Are we asking the wrong questions about digital literacy?

7 May

Have you seen the headlines? "Kids are spending too much time on devices." "The screentime crisis." As a result, the default reaction is often to just take the phones or even 'devices' away.

But what if the problem isn’t only the hours spent online, but the discernment young people have while they're there? Yes, discernment - I wonder if we need to find a new vocabulary to counter increasing online challenges and for me, that centres on digital agency rather than just digital literacy.

The latest AQA report, "Digitally native or digitally naïve?" (April 2026), gives us a reality check. Just because a student is a "prolific user" of TikTok doesn't mean they are digitally skilled. In fact, while 79% of students are active on TikTok, only 46% feel confident using workplace tools like spreadsheets

According to the AQA report, we are raising a generation that is "digitally native" in recreation, but "digitally naïve" in application and safety.

It’s easy to offload digital skills to the Computing department in secondary or the Computing curriculum in primary. But as the DfE’s "Building a World-Class Curriculum for All" (Nov 2025) report points out, digital technology is now ubiquitous. Computing teachers are our specialists for technical knowledge and coding. But every subject and every teacher has a role. The DfE report highlights a massive opportunity to support students in applying skills across the board—whether that’s decoding propaganda in English, using GIS in Geography, critiquing AI translations in MFL, or synthesising data in a presentation within any subject. We need clear, subject-specific guidance so teachers know exactly where digital skills can enrich their content without it feeling like an "add-on."

Relying solely on a revised Computing curriculum to solve the digital skills crisis is a risky strategy. Why? Because of the post-14 gap.

While Computing is compulsory until the end of KS3, many students drop it at GCSE. Recent data from the JCQ official entry data and analysis by the BCS, shows that entries for GCSE Computer Science sit at approximately 88,000 to 92,000 students in England. In a cohort of roughly 700,000 students, this means only about 12-13% are choosing to take the subject. With only about 15% of this cohort doing vocational ICT qualifications such as "Creative iMedia" or "Digital Information Technology, (BCS Landscape Review and OFQAL reports), this leaves over 70% of our young people without a dedicated space to learn about digital safety, ethics, and workplace tools after age 14.

If digital literacy is only taught in 'computing suites', we are effectively cutting off a huge percentage of our young people from vital digital education exactly when they need it most. As the AQA report notes, in Key Stage 4 and above, not everyone takes Computer Science. This leaves a "variable" and often insufficient provision for those moving into technical or vocational pathways who still need to communicate digitally and navigate workplace tech.

By embedding digital skills into all subjects, we ensure that digital literacy isn't just for the "tech-savvy" few who choose a specialist GCSE, but a core entitlement for every single student until they leave education. A truly digitally literate student is a discerning student. When we teach pupils to spot deepfakes, understand algorithmic bias, and avoid online scams, we are helping them find a healthy media balance. When a student understands how a platform is trying to keep them scrolling, they gain the agency to step away. Instead of just telling them to spend less time on devices, let's teach them to be more intentional with the time they do spend.

Additionally, we can't expect students to be fluent if their teachers feel under-prepared. The AQA report found that 62% of teachers want more training for themselves and their students.

The barrier isn't a lack of will; it's a lack of time and resources. Teachers are calling for:

High-quality, ready-to-use materials that non-specialists can deliver confidently.
45% of teachers cite a ‘lack of space’ as a major hurdle. We need to streamline the curriculum to make room for these "fundamental" competencies.

Why does this matter?

This isn't just about safety; it’s about our future. The AQA report states:

The digital skills gap costs the UK £63 billion every single year.
In an era of AI-generated misinformation, digital literacy is now a prerequisite for democratic participation.

According to the AQA report, only 48% of students leave education with the digital skills they actually need.

Digital literacy needs to be treated as a core entitlement, sitting right alongside literacy and numeracy. It shouldn't be a lucky dip based on which school you go to or which subjects you choose. It also needs to be centred around digital discernment, a new cognitive immune system

If we accept that digital literacy is a core entitlement, then the question becomes practical: how do we embed these skills consistently, without overloading teachers or the curriculum? How do we start from the curriculum we have now and build outwards? This has led us to develop a planning process and resources in our primary Connected Computing Curriculum help schools rethink how they deliver digital skills across the curriculum.

I would love to hear how other people are approaching this challenge, particularly if you are involved in shaping the DFE's curriculum review.

AQA “Digitally native or digitally naïve?” Rethinking digital literacy in schools AQA April 2026

Building a World-Class Curriculum for All DFE 2025

BCS Landscape Review BCS 2025