“Everybody should lean how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.” – Steve Jobs 

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Computer Science is a part of the EBacc and is a scientific discipline which acts as an ‘underpinning’ subject for students wanting to enter other scientific and engineering roles. It provides a ‘way of thinking’ about problems in a similar fashion to mathematics and there are very strong educational arguments for delivering this subject in every school. In the 1980s, we saw the launch of the BBC Microcomputer and the emergence of a whole generation of Computer Science teachers and technologists that helped to put the UK at the forefront of a range of industries, such as computer games and mobile consumer electronics (ARM processors). In the 1990s the National Curriculum broadened the subject into ICT. While many parents appreciated the importance of the wider discipline, many children found the subject undemanding and the importance of programming had been lost. 

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From 2010 onwards, the government responded to pressure from industry about the lack of suitably qualified programmers and technologists. GCSE ICT was scrapped. ICT is now only available in a much revamped BTEC qualification. A rigorous set of academic topics were drawn into the newly launched Computer Science qualifications. The GCSE and GCE subjects aimed to expose students to the interest, excitement and creativity that even a modest understanding of Computing offers, and to provide a skill set necessary for a variety of careers.

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However, this change has brought a real need for new Computer Science trained teachers. Old ICT trained staff have either converted and retrained to Computer Science or have left the subject. Many schools want to offer this demanding qualification, but struggle to recruit suitably qualified staff that can deliver programming in an interesting and engaging way. Computer Science is of enormous importance to our economy: many of the most in-demand jobs in the regional, national and international economy are directly linked to this subject.  

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We will guide you through the skills required to deliver high-quality programming teaching to students of all abilities. At KS3 and GCSE, we will focus on the teaching of the Python language and the array of theoretical concepts that underpin technological developments. This course will provide you with the classroom practice and experience to enable you to deliver with confidence the subject across all age and ability ranges. We underpin this practical experience with carefully tuned subject knowledge input to ensure that you can deliver the entire curriculum. 

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Teaching offers you the privilege of working with the next generation. We are the country that has produced the stars of Computer Science from Alan Turing to Tim Berners-Lee or Tim Cook. We need to be sure that the UK remains at the forefront of Computing and if that is to happen then we need people who are committed to inspiring that next generation.