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Computing for all Key Stages

Computing in the curriculum ensures children and young people know how computers work, how they are designed, programmed, and connected together.  ICT is mostly about how to use computers.  Computing is a discipline that seeks to ensure young people can understand and explore the world around them using technology. Computing is part of the existing ‘ICT’ national curriculum.

Computing encourages young people to be more creative and exploit technology.  It ensures young people learn logical reasoning, algorithmic thinking, design and structured problem solving.  These are all concepts that are very valuable beyond the classroom and across the curriculum. 

If you want to know more about developing a computing curriculum in your school or are carrying out any exciting computing projects please get in touch with James Dent, Email: james.dent@hertscc.gov.uk

Hertfordshire has setup a Google Group to discuss Secondary ICT and Computing developments

• https://groups.google.com/group/HertsICTComputing?hl=en

To join the Google group select 'apply for group membership' on the above web page.

Secondary Computing At School (CAS) Hub Meetings

You could also get involved in the Secondary Computing At School (CAS) Hub Meetings being run in the region.

• Computing at School: Events

Computer Science: What is it, and why should we teach it in school?

Computing is one of the most exciting subjects on earth. Yet the current arrangements for teaching computing concepts at school leave many of our students feeling that it is irrelevant and dull.  Now there is a growing movement to reinvigorate Computing in our schools.

In recent months this movement was boosted by Michael Gove at the BETT show in January when he explained how he was minded to disapply the programmes of study and attainment targets for ICT and at the same time encouraged schools to adopt “rigorous Computer Science courses”. 

• DfE: Michael Gove speech at the BETT Show 2012

Later in January the Royal Society published its report, “Shut down or restart?  The way forward for computing in UK schools”.   This report examines the importance of Computer Science as an underpinning subject across science and engineering but also suggest that arguments in favour of it are not just utilitarian.  Studying Computer Science develops a ‘way of thinking’ in the same way as maths.

• Royal Society: Shut down or restart

Last year the Raspberry-Pi was launched.  This is a revolutionary new credit card sized computer costing £22 (ex VAT) which has been developed in the UK with the aim of making Computer Science in schools more affordable.

• BBC: Raspberry Pi computer

A driving force in this movement is the Computing At School working group:

• www.computingatschool.org.uk

Organisations

• Computing At School Working Group
• BCS Academy
• eSkills - Behind the screen national pilot

Competitions

• CAS Codebreaker Competition
• Manchester University Animation Competition
• Re-Wired State

Resources

• Scratch
• Alice
• Microsoft Dreamspark Programme (Smallbasic, Kodu, Visual Basic etc)
• Java Development Kit & J Creator
• Greenfoot

Exam Boards

GCSE

• OCR Computing
• Other examination boards are considering development of GCSE Computing qualifications

A- Level

• OCR Computing
• AQA Computing
• WJEC Computing

Programming Language Support Sites

• Pyton

Professional qualifications

• BCS CIPD Programme
• BCS Professional Certification