The Network of Excellence  WELCOME  How did we get here from there?  How will we get there from here?  Becoming a CAS Master teacher  Q and A  Your region  Food!

HOW DID WE GET HERE FROM THERE?

How did we get here from there?  Computer science in UK schools is a subject in decline E.g. The ratio of Computing to Maths A-Level students has fallen from 1:2 in 2003 to 1:20 in 2011 and in Despite the increased need for computer science skills caused by IT society. Image source: Bringing Computer Science Back Into Schools: Lessons from the UK (Brown, Kolling, Humphreys, Sentence, Peyton Jones, Crick 2012)

How did we get here from there? ICTComputer Science Maths 2002N/A28, ,0008,00056,000 ………… ,0004,00085,000 Impact of ICT on Computer Science in schools: candidate numbers

How did we get here from there?  Reasons for the decline? Out-dated curricula The A Level not required for university ICT  Basic IT skills  Some pockets of excellent work  Staffing  Little room for CS

How did we get here from there?  CAS started in 2008 to investigate ways of improving CS in schools Grassroots Limited funding (Microsoft Research) 20 people Different stakeholders Collective desire and passion to improve the situation

How did get here from there?  CAS started with no hierarchy  Significant composition of stakeholders.  2010 BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT  CAS has now moved from a small action and lobbying group into the membership organisation for UK computer science school teachers.  But … the grassroots origins are still in place!  There is no them … only us!

CAS Online – The Community Site  Discussion forum  Resource Collabration  All CAS members have access  It’s a friendly place and …  … very active

Projects: Newsletter Once a term 3000 go into schools (with cs4fn) Distributed via hubs Online downloads Widely read High quality

Projects - Regional Hubs Offline, local communities, To share ideas, best practice, resources, Expanding programme Low maintenance, high impact Now over 30, and rising

Projects: The CAS Curriculum  Describes what a curriculum in CS might look like  Endorsed by Google, Microsoft and BCS

Projects: Advocacy Subject Association for Computer Science Royal Society Advisory Panel NESTA – Livingstone Hope report Exam Board kite marking Regarded as the specialist group for Computer Science by DfE

Summer Conference (Birmingham) June 14 th – Reception from 7pm June 15 th – Conference "From the Thursday evening sessions through to the plenaries, workshops and lectures, I was totally blown away!" "I haven't had as much fun, stimulus and recharging since the 1980's!"

HOW WILL GET THERE FROM HERE?

Google is flabbergasted Google Chairman Eric Schmidt August 2011 “I was flabbergasted to learn that today Computer Science isn't even taught as standard in UK schools” “Your IT curriculum focuses on teaching how to use software, but gives no insight into how it's made”.

January 2012 “We’re encouraging rigorous Computer Science courses” “Computer Science is a rigorous, fascinating and intellectually challenging subject” “Long after today’s pupils leave school and enter the workplace – long after the technologies they used at school are obsolete – the principles learnt in Computer Science will still hold true” “if new Computer Science GCSEs are developed that meet high standards of intellectual depth and practical value, we will certainly consider including Computer Science as an option in the English Baccalaureate”

‘Next Gen.’ Livingstone Hope Review Feb 2011 Called for by Ed Vaizey, Minister for Creative industries Recommendations: 1.Bring computer science into the National Curriculum as an essential discipline. 2.Include Art and Computer Science in the English Baccalaureate.

Royal Society Report ‘Computing in Schools Shut down or restart?’, January 2012  Computer Science is a rigorous academic discipline and needs to be recognised as such in schools  Computer Science is distinct from, but on an equal footing with, other disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, geography or history.  Like mathematics, Computer Science underpins a huge range of subjects, and has concepts and ways of working that do not change quickly over time, including programming, algorithms and data structures.

What’s the problem? 20 Computer Science Discipline How stuff works Why stuff works How to make new stuff Broadly applicable Dates slowly ICT User Skills Technology, artefacts Software packages Products Business processes Dates quickly Not a school subjectCompulsory school subject There were no GCSE in Computer Science until 2012 Almost no ICT schoolteachers with a STEM degree

Rounded Curriculum for IT and CS Primary Technology Enhanced Learning Computer Science Information Technology Digital literacy GCSE

Who is ready to teach CS? “There are not enough teachers with sufficient subject knowledge and understanding to deliver a rigorous Computer Science and Information technology curriculum in every school at present” (Shutdown or Restart: Royal Society issue 1.2)

 Supporting, equipping, and training teachers to overcome the challenges faced by the classroom teacher is Computing at School’s biggest challenge.  The Network will bring together: University departments (CS, Ed’n) Experienced CS teachers IT Professionals  Formal CPD, twilight sessions, mentoring, coaching  Informal regional hubs  Relationship

The Overview

The Vision – by 2020  Half the secondary schools in England are part of the network and offer a GCSE in computer science.  Comparable numbers of students gain a grade C or above in GCSE computer science as do in other sciences, such as physics or biology for example.  The network partners maintain and develop a comprehensive set of classroom ready inspirational computer science resources covering key stages 2, 3 and 4.

The Plan  Sept 2012-March 2013 Recruit and train 20 CAS Master Teachers Identify Lead Schools Develop regional CPD teams Universities develop and deliver subject focussed courses in their catchment Set of NQT professional development requirements documented CAS Master teachers begin work with local schools

Being in the network  Open to all  School commitment  CS at KS3 and GCSE  CAS Membership

Lead Schools  Take a lead!  250 (?) in Y1  Geographically spread  ~10% with CAS master teachers  Existing track record with CS  Centres of Excellence  Placement schools for teacher trainees

We are grateful …

Questions?