Strategic Framework for a Cyber Resilient Scotland - End Year Review 2023-24

Learning and Skills Action Plan and Achievements

The Learning and Skills Action Plan (2023-25) has 4 key objectives:

• Increase people’s cyber resilience through awareness raising and engagement
• Explicitly embed cyber resilience throughout our education and lifelong learning system
• Increase people's cyber resilience at work
• Develop accessible and inclusive cyber security skills training pathways and effective cyber security careers guidance to help ensure that skills supply meets demand.

Key achievements in 2023/24 include:

• The children’s story book, “The Bongles and the Crafty Crows” was commissioned by Scottish Government, in partnership with Education Scotland to educate young children on password security. In November, 60,000 books were distributed to Primary 1 pupils in Scotland (including 1,200 in Gaelic).
• We supported the second year of the Cyber 9/12 Challenge in Scotland which helps college and university students learn new skills as they face the challenge of responding to a major (fictional) cyber incident. It took place at Abertay University’s CyberQuarter in November 2023 and was delivered by Dewar Cyber Consulting Ltd in partnership with the Atlantic Council. 55 students participated across 15 teams.
• LEAD Scotland delivered a programme of cyber education and messaging in accessible formats (funded by SG) that reached disabled people and unpaid careers, staff, and volunteers. Webinars, online courses and in person sessions benefited at least 3,245 people from 28 local authority areas (374 directly served and 2,871 indirectly reached by partners cascading learning and resources).
• Scottish Government funded the Empowering You programme aimed at aspiring female leaders working in cyber roles across all public and third sector organisations in Scotland. 16 of 18 participants successfully completed the leadership skills programme and 92% of respondents said they saw a significant improvement to their confidence and ability. It was delivered virtually over five months from September 2024 to March 2025.
• The Refugee Cyber Skills programme was a fifteen-week programme delivered by Code Division who we funded to increase digital skills of refugees in Scotland and help them find employment. 14 refugees took part in the programme, half of whom were women. 4 of the cohort are now employed in digital roles and Code Division continues working with the remaining individuals to help them find suitable work.
• Education Scotland has become the lead Scottish partner with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) the CyberFirst programme. During 2023/2024, 34 schools in Scotland achieved the CyberFirst School status which is 9% of all schools in Scotland (359). Scotland now has the highest number of CyberFirst schools in the UK.
• We also supported the world's first Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge for schools in November 2023 which took place at Girvan Academy and was aimed at S5 and S6 pupils from North, East and South Ayrshire.

Case Study – The Bongles

In October 2023, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills launched “The Bongles and the Crafty Crows”, a story book for Primary 1 children that introduces the basic concepts of cyber security – passwords and passcodes – through story telling.

It was developed by Story Learning Ltd (an ed-tech organisation) on behalf of the Scottish Government (Cyber Resilience Unit) and Education Scotland.

The book is accompanied by an animated audio book, interactive teaching and learning resources and activities – all endorsed by Education Scotland and the National Cyber Security Centre. www.thebongles.com

60,000 books were distributed in November 2023 to every Primary 1 child in Scotland through the Scottish Book Trust’s Bookbug Bags.

We believe this is a global first in education to introduce the concept of cyber resilience through story telling at an early age.

Case Study – CyberFirst in Scotland

The CyberFirst programme is designed to identify, nurture, and inspire a diverse range of talented young people into a cyber security career.

Education Scotland is the regional partner with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) CyberFirst programme.

2023/2024 saw 34 schools achieve the CyberFirst schools status. This represents 9% of 361 local authority managed secondary schools in Scotland.

In its first year as a regional partner, Education Scotland has been very successful, with Scotland now having the highest number of CyberFirst schools across the UK and with 100% of all Scottish CyberFirst school being local authority managed schools. Many of the secondary school pupils are continuing their cyber security learning by studying for SQA National Progression Awards in Cyber Security.

Case Study – CyberFirst Girls Competition 2023/24

The CyberFirst Girls Competition aims to inspire girls interested in technology to pursue a career in cyber security.

Education Scotland set a target for 100 secondary schools to register for the CyberFirst Girls Competition in its first year and has achieved 75 registrations.

The competition is a team event. Each team, of four girls in S2, tackles challenges from cryptography and logic to artificial intelligence and networking for the chance to be crowned cyber security champions.

St Kentigern’s Academy from West Lothian was the 2023/24 CyberFirst Scottish champions. The school was also awarded a CyberFirst Silver Award as one of the UK’s leading cyber schools.

Case Study – Cyber Messaging in Accessible Formats

Linking Education and Disability (LEAD) Scotland is a charity supporting disabled people and carers by providing personalised learning, befriending, advice, and information services.

We funded LEAD Scotland to deliver a programme of cyber education and messaging in accessible formats (including BSL and community languages) that reached disabled people, people whose first language is not English, carers, staff, and practitioners. Their webinars, online courses and in person sessions benefited over 3200 people from 28 local authority areas, helping to keep people with different support needs safer online.

The Chief Executive of LEAD Scotland, Emma Whitelock, gave a presentation on their work at the CyberUK 2024 conference in Birmingham and the project received the Digital Difference award at the Scottish Charity Awards 2024.