News
Through this report, we seek to better define digital literacy, highlight its presence and importance in the computing curriculum, and outline a progression for digital literacy modelled by the Teach Computing Curriculum.
23 FEBRUARY 2021
Applications are now open for schools to gain recognition for their work to encourage young people to engage with computer science and develop cyber security skills.
22 FEBRUARY 2021
Are you looking to grow your computer science knowledge this Spring? Jump in, grab your computer and get cracking on your professional learning this term with the CS Accelerator.
22 FEBRUARY 2021
Dr Kathryn Atherton writes about why girls are under-represented in certain STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) A level subjects, and how we can address it.
18 FEBRUARY 2021
Computer science is on the rise. It is the fastest-growing subject at GCSE, and more teachers are needed to meet the demand.
11 FEBRUARY 2021
A rich experience of computer science in school plays a vital role in encouraging young people to pursue the subject at higher education, says Julia Adamson, Director of Education at BCS, the Chartered Institute for IT.
04 FEBRUARY 2021
A recent Ofsted report sought to summarise research into what works well in remote learning. In addition to signposting the NCCE offer, we asked our Subject Matter Experts what works well in their virtual classroom.
26 JANUARY 2021
We have launched an exciting new initiative to formally recognise your contribution to computing education in England.
12 JANUARY 2021
At the National Centre for Computing Education, we know that computing matters. It can help us develop a new generation of digitally-literate citizens able to actively participate in society. And it builds skills which will help pupils move forward into the roles which we will need for success in our future economy. We know the crucial role which teachers play in achieving these goals. And all of us here at the NCCE – as the home of computing education – stand ready to help you improve how you
05 JANUARY 2021
In this paper, the two researchers (Ethel Tshukudu & Quintin Cutts) explore the process of knowledge transfer when novice programmers switch between programming languages, in order to learn how programming language transfer impacts code comprehension.
17 DECEMBER 2020
This year's conference season has been continuing at a pace online, and November saw the Workshop in Primary and Secondary Computing Education (WiPSCE) led from the original location of Essen, Germany, but attended online.
17 DECEMBER 2020
This month, the National Centre for Computing Education is sharing its 12 pedagogy principles for computing. Download your own handy classroom poster featuring all 12 pedagogical principles, to act as a quick reminder for busy teachers.
17 DECEMBER 2020
Congratulations to NCCE Computer Hub, Dartford Grammar, on winning the ICT Innovation Award for its work to support schools across the region
14 DECEMBER 2020
Hayley Leonard explores the role that emotions play during problem solving in programming.
14 DECEMBER 2020
In this final episode of 2020, Sue Sentence and James Robinson sit down to discuss the PRIMM approach to teaching programming and the importance of talk in the computing classroom.
10 DECEMBER 2020
We are launching a new support programme next term to meet the needs of Computer Science Accelerator participants who are new to computing.
07 DECEMBER 2020
The NCCE has reached the milestone of engaging with over 1,000 schools through its school engagement programme.
03 DECEMBER 2020
Our second anniversary is a good point in time to reflect on the NCCE’s journey so far, so today we’ve published our NCCE Impact Report looking at our work since November 2018.
25 NOVEMBER 2020
How can teachers of computing achieve the best outcomes for students through online lessons, and maintain the progress made in computing? We take a look at the advice, guidance and support available for teachers to optimise remote learning.
18 NOVEMBER 2020
To celebrate two years of the NCCE, we are running a fantastic competition to give away a class set of 10 Raspberry Pi 4 Desktop Kits to one lucky teacher!
16 NOVEMBER 2020
National restrictions relating to COVID-19 came into force across England from Thursday 5 November. Although these mean that we cannot offer face-to-face support until further notice, we have plenty of other ways of supporting you online, so don't miss out.
10 NOVEMBER 2020
A recent survey of the first cohort of teachers to complete the Computer Science Accelerator found that the programme is having a positive impact on schools, teachers and young people.
10 NOVEMBER 2020
A recent survey of teachers registered on the Isaac Computer Science learning platform found that they save an average of three hours a week by using the free online resources.
05 NOVEMBER 2020
To celebrate This Is Engineering Day 2020 and their theme of ‘Be The Difference’, we are publishing a series of articles that tell the stories of three different students who have navigated their way through education to a career in engineering.
04 NOVEMBER 2020
It is with some excitement that we can announce that, after several months of working behind the scenes, our Gender Balance in Computing (GBIC) programme is reopening today!
03 NOVEMBER 2020
Program comprehension has become recognised as an important step in learning to program. What exactly is program comprehension, why is it so important, and how can educators develop these skills with their learners?
30 OCTOBER 2020
To support schools and teachers with limited access to their school computer suite, we look at how to adapt teaching to incorporate meaningful activities that introduce ideas or develop understanding away from computers, including ideas to introduce in your classroom.
28 OCTOBER 2020
Congratulations to the first 1,000 teachers to have completed the Computer Science Accelerator, from the NCCE’s Chair, Prof Simon Peyton Jones, who has praised them for helping “to make the world a better place.”
02 OCTOBER 2020
Computing is rich with abstract concepts to understand and technical skills to master. In order to flourish, students need a wide variety of learning experiences. Most of the time, this experience involves the use of computing devices and specialist software, but not always.
29 SEPTEMBER 2020
Nigel Ferry, who moved from teaching design and technology to computer science, recounts his professional development journey and the impact on his career.
28 SEPTEMBER 2020
Sophie Jenkinson, who recently completed her teacher training as a maths teacher, reflects on her experience of attending our early-career summer school and the skills she’s gained for the classroom.
28 SEPTEMBER 2020
Alexander Gray, a PE teacher from the North East, tells us about his move to teaching computing.
26 SEPTEMBER 2020
PRIMM is an approach that can support teachers in structuring lessons in programming. In this quick read we explore the five stages of PRIMM and some of the research behind the approach.
24 SEPTEMBER 2020
Rebecca Connell talks us through her journey into computer science teaching. From starting out as a Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) teacher, to becoming the Head of Computing at The Cowplain School.
24 SEPTEMBER 2020
Dave Gibbs explains why inspiring students to learn more about computing at KS3 is so important, even though the benefits are often not revealed until later key stages.
21 SEPTEMBER 2020
Katharine Childs shares a simple way that teachers can find out what their learners think about computing, and provides suggested resources to address misconceptions and inspire more girls about computing.
16 SEPTEMBER 2020
Ajay Sharman, Regional Network Lead for STEM Learning, poses the question of whether playing video games can help literacy in schools.
10 SEPTEMBER 2020
A year ago today, we launched the Isaac Computer Science programme to bring free, high-quality computer science resources to teachers and students around England.
07 SEPTEMBER 2020
The "Teach Computing Curriculum" aims to support teachers, reduce workload, and provide outstanding learning experiences for pupils.
04 SEPTEMBER 2020
We are delighted to congratulate the first 1,000 teachers to complete our CS Accelerator programme; boosting schools’ ability to deliver GCSE computer science across England.
10 AUGUST 2020
Computer Science teacher Annie Cuffe Davies tells us about her transformative journey through the Computer Science Accelerator, and the impact it's had on her and her school.
10 AUGUST 2020
This time last year I was working hard to complete the final assessment for the CSA programme. So much has changed since then...
10 AUGUST 2020
Over a year ago, we embarked upon an ambitious project: a collection of over 500 hours of teaching materials to help you with the delivery of the entire computing curriculum from Key Stages 1 to 4 in England. We are therefore delighted to launch the new curriculum section of our website today!
03 AUGUST 2020
Hello! It's the last week of our home teaching programme and we are SO PROUD to have supported over 80,000 of you to keep learning about computing over the last three months.
13 JULY 2020
Matt Davenport, a computing subject leader at Stoke Heath Primary School in Coventry has recently completed the Teach Primary Computing certificate. In this blog piece he shares his experience about how it's helped his teaching practice
09 JULY 2020
We're excited to announce that we’ve partnered with the Oak National Academy to present our Teach Computing Curriculum lessons on camera, direct to students
06 JULY 2020
Hello! It's the penultimate week of our home teaching programme and, as always, we are here to support students of all age groups and abilities to learn about computing.
06 JULY 2020
Are you looking for some supercharged computer science CPD over the holiday period? We've got you covered.
02 JULY 2020
It's week 10 of our home teaching programme. This week's activities include chatbots, bedroom battleships, and tracking the international space station!
29 JUNE 2020
Surveys and interviews are powerful tools for collecting data (usually qualitative) from participants. In this 2 page read we compare these similar approaches and highlight when each might be more appropriate.
25 JUNE 2020