Wednesday 25th April 2018
Posted: Wed 25 Apr, 2018 7:51 am
Morning(or afternoon)
My son will have to travel to a neighbouring school for his computer science GCSE lessons when he starts year 10 in September as his school don't have the teaching staff or facilities to run the course. The two schools are part of the same academy group and quite close to each other geographically, allowing the smaller school my son is at to offer extra GCSE's in subjects like dance and resistant materials by sharing facilities which is great, but I was quite taken aback when I realised my son could only do a computer science GCSE in this way, I had assumed these days computer science would be a core subject everywhere. At least he doesn't have to move schools to do it (I'm not sure what we would have done if he wasn't able to access it via a short walk to another school once or twice a week). I know all schools do basic ICT, but surely a proper GCSE in computer science should be available to all students. The above article suggests this is becoming less and less the case and that's really disappointing.An academy trust could close its design technology and computer science departments in a bid to save £385,000 a year.
The BBC has learned that the Inspiration Trust is consulting staff at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy (GYCA) on axing eight teaching jobs.
This is anecdote from personal experience rather than any proper expertise but my experience (edit to replace 'my expertise' - that was quite a typo) is that, as a generalisation, there's nobody to teach computer science out there - and it hasn't really existed at all for ages until the last five years or so. We have spent decades teaching ICT to school children as thought it just meant 'using office applications and understanding key terms'. The ICT department here are lovely people but as I understand it none of them are really able to teach what's required of Computer Science. If you're a computer science graduate then I imagine the rewards of working in the software industries are much greater than those of teaching something difficult and technical to students who think they're going to be playing.Willow904 wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-43866008
My son will have to travel to a neighbouring school for his computer science GCSE lessons when he starts year 10 in September as his school don't have the teaching staff or facilities to run the course. The two schools are part of the same academy group and quite close to each other geographically, allowing the smaller school my son is at to offer extra GCSE's in subjects like dance and resistant materials by sharing facilities which is great, but I was quite taken aback when I realised my son could only do a computer science GCSE in this way, I had assumed these days computer science would be a core subject everywhere. At least he doesn't have to move schools to do it (I'm not sure what we would have done if he wasn't able to access it via a short walk to another school once or twice a week). I know all schools do basic ICT, but surely a proper GCSE in computer science should be available to all students. The above article suggests this is becoming less and less the case and that's really disappointing.An academy trust could close its design technology and computer science departments in a bid to save £385,000 a year.
The BBC has learned that the Inspiration Trust is consulting staff at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy (GYCA) on axing eight teaching jobs.
I certainly get the impression that staff is the main problem, though anyone with good enough maths skills ought to be able to teach computer science at GCSE level with the right training, surely. It can't be any harder than finding people to teach things like physics, for instance. Computer science is being dropped because it can and that makes it a political choice and that's what I find disappointing. So many warm words about creating a high skills society but so little desire to provide opportunities to acquire those skills.adam wrote:This is anecdote from personal experience rather than any proper expertise, but my expertise is that, as a generalisation, there's nobody to teach computer science out there - and it hasn't really existed at all for ages since the last five years or so. We have spent decades teaching ICT to school children as thought it just meant 'using office applications and understanding key terms'. The ICT department here are lovely people but as I understand it none of them are really able to teach what's required of Computer Science. If you're a computer science graduate then I imagine the rewards of working in the software industries are much greater than those of teaching something difficult and technical to students who think they're going to be playing.Willow904 wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-43866008
My son will have to travel to a neighbouring school for his computer science GCSE lessons when he starts year 10 in September as his school don't have the teaching staff or facilities to run the course. The two schools are part of the same academy group and quite close to each other geographically, allowing the smaller school my son is at to offer extra GCSE's in subjects like dance and resistant materials by sharing facilities which is great, but I was quite taken aback when I realised my son could only do a computer science GCSE in this way, I had assumed these days computer science would be a core subject everywhere. At least he doesn't have to move schools to do it (I'm not sure what we would have done if he wasn't able to access it via a short walk to another school once or twice a week). I know all schools do basic ICT, but surely a proper GCSE in computer science should be available to all students. The above article suggests this is becoming less and less the case and that's really disappointing.An academy trust could close its design technology and computer science departments in a bid to save £385,000 a year.
The BBC has learned that the Inspiration Trust is consulting staff at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy (GYCA) on axing eight teaching jobs.
People in charge of deciding what courses are available don't want everyone learning important skills or gaining knowledge.Willow904 wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-43866008
My son will have to travel to a neighbouring school for his computer science GCSE lessons when he starts year 10 in September as his school don't have the teaching staff or facilities to run the course. The two schools are part of the same academy group and quite close to each other geographically, allowing the smaller school my son is at to offer extra GCSE's in subjects like dance and resistant materials by sharing facilities which is great, but I was quite taken aback when I realised my son could only do a computer science GCSE in this way, I had assumed these days computer science would be a core subject everywhere. At least he doesn't have to move schools to do it (I'm not sure what we would have done if he wasn't able to access it via a short walk to another school once or twice a week). I know all schools do basic ICT, but surely a proper GCSE in computer science should be available to all students. The above article suggests this is becoming less and less the case and that's really disappointing.An academy trust could close its design technology and computer science departments in a bid to save £385,000 a year.
The BBC has learned that the Inspiration Trust is consulting staff at Great Yarmouth Charter Academy (GYCA) on axing eight teaching jobs.
My bold - you're probably right - if I say instead it does appear to have become something that people have decided they are unqualified to teach, perhaps because it hasn't been taught at a school level for so long. We have taught programming as something you don't learn until you're at University for the last thirty years or so, and I'm not sure but I suspect there has been a divide at university level between people studying programming and then going to work in software design, and people studying ICT and systems and going to work in teaching or maybe tech management.Willow904 wrote:I certainly get the impression that staff is the main problem, though anyone with good enough maths skills ought to be able to teach computer science at GCSE level with the right training, surely. It can't be any harder than finding people to teach things like physics, for instance. Computer science is being dropped because it can and that makes it a political choice and that's what I find disappointing. So many warm words about creating a high skills society but so little desire to provide opportunities to acquire those skills.
Direction of travel is a real concern.UK among worst in Western Europe for freedom of press after 'staggering decline', Reporters Without Borders index claims
Britain undergoes 'staggering decline', claims group
Giving evidence to MPs today, Brexit Secretary David Davis gave no indication that any breakthrough is imminent in the stalemate over the Irish border.
.....
Mr Verhofstadt also warned the UK to propose a solution for the Irish border by June, and not October, a date floated by Mr Davis.
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