Frequently Asked Questions about Embedding Computing

Author: Shahneila Saeed

The Digital Schoolhouse is proud to announce its collaboration with the Progression Pathways to produce a set of Frequently Asked Questions to help senior leaders introduce and embed computing into their schools. 

The subject of Computing was introduced into the National Curriculum in September 2014. Yet there still seems to be a growing gulf in those schools effectively managing the transition from ICT to Computing and those still yet to get started.

There is some wonderful work being done by the Computing educational community to help demystify the changes for teachers. Despite a range of guidance documents and national initiatives, there is a feeling amongst many school leaders and their Computing leaders of not knowing how to get started. Despite this, those who are able to make the transition from ICT to Computing, suggests that they are embracing and enjoying the changes to the curriculum.

Some leaders suggested that signposting the government guidance and contextualising it for Computing would be incredibly useful. In particular, highlighting the document, pages and specific paragraphs where the answers to specific questions could be found would be massively beneficial. At the same time, teachers suggest that they could do with support in contextualising for Computing, the official Ofsted, Department for Education and other relevant publications from the education community.

So what is the answer? School leaders and classroom practitioners of all stages in their careers, and in all educational settings, suggest that what is needed is a set of simple and clear set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) that they could dip in and out of, and refer to when needed. These FAQs could contain examples of how other schools have answered the question with quotes to the official guidance (by topic, page and paragraph numbers) from Ofsted, Department for Education and Computing educational community to give them confidence in developing their own solutions.

The Digital Schoolhouse has been working closely with the Progression Pathways over the past 18 months. As a result of our collaboration, Digital Schoolhouse activities can be found inside the tool as learning journeys. In addition to this mapping, we have collaborated to produce a set of free FAQ's as guidance for senior leaders to help them embed computing in schools.

Read the FAQ's

These FAQs help to give school leaders a starting point from which to identify what aspects of the school’s Computing provision to tackle first. This webpage will also contain a list of online forums where you can begin or continue the discussion, this will help ensure that the FAQs are up to date and relevant for school leaders and teachers alike. If you are discussing these FAQs in an online forum, please tell us where so that we can update our list!

Another outcome from this work is the Guide to supporting Senior Leaders with embedding the new Computing curriculum into schools The document and supporting website was produced in collaboration with the Education Foundation for the Mayor of London’s LEP.

Progression Pathways has also been sharing their expertise by delivering guest lectures at, and running workshops for, a number of Initial Teacher Training providers, Local Education Authoroties and their local partner schools for more details visit: http://www.progression-pathways.co.uk/training.html

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