The revolution in computing education at school: opportunity and challenge

The new English National Curriculum in computing says that every child should learn computer science, as a foundational subject discipline like maths or natural science, from primary school onwards. This is much more than “teaching kids to code”. It represents a huge and welcome shift of perspective, away from technology and towards principles and ideas.

But it’s also a massive challenge. What does a good computer science education look like in primary school classroom? How can teachers with little subject knowledge of computer science teach it? Aren’t computer scientists all socially-challenged male geeks anyway?

In this talk, Simon will explain what’s going on, especially the recent launch of the National Centre of Computing Education. This revolution is taking place in our core expertise, in within yards of our front doors. And we are being invited to contribute to it, and shape how it “lands”. What an opportunity! Let’s grab it; Simon will make concrete suggestions about how.