help learners develop computational thinking and create automated solutions in their worlds, such as:

Block based coding
Python
MakeCode

Ready-made eSports worlds in Minecraft Education offer an alternative route to engage learners. These introduce friendly competition, teamwork and strategic thinking to many areas of learning and experiences across the curriculum.

Language settings

Minecraft Education is available in English by default. Schools can download and use the Cadw Cymru Minecraft Welsh language resource pack. This allows learners to navigate, explore and engage with Minecraft Education in Welsh.

How to access Minecraft Education through Hwb

You can download Minecraft Education from the Minecraft Education website. It is available for:

Windows
Chromebook
Android
macOS
iPad devices

You need to ensure that the app is installed and updated on all devices before using it with learners.

Classroom mode

On Windows Desktop or macOS, practitioners can use the Classroom Mode app. This gives practitioners a central dashboard to manage learner settings.

A full guide to installing and using Classroom Mode is available on the Minecraft Education Community Hub.

How Minecraft Education can support schools

Supports cross-curricular learning, digital skills and Welsh heritage learning through resources like Cadw Cymru.
Develops coding skills using block coding, Python and MakeCode.
Encourages teamwork, collaboration and problem solving through multiplayer worlds.
Provides structured eSports challenges that promote strategy, teamwork, and confidence.
Offers visual, audio and hands on learning, helping learners to demonstrate understanding without relying on text.
Offers controlled virtual worlds to design, experiment, and test ideas
Improves accessibility with features such as Immersive Reader for in-game reading support.

Further support

Key considerations

Minecraft Education should be used in accordance with wider school policies, such as:

digital literacy
online safety
acceptable use
safeguarding
data protection

Data assurances

Schools should consider if:

their current DPIA should be updated
a new Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is needed

Data storage

Minecraft Education supports cloud storage using Microsoft OneDrive. When a learner or practitioner closes a world, a backup is automatically saved to their OneDrive in a folder called 'Minecraft Education'.

Worlds continue to save both locally and to OneDrive each time they are played and saved. Visit Minecraft Education support to learn more about cloud upload and download.

Microsoft’s role as data processor

Minecraft Education processes data under the Microsoft Privacy Statement and the agreement Hwb has with Microsoft.

Collection and use of personal data

Minecraft Education commits that Microsoft will:

not use learner data for advertising, selling or behavioural targeting
not build personal profiles of learners, except as required to support educational use or with appropriate consent
require any vendors involved in delivering the service to follow the same privacy commitments

Learn more about user privacy and Minecraft Education.

Data retention periods

Data, including Minecraft worlds, is not deleted automatically.

Learners and practitioners must manually delete items. Once deleted, they remain in the recycle bin for 93 days unless permanently deleted sooner.

Schools manage how long learner and staff Hwb accounts and their cloud data remain active. Learner and staff accounts in maintained schools are created automatically from a school’s Management Information System (MIS). Accounts remain active as long as a user’s details are included in the MIS. An account will be automatically deactivated if:

a learner leaves a school
a practitioner is no longer employed in the Welsh maintained schools sector

Once an account has been deactivated, it will be deleted after 12 months, unless a reactivation request is made to Hwb. For more details, see the Hwb privacy policy.

All privacy and processing terms are covered by Microsoft’s standard Products and services data protection addendum (DPA).

Data protection compliance

Minecraft Education complies with GDPR requirements for privacy and security.

Security measures

Microsoft commits to using reasonable security standards, including encryption for highly confidential data such as passwords during transmission.