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Secondary ICT Update: March 2012

Dear Colleagues

Please find below an update about the various secondary ICT activities taking place in the region.

Herts & Borders CAS (Computing At School) Hub Meeting

It was great to see so many of you at the CAS Hub and ICT Festival last week.

Following various requests I have uploaded the presentations and support materials to;

• http://sdrv.ms/ictfestivalres

Thanks to Simon Humphreys, Paul Jagger, Debbie Foster, Gareth Bryne and the University for their great contributions.

The next meeting will be on the 18th June 2012 (4-6pm) at Falcolner School, Bushey

Confirmed speakers are Paul Clarke, Creator of the YOUSRC Website and Oliver Jenkins, GSK Programmer – ‘After school programming’. To book your place please visit the website:

• www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/2872639141          

Computing Partnership Programme

We are very pleased by the uptake of the Computing Partnership Programme we have put together alongside the University during the Summer.  I have attached the information sheet which was handed out during the ICT Festival if you would like to know more.

• Acrobat pdf, 62kb/2 pages, 06/03/2012, computing_booklet.pdf

The School of Computer Science are hosting an informal get together for schools interested in developing Computing.  I will send out a follow up e-mail shortly.

Provisional date and time is Wednesday 21st March 2012 (5- 6.30pm)
at the University of Hertfordshire School of Computer Science, College Lane, Hatfield

Moodle User Group

Find out what other schools are up to with Moodle and see future developments.

There have been multiple requests to run Moodle user groups for Hertfordshire and bordering schools.  Please find attached further information about the group.

The first meeting will be held at Parmiters school, Garston on Thursday 26th April 2012 (4.30 – 6pm)

• Acrobat pdf, 83kb/1 page, 06/03/2012, moodle_user_group.pdf

If you would like to attend please register your interest:
Email: adam.woulds@hertscc.gov.uk  

Performance Tables

You might be aware of the chance that some ICT qualifications may not be included in school performance tables from September 2014

The DfE has published a table of qualifications to be included in school performance tables:

• DfE: Reform of 14-16 Performance Tables from 2014

EdExcel have put together a press release about the impact on some BTEC and DIDA qualifications not included in the list at present:

• Edexcel: FAQs KS4 Performance Tables (pdf file)

It is likely GCSE Computer Science will be included in the performance tables.  Please be aware most examination boards are developing this qualification for implementation in September.  OCR Already have a GCSE Computing.

It is also possible that GCSE Computer Science might be included in the EBACC:

• SecEd: EBacc could include computer science GCSE - 11 Jan 2012

Finally

You might be interested to see changes from the ICT OCR Nationals to Cambridge Nationals in ICT:

• OCR: Cambridge Nationals ICT

Any colleagues that have Lego RCX bricks in their school might be interested in visiting the following website

• http://bricxcc.sourceforge.net

Good luck to any schools entering students for the Manchester University Animation 12 Competition (Deadline 23rd March). There is a really good gallery of existing entries if you want to see example student work.

• http://animation12.cs.manchester.ac.uk

Did you manage to get hold of a Raspberry Pi?  Get in touch.  It would be great to put together some little projects for students.

Please join the Herts and Borders Google group for ICT Teachers and Subject Leaders:

• Google groups: Herts and Borders Online ICT & Computing Community

Conversation is a bit one sided at the moment, join in!

It is a very exciting time for our subject.

Best of Luck for the rest of the term

Kind Regards
James Dent
ICT Curriculum Adviser - Standards and School Effectiveness
T: 01438 843377