The Data Education in Schools programme was established in 2019 with an 8-year grant from the Scottish and UK governments to nurture data literacy and skills across the 3-19 curriculum in Scotland. We are part of a wider Data Skills Gateway that has created new qualifications in Data Science including the world’s first school level qualification for learners in Scotland, as well as new pathways into data skills careers.

Our focus has been to support teachers to develop their confidence and knowledge in data literacy and how it integrates across the school curriculum. We create and provide free-to-download, high-quality teaching resources as well as running professional learning programmes for primary and secondary teachers and offering innovative learner-focused activities and initiatives.

We do not solely focus of data literacy, however. During 2020-2022 we responded to the pandemic and post-pandemic by broadening our services to include digital literacy support for parents and teachers and since 2024, a lot of our work has included supporting teachers to understand Generative AI and its impact on education and learning.

In 2025, Professor Judy Robertson led an expert group to establish an AI literacy curriculum framework for Scotland and the team also developed a set of co-created teaching resources through our Teachers-in-Residence programme and launched the TRAILS.Scot website as a repository of teaching materials that focus on AI literacy.

In 2026 we were selected to host the thematic hub for Digital and AI literacy within the Centre for Teaching Excellence, extending our remit of support to all teachers across Scotland.

  1. Year 1

    2019–2020
    • Project begins.
    • World’s first school‑level qualification in Data Science (NPA) launched — led by Kate Farrell and SQA team.
    • First 15 lesson activities drafted, plus NPA learner and teacher guides.
    • Covid hits.
    • 60 UoE computers delivered to local schools to support pupils in lockdown.

  2. Year 2

    2020–2021
    • The project pivots to support Covid learning.
    • 722 people attend our online conference in June.
    • First Live Lesson launched — Defend the Rhino — with 350 learners.
    • Our website launches and 16 more teacher resource packs are added.
    • 1,500 participants attend 13 online professional learning sessions.
    • Second Live Lesson — Data Selfies — launched.

  3. Year 3

    2021–2022
    • 1,500 participants have tried Data Selfies.
    • BSL project develops 495 terms in computing science, cybersecurity and data science.
    • Third Live Lesson coincides with COP26 — 1,000 learners participate.
    • Partnership with CityFibre provides real‑world datasets to support the NPA in Data Science.
    • First Young People’s Advisory Group reports on findings.

  4. Year 4

    2022–2023
    • IoT teacher time buy‑out results in 20,000 learning hours in data interpretation and analysis across primary schools in Edinburgh and South East Scotland.
    • First four‑day professional learning courses run.
    • Live Lesson engagements reach 20,000.
    • Tommy wins Unsung Hero award.
    • BSL project featured in Hello World.
    • Digital Learning Magazine features our Live Lesson series.

  5. Year 5

    2023–2024
    • Teach Data Literacy handbook launched and downloaded 228 times.
    • 30,000 participants on Live Lessons.
    • Data Escape Rooms launches with 1,000 participants during Computing Science Week.
    • Data Weaving wins a community data visualisation prize and features in FutureScot.
    • IoT Crocodiles features on STV and The Herald.
    • BSL project wins Data for Good Initiative of the Year at the British Data Awards.
    • Kate Farrell invited to SXSW to join a panel on data literacy in schools.
    • Data Explorer cards launched.

  6. Year 6

    2024–2025
    • Team wins Education Initiative of the Year at the British Data Awards.
    • 13,500 learners attend our events during Maths Week Scotland.
    • 140 schools (up to 4,200 learners) join the Find the VIKINGS secret lair event.
    • DES team wins an Eric Liddell Award for community services.
    • Kate and Tommy invited to North Carolina DS Edu Summit to lead DS4Everyone workshops.
    • Kate presents at the 1st International Symposium on Integrating AI and Data Science into School Education Across Disciplines (Salzburg, Austria).

  7. Year 7

    2025–2026
    • ScotDEC partnership event — Refugees: The Data Behind the Story.
    • Trails.scot launched with resources from the Teacher‑in‑Residence programme.
    • Teach AI Literacy handbook and curriculum framework launched and sent to every secondary school in Scotland.
    • Live Lesson portfolio reaches 75,000 participants.
    • Robot cards launched — printed copies circulated to first‑phase primary schools (also freely downloadable from the website).