If your school or college is passionate about inspiring young people into tech and cyber careers, the CyberFirst School and College Award Wales is your chance to make it official – and now, applying has never been easier.
With no deadlines, flexible support, and a simplified process tailored specifically for Wales, there’s never been a better time to get involved.
What is the CyberFirst schools and colleges Award?
The CyberFirst School and College Award Wales recognises schools and colleges that are committed to developing the next generation of cyber talent. Led by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), here in Wales, the programme is delivered by the University of South Wales, in partnership with Swansea University and Bangor University – giving it a distinctly Welsh identity, with local expertise, support, and industry connections.
The award celebrates schools and colleges that are raising learner aspirations towards tech and cyber careers and officially recognises those going above and beyond with the digital curriculum.
But it’s not just an award – it’s a partnership. Successful applicants receive a dedicated industry partner, access to an exclusive framework of curriculum enrichment opportunities, and bespoke support to strengthen your curriculum, staff development and student engagement.
What’s new?
We’ve redesigned the application process with busy Welsh school leaders and teachers in mind. Here’s what’s different:
✅ No deadlines
Apply when you are ready. The process is now rolling – which means you can time your application around your own workload and priorities.
✅ Soft submission
Think of this as a practice run. You can now submit a first draft for feedback before the final assessment. It’s a low-pressure way to spot gaps and boost your confidence before going all in.
✅ Step-by-step support
Our team is on hand to help you every step of the way – from kick-off meeting advice to final submission checks. The process has been broken down into simple stages, with a step-by-step guidance document, so you always know what to do next.
✅ Shared workload
You don’t need to do this solo. In fact, collaborative applications score higher. We’ll help you set up a kick-off meeting, delegate tasks to colleagues, and build a team around you. From Computing leads and careers staff to SLT and governors – the award is designed to be a whole-school effort.
Why should you apply?
Aside from recognition from the NCSC, awarded schools and colleges in Wales gain access to:
- A dedicated industry partner to support your computing and cyber activities
- A year-round engagement framework with inspirational role models
- Invitations to CyberFirst-only events for students and staff
- Opportunities to promote your school/college nationally as a leader in tech education
- Bespoke support to strengthen teaching, curriculum and enrichment
Even a Bronze Award opens the door to this full support package – and it’s all completely free.
“Through CyberFirst we’ve been able to broaden our pupils’ understanding of computing, coding and cyber skills. The scheme has opened the door to competitions, workshops, and visits that spark real engagement across a range of topics. We’ve seen growing interest in Computer Science, and we’re excited to now be working with ITSUS to bring industry insight directly into our curriculum. We’re proud to be a CyberFirst School and excited about what’s ahead.”
— Joseph Hamer, Corpus Christi Catholic High School, Cardiff
We’re here to help
You don’t need a perfect application to start – just a willingness to develop your cyber and computing offer. Whether you’re applying for Bronze, Silver or Gold, the CyberFirst Wales team will be by your side every step of the way.
Take the Next Step
Become a CyberFirst school. We’ll support you through the entire process with draft reviews, and step-by-step guidance.
