Today, we’re pleased to publish the results of the first pilot of the Refract Digital Literacy Census, delivered in partnership with Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy.
As Refract’s first Census pilot, this marks an important milestone in our mission to help schools better understand the digital experiences of their students. While digital literacy is increasingly recognised as an essential life skill, many schools have limited evidence about the barriers, opportunities and confidence levels within their own student population.
The Census aims to change that by providing schools with meaningful, actionable insight into students’ digital access, confidence, online safety and use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Why we created Census
Digital literacy extends far beyond knowing how to use a computer. It includes accessing technology, communicating professionally, staying safe online, understanding artificial intelligence and having the confidence to use digital tools throughout education and employment.
Schools often make decisions about digital education based on observation and experience. Census provides another perspective by collecting anonymous student and staff feedback, allowing schools to identify strengths, understand challenges and make evidence-based decisions.
The pilot
Our first pilot took place at Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy during the 2025/26 academic year.
The survey collected responses from 261 students across Years 7, 8 and 9, alongside feedback from members of staff. While this represents only one school, it demonstrates the value of collecting consistent evidence about digital literacy and provides the foundation for future benchmarking between schools.
Five key findings
1. Access to technology is strong, but inequalities remain
Smartphone access was almost universal amongst participating students, demonstrating that most young people have a reliable means of accessing digital services.
However, access to devices better suited to education was less consistent. Around one in six students reported having no access to a laptop, while over one in three lacked access to a desktop computer outside school.
This highlights an important point: internet access alone does not guarantee digital opportunity.
2. Students are confident with everyday technology, but less prepared for professional digital environments
Students reported high confidence using smartphones and general computer technology.
However, confidence dropped noticeably when carrying out workplace-focused tasks such as sending emails with attachments. These are skills that become increasingly important in further education and employment, suggesting schools have an important role in developing workplace-ready digital confidence.
3. Cybersecurity awareness is encouraging, but practical resilience requires further development
Most students felt able to identify scams and reported feeling safe online.
However, a significant minority were unsure how to respond if an online account became compromised or how to determine whether a website could be trusted. Many students also reported having previously encountered scams or suspicious online content.
Rather than focusing solely on awareness, cybersecurity education should increasingly emphasise practical decision-making and real-world scenarios.
4. Artificial intelligence has become part of everyday learning
AI is already part of everyday education for many young people.
The overwhelming majority of students reported using AI tools to support homework, explain difficult topics and summarise information. Most also believed AI benefits learning more than it harms it.
As AI continues to develop, schools have an opportunity to teach students how to use these tools responsibly, ethically and effectively rather than discouraging their adoption.
5. Students value practical digital skills education
When asked how schools could better support them, students consistently requested practical learning opportunities rather than additional theory.
Many wanted more help with everyday digital tasks, cybersecurity, email communication and workplace technology, reinforcing the importance of hands-on digital literacy education.
Looking ahead
This report represents the beginning of Census, not the end.
As more schools participate, we’ll be able to benchmark anonymised results, identify regional and national trends, measure the impact of interventions and build a clearer picture of digital literacy across the education sector.
Ultimately, our goal is simple: to ensure every young person has the knowledge, confidence and opportunities needed to thrive in an increasingly digital society.
Read the full report
The full pilot report, including detailed analysis, visualisations and strategic recommendations, is available below.
We’re incredibly grateful to Ormiston Sandwell Community Academy for supporting this pilot and helping us shape the future of Census.
If you’re a headteacher, trust leader or computing curriculum lead interested in running Census at your school, we’d love to hear from you.
