Free computing teacher CPD: What training is right for you?

At the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) we offer a great range of free professional development courses, designed to help you teach the computing curriculum with confidence and capability. From self-paced online courses to in-person residentials, we have something for everyone.

So, what’s right for you?

Online courses: For the time poor teacher

We understand that teacher workloads can be very demanding. A lot of teachers struggle to get out of the classroom to attend these courses, which is why our online CPD is such an essential for the busy teacher. With over 100 computing courses ranging from 60 minutes to 8 hours, we want to help you to make time for your development and support you in supporting your students.

Let’s take Busy Bob for example. Busy Bob is a teacher with very little time on his hands. As someone with a lot of responsibilities in his department, he doesn’t always have the time to focus on his own development. Whenever Busy Bob gets a moment, he doesn’t want to waste it searching for the right course. This is where the NCCE comes in!

Now when he has some time, Busy Bob is able to learn entirely at his own pace. He doesn’t need to finish a course in one sitting. He can pick up wherever he left off, and so can you!

Recommended short online courses

Shorter courses are perfect for either a quick refresh or a primer into a topic you feel like you need to explore. Some of our favourites are AI and Ethics in GCSE computer science, Behaviour for learning in a computing environment, and Introduction to the Teach Computing curriculum.

Longer courses naturally have more content for you to discover. Dive further into more specific topic areas, often tailored for particular key stages. Some of our most popular courses include Creating an inclusive classroom: Approaches to supporting learners with SEND in computing, and Programming 101: An introduction to Python for educators. Don’t be put off by the length, you can pick these up when you have a minute!

With these online courses, Busy Bob feels more confident and in control – his workload isn’t overwhelming and his development is going great!

Remote courses: For new or developing learners

The newest additions to the course collection are our live-remote sessions. We are currently offering spaces on comprehensive courses for primary educators.

Trainee Tina is new to teaching. She doesn’t feel too confident in her skills and needs a boost. Tina may have been engaging with online courses but wants to take it from theory to practice before she starts her new job. With Empowering trainee teachers: Introduction to primary computing, Trainee Tina can take a day to connect with an experienced practitioner and build up her confidence. Remote courses blend the benefits of working alongside a professional with the comfort of your own home.

Leading Lauren is much more established in her career. She leads computing in her school but doesn’t have the time to travel to York for our residential courses. Because of this, she worries that she won’t get the same quality of development from her self-paced study time. Leading primary computing – module 2 is perfect for Lauren! Following on from a 6-hour online course that helped her improve her understanding of her position as a computing lead, this remote course is the perfect way to advance into a more developed teacher.

With these remote courses, Trainee Tina and Leading Lauren don’t have to miss out on high-quality CPD and personalised support!

Residential courses: For all-in study

Our free residentials are hosted at the National STEM Learning Centre in York, with on-site accommodation and catering provided.

Our residential programme is highly regarded and inspiring, fostering new connections and deepening subject knowledge.

If you’re a Busy Bob in term time, why not join us for our Summer of Computing, and get ahead of whatever challenges the new year might bring. We have a range of face-to-face courses that are ideal for all types of teachers, whether new to their role or established in their career.

Perhaps you’re a Trainee Tina and want to connect with fellow trainees in a supportive environment. We have a range of introductory and essentials-based residentials that are a perfect space to network and grow in confidence – such as New to computing and An introduction to A level computer science.

And for the Leading Laurens out there, there’s plenty of leadership focused residentials and a trip away from the classroom will help you give learn without distractions. Enjoy Leading and assessing primary computing, or Developing the established primary computing leader.

Wherever you are in your career, we want to help you grow into the best educators you can be.

So, what CPD is right for you?