Nominet backs Hulme Grammar’s drive on digital skills

Nominet has awarded Hulme Grammar School a £10,000 grant through its GiveHub programme to expand digital inclusion, STEM outreach and community engagement work in Oldham.

The funding will support activities for more than 1,000 children and young people. The school plans hands-on technology experiences, inclusive events and collaborations with local partners across the borough.

The programme includes coding workshops, virtual reality-based learning, holiday outreach and hackathons. Hulme Grammar aims to reduce barriers faced by children who have limited access to devices, connectivity or structured digital learning opportunities.

Digital inclusion focus

Nominet operates the registry for UK domain names and manages the .uk namespace, including .co.uk and .org.uk. The organisation has more than 10 million domains under management and plays a central role in the UK's internet infrastructure.

The company runs as a public benefit organisation and a Company Limited by Guarantee. It does not distribute profits to members, who act in a role similar to shareholders but without rights over profit participation.

GiveHub is Nominet's funding stream for grassroots projects that address digital inclusion, online safety and community wellbeing in the UK. The Hulme Grammar grant falls under that remit.

"We're proud to support Hulme Grammar School's visionary approach to digital inclusion. Their work goes beyond the classroom - empowering young people across Oldham with the skills, confidence, and inspiration to thrive in a digital world. This is exactly the kind of impact GiveHub was designed to enable," said Sarah Horton, Membership Operations Lead, Nominet.

Local and national gap

The project comes against a backdrop of persistent digital exclusion across the UK. Industry and policy assessments describe digital exclusion as a combination of poor connectivity, low skills, lack of confidence and limited access to devices.

Analysts link low digital engagement with poorer health outcomes, greater social isolation, financial exclusion and reduced access to jobs and education. Nationally, millions of people still lack essential digital skills for work and everyday life.

Greater Manchester faces particular challenges. Estimates indicate about 1.2 million residents in the region are limited digital users or do not use digital at all. A significant share of adults experience some form of digital exclusion.

In Oldham, the pandemic exposed gaps in home connectivity and access to equipment. Thousands of households required support with internet access and devices so that children could take part in online learning.

Local agencies identify three main barriers in Greater Manchester. These are practical barriers such as the cost of internet access and devices. They are individual barriers including low income, low skills and social isolation. They are attitudinal barriers such as low confidence, fear of technology and lack of motivation.

Hulme Grammar's plans emphasise practical engagement with technology. The school will run activities in coding and virtual reality and will work with local partners on events that bring young people into contact with digital tools in a structured setting.

Brenda Mills Institute

A key element of the project is the development of the Brenda Mills Institute for Innovation and Technology at Hulme Grammar. The school describes the institute as a hub for creativity, collaboration and future-focused learning.

The institute is named after Brenda Mills, a former Mathematics teacher at the school. She was an early adopter of STEM teaching approaches and left a legacy gift in her will.

Hulme Grammar plans to involve pupils, educators and industry partners in the institute's activities. The school intends to explore the intersection of technology, design and social impact through its work.

Policy research suggests that the UK's digital skills gap could cost the national economy billions of pounds by 2030. The school positions the institute as aligned with wider efforts to increase digital skills in schools and communities.

"This grant is more than a donation - it's a vote of confidence in our vision for a digitally inclusive Oldham. With Nominet's support, we're not just delivering events; we're building legacy. The Brenda Mills Institute will be a beacon for innovation, and we're proud to be shaping a future where every child has the tools and inspiration to thrive," said Marc Hornby, Director of Development & Public Benefit, Hulme Grammar.

Policy backdrop

The announcement sits within an ongoing focus on digital skills in UK government policy documents. Recent budgets and white papers emphasise investment in digital education and training as part of wider economic and skills reforms.

Government work includes targeted funding in areas such as artificial intelligence and other high-growth technology fields. Initiatives such as BridgeAI and new Enterprise Fellowships aim at commercialisation and support for technology spin-outs.

Ministers have also highlighted schemes such as the Youth Guarantee and the Growth and Skills Levy. These focus on reducing the number of young people not in education, employment or training and on offering structured support for 16 to 24-year-olds.

Further measures include maintenance grants for low-income students in some higher education subjects from the 2028/29 academic year. Many of the targeted subjects sit in digital and technology disciplines.

Hulme Grammar plans to connect its outreach with regional and national events. The school expects involvement in the Manchester Science Festival, British Science Week and the Great Science Share.

The school will also run its second Junior Hackathon in December. Pupils will work on technology-based solutions to real-world school issues as part of the event.