Everyone can make an impact on young people's lives by showing them the world of cyber... You don't always need to be a technical whizz yourself.
We need people like you to help us inspire young minds and nurture talent to ensure the next generation of cyber professionals will have the skills they need to safeguard our digital planet.
Our resource library is available for anyone to use and includes lots of great activities and educational content such as lesson plans, homework booklets and more.
Submitted by teachers and students at our CyberFirst Schools and Colleges, as well as industry and academia members, there's lots of exciting content available.
CyberTV
CyberTV showcases lots of fantastic videos including interviews, vlogs and discussions from students, apprentices, and industry experts.
Hear what students have been up to at our CyberFirst Schools, or perhaps you're looking for role models talking about their careers and how they got into the cyber industry?
Whether you're looking for a 2 min video or a 10 minute interview, you'll find lots of things to watch on CyberTV.
Role models
There are lots of unhelpful stereo-types around cyber security and the technology industry. The truth is we need people from all walks of life and all abilities to play their part in making the UK the safest place to live and work online.
Role models are key to showing young people that a career in cyber security or technology can be for everyone. There is such a variety of roles and specialisms, not all of them are technical, and many different entry routes into the industry.
Click the button below to hear more from our role models who all have very different skills, jobs and backgrounds but all work in cyber security.
NCSC Resources
Improve your school's cyber resilience
Cyber security should be high on the agenda for any school with a reliance on IT and online systems. The NCSC have produced a number of resources for everyone working with schools, including staff, governing boards and senior leadership. Awareness of cyber threats is important for everyone and not just the IT department.
This includes a free cyber security training package for school staff to help improve their school's cyber resilience and manage some of the key cyber threats facing schools. A training certificate can be accessed upon completion of the course so that staff can demonstrate their cyber security awareness training.
Knockevin Special School in Northern Ireland is the first Special School to receive CyberFirst status with their Bronze Award in 2021.
Computing skills are not taught as a stand-alone subject, but are fully integrated and reinforced across all subjects.
Pupils even worked together to design their ‘Digital Safeguarding Mascot’ and decide on key safety messages that would become their ‘code’ for staying safe online.
Sharing Knowledge
Abertillery Learning Community was awarded a CyberFirst Silver Award in 2021.
Students from all key stages can apply to be a "Digital Leader" where they must complete a series of tasks to demonstrate their understanding and skills.
These Digital Leaders share their knowledge with primary school students by holding E-safety workshops and providing a carousel of activities for them to complete.
This has also been delivered to parents.
Finding Cyber In Lessons
Ballycastle High School was awarded a CyberFirst Silver Award in 2021.
During the home economics lessons at Ballycastle High School, pupils are shown how to follow recipes using flowcharts and algorithms.
They have also incorporated encryption into maths when teaching about prime numbers.
CyberFirst Schools / Colleges
Ready to join CyberFirst?
Eligible secondary schools or colleges in CyberFirst regions can apply to be a part of our CyberFirst Schools and Colleges scheme.
Successful applicants receive NCSC recognition and are promoted as leaders who are committed to providing a structured approach to excellence in cyber security education.
Become a part of the growing CyberFirst education eco-system and are offered exclusive benefits to the scheme.
Registration for the CyberFirst Girls Competition is opening on 25th September 2023 - click 'Sign Up' to find out more about how your school can get involved and register your teams. Whatever your ability, from beginner to expert, the CyberFirst Girls Competition is an opportunity to learn something new and support girls interested in a career in cyber security. The Competition will run for 10 days from midday to midday.
When:20 November 2023 - 29 November 2023
Duration:10 Days
Who is it for:Teams of up to 4 female students in Y8, S2 or Y9 (NI)
