Skip to main content

News

Home > Articles

Unwrap your next festive resource!

The long-awaited arrival of the 12 Days of Computing is here! What could be a better way to participate than incorporating some fresh, festive-themed resources into your lessons? Here, you can find all the resources we will go on to share, as and when they are released.

06 DECEMBER 2023

What role should Generative AI play in education?

Alan Harrison, National Specialist for Secondary Computing Leadership and the National Centre for Computing Education, discusses teaching about (generative) AI and what role it should play in education.

06 DECEMBER 2023

Join us for 12 Days of Computing!

Join us for 12 Days of Computing! From December 1, we are excited to be showcasing brand-new festive themed resources, exciting upcoming CPD, and (most importantly) a range of prizes for you to get your hands on!

24 NOVEMBER 2023

Enrich your students' learning during mock exam season with Isaac Computer Science

Isaac Computer Science is the free online platform for students and teachers and is part of the National Centre for Computing Education. Explore the range of events on offer and how both you and your pupils can benefit from the platform.

23 NOVEMBER 2023

Experts appointed to drive excellence in teaching computing

The National Centre for Computing Education has appointed leading practitioners and industry representatives from across the tech and digital sectors to support its ongoing strategic direction and aims.

16 NOVEMBER 2023

Need support delivering algorithms & programming for AQA or OCR GCSE computer science?

Simon Roberts, Secondary Computing Lead at the National Centre of Computing Education, discusses how you can maximise your students' success this mock exam season through attending our tailored exam board residentials.

15 NOVEMBER 2023

Environmental and social responsibility in a time of great technological opportunity

To mark the start of Green Careers Week, we look at how technological innovation is helping businesses shape sustainable goals and the environmental and social responsibility required to tackle global challenges like the climate change crisis.

06 NOVEMBER 2023

Learn and explore in York – launching our primary residential CPD

We are very excited to announce that we are expanding our residential offer at the National STEM Learning Centre! Enjoy a visit to the historic city of York and return to the classroom inspired and full of new knowledge.

18 OCTOBER 2023

Being a computing leader in primary

Phil Wickins, National Specialist for Primary Computing Leaders at the NCCE, discusses the importance of becoming a primary computing leader, and shines a light on just some of the resources, courses, and events that can help you along the way.

17 OCTOBER 2023

Ada Lovelace Day: Shaping a More Inclusive Future in Tech

Ada Lovelace Day celebrates women's achievements in STEM, while also highlighting the social disparities that persist in these fields. It serves as a reminder of the need for diversity and inclusion to create a more equitable future in science and technology.

10 OCTOBER 2023

Black History Month: Saluting Our Sisters

Join us as we celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth this October! This year, we are honouring the incredible black women who have made their mark in computing. From self-taught developers to space engineers, their stories will inspire and empower us all.

28 SEPTEMBER 2023

Enriching the primary computing curriculum

We are excited to launch our enrichment offer for the 2023/2024 academic year. Our enrichment offer provides an excellent opportunity for teachers and students to enjoy a dynamic and engaging learning experience. How will you get involved?

18 SEPTEMBER 2023

Creating a fairer world by ending digital poverty

Dave Gibbs, Education Strategy Lead at STEM Learning, explores the digital divide in the UK and how education can play a central role in closing the gap.

12 SEPTEMBER 2023

Exam results 2023: highlights for computing

This year’s GCSE and A level exam results have now been revealed, with some real positives to celebrate for computing and computer science. However, girls heavily remain underrepresented in this high-demand subject.

24 AUGUST 2023

Women's World Cup computing ideas

Are you looking to capture the Women's World Cup fever whilst developing your pupils’ computational thinking? We’ve collated computing resources you can adapt and use in your classroom to inspire fun, football-themed end-of-term activities!

17 JULY 2023

Encouraging girls into computer science

Not enough girls study computer science which is holding them back from rewarding technology careers. We're on a mission to change that - will you join us?

22 JUNE 2023

Join us for a summer of computing

Get ready to make this the summer of computing and supercharge your computer science knowledge and pedagogy.

19 JUNE 2023

More young people are choosing to study computing

The interest for studying computing and computer science is rising amongst the current generation of students - Ofqual's latest report into the number of students studying GCSE, AS and A level shows.

02 JUNE 2023

CPD experience: An interview with Richard Berryman

Richard is the Computing Lead for his primary school which is based in the Isle of Wight, as well as a CAS lead. We spoke with Richard to learn more about his experience with the Primary Certificate and using the NCCE resources within the classroom.

18 MAY 2023

Introducing BBC micro:bit the next gen

We are excited to work together with Micro:bit and BBC to provide training to teachers on how to use micro:bits in their primary classrooms. With micro:bits you will be able to enhance pupils' learning of the computing curriculum and support their learning in other subject areas.

15 MAY 2023

Secondary CPD tailored to teachers’ development needs and goals

To support secondary computer science teachers’ professional development needs, we have put together lists of our quality assured courses under specific themes.

28 APRIL 2023

Launching KS2 electronic assessments for the Teach Computing Curriculum

Launching electronic versions of the KS2 summative assessments from the Teach Computing Curriculum - now available as both Google and Microsoft Form templates.

19 APRIL 2023

Launching secondary student knowledge assessments

Designed to help teachers track student progress, these quality assured question banks can be used with key stage 3 and GCSE Computer Science students across 10 topic areas.

12 APRIL 2023

What to expect next from the National Centre for Computing Education

It's the start of a new chapter for the National Centre, and to mark this exciting milestone, we are sharing the latest developments from the programme and what you can expect next.

03 APRIL 2023

Online course update: booking now available

We are excited to announce that bookings are now available for online courses starting from 3 April 2023, following the transition to where these are hosted and delivered.

13 MARCH 2023

Inspirational women in computing: the past, present and future

International Women’s Day is a global day to celebrate the achievements of women and call for gender parity. In this blog, we discuss key women in computing over the years and resources to help encourage more girls to choose computer science at GCSE and A level.

08 MARCH 2023

National Careers Week 2023

This year National Careers Week will run from 6 to 11 March 2023. The aim of this week is to spread career guidance and resources for students. This provides an opportunity for students to gain inspiration about their futures and the possible career paths.

06 MARCH 2023

CPD experience an interview with Allen Tsui

An interview with Allen Tsui who has completed all three of the Teach Computing certificates. In this blog, he discusses his background and how he got into teaching computing, along with his experience on the NCCE CPD.

03 MARCH 2023

ChatGPT: good or bad?

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chat bot which was first developed in late 2022. There is a debate around whether it is beneficial or harmful to learning. In this blog, Adam Little (professional development lead at Stem Learning) discusses the use and effectiveness.

02 MARCH 2023

Change to our online course platform

We are currently transitioning our online CPD programme to the MyLearning platform, where courses will be hosted from 1 April 2023.

24 FEBRUARY 2023

SEND Computing Conference 2023

Support SEND pupils in their learning of computer science – join our SEND Computing Conference on Friday 17 March 2023 (9.30am – 4pm) at the National STEM Learning Centre in York.

17 FEBRUARY 2023

An update on our brand journey

The National Centre for Computing Education is going through an exciting period of change. We've been working to evolve our brand to create a cohesive identity that works alongside improvements to the user journey.

06 FEBRUARY 2023

Explore our spring term residential offer

This spring term, we’re excited to be expanding our residential offer at the National STEM Learning Centre in York. Following your feedback to extend our offer beyond the Computer Science Accelerator (CSA) programme, we’ve launched a number of new residentials.

02 FEBRUARY 2023

Safer Internet Day: Making space for conversations about life online

Safer Internet Day takes place on 7 February and is a chance to highlight how young people can build healthier relationships with online activities such as gaming, messaging and emailing carried out using internet services. We’ve collated a range of useful resources to help you plan your lessons.

25 JANUARY 2023

February half-term CPD schedule

Enhance your computing knowledge by attending one or more of our CPD courses throughout the February half term.

23 JANUARY 2023

Discover our 2018 - 2022 impact report

We're delighted to launch our annual impact report, which showcases how the NCCE has been working to drive forward computing education across England and our key achievements from the last four years.

20 JANUARY 2023

Gender Balance in Computing: How to present Computer Science as a GCSE option

Today, we publish findings from research exploring how Computer Science is presented in options booklets and at options evenings — two key points in the GCSE selection process that may contribute to the gender imbalance in the subject.

14 DECEMBER 2022

Gender Balance in Computing: Using real-world contexts to teach programming in secondary schools

Today we are sharing the results of the Relevance intervention, which was designed to explore answers to this question, and to specifically investigate whether learning about computing in real-world contexts would increase girls’ intention to study GCSE Computer Science.

29 NOVEMBER 2022

New Isaac Computer Science workbooks

Check out our new, downloadable workbooks from Isaac Computer Science, featuring hundreds of GCSE Computer Science questions to test your students' knowledge.

24 NOVEMBER 2022

Inspire Key stage 3 students with our new creative curriculum residential

Are you looking to improve your Key Stage 3 computing curriculum? Join us in York in March 2023 for our two-day residential course, where you will explore the characteristics of a successful computing curriculum.

22 NOVEMBER 2022

Gender Balance in Computing: Making the link between informal and formal learning in computing

When female pupils participate in non-formal computing initiatives, they may not see how this learning relates to them achieving their long-term goals. This intervention aimed to address this barrier by focusing on strengthening the links between non-formal and formal learning within schools.

01 NOVEMBER 2022

Bringing physical computing into your primary classroom

Physical computing can promote a broader perspective, bridging learners’ theoretical knowledge of how the hardware works and their program writing skills. It may be something to consider introducing into your school and this blog will explain how and why you should.

24 OCTOBER 2022

Gender Balance in Computing: Developing a sense of belonging in computing using role models and parental encouragement

Today we are publishing the evaluation report for the next intervention from a series of interventions designed to address various barriers to girls’ uptake in computing.

14 OCTOBER 2022

Are you starting as an early career teacher this September?

As you enter your career, your first two years as an early career teacher will be heavily underpinned by professional development. Whilst you will receive a great deal of this from your schools, mentors etc, the NCCE is also on hand to help develop your teaching practice.

06 SEPTEMBER 2022

Top tips for leading computing in your school

As the school term begins and thoughts turn to new classes, here are a few tips for supporting computing teaching and learning in your school.

05 SEPTEMBER 2022

Residential CPD programme: 2022 to 2023

We are excited to launch our 2022 to 2023 residential CPD programme, taking place in York at the National STEM Learning Centre.

30 AUGUST 2022

Computing in demand at GCSE

Stories around GCSE results are currently dominating the news in the run-up to the new academic year. Several news outlets, including the Guardian, have reported on the popularity of computing - with more students choosing to study computing than PE for the first time.

26 AUGUST 2022

GCSE results and preparing for September 2022

Whether you’re just beginning your teaching career or moving into a leadership role, our offer has grown to support your needs and can help as you prepare for September.

25 AUGUST 2022

Gender Balance in Computing: Using a peer instruction approach in the computing classroom

We've published the results of a project that explored the use of a teaching approach called peer instruction in secondary schools with Year 8 (pupils aged 12 to 13), with the aim of increasing girls’ engagement in computing lessons and study choices.

24 AUGUST 2022

Engaging ideas for the Autumn term

Are you looking for activities or resources for the Autumn term to bring computing to life? We've collated ten fun and engaging activities and resources to use with your pupils.

24 AUGUST 2022

What good programming work looks like

In previous posts, we've argued that practical programming is of vital importance in computing education. This post discusses what good practical programming might look like in primary and secondary schools.

22 JULY 2022

Fun ideas for end of term computing activities

Are you looking for end-of-term activities to inspire your pupils' computational thinking? We've collated ten, fun and engaging activities to use in the classroom.

19 JULY 2022

Programming work is essential pedagogy

This blog continues the series of blogs on the Practical Importance of Programming in Computing Education by the NCCE Academic Board, based on the white paper, Practical Programming in Computing Education.

14 JULY 2022

CSA story: Anna Sessarego-Mercer

The second interview of our Computer Science Accelerator (CSA) Programme graduate series is with Anna Sessarego-Mercer, a 45-year-old mum of two. She is an early career teacher of science and computer science.

11 JULY 2022

Developing primary computing education through subject-specific CPD

We look at key points raised in Ofsted’s latest subject research review around factors that influence the quality of computing education in schools in England.

08 JULY 2022

Our CSA Graduation events celebrating teachers are underway!

Our events celebrating Computer Science Accelerator graduate teachers, are well underway - with events in Birmingham, York and London held this week, and more still to come

07 JULY 2022

Gender Balance in Computing: Trialling a pair programming teaching approach in primary computing lessons

Today's evaluation report shares the results of the Pair Programming intervention. It explores whether using a teaching approach called pair programming has a positive impact on girls' attitudes towards computing.

07 JULY 2022

CSA story: Jonathan O’Donnell from the Harris Federation

Over the next few months, we will be sharing stories from our Computer Science Accelerator graduates to learn how they got on with the certificate and how it helped them.

06 JULY 2022

We need you to tell us what you think!

To make sure that the Teach Computing Curriculum continues to be a useful asset to teachers and learners, we need to hear from as many different teachers as possible to find out how you’re using it and your experiences.

05 JULY 2022

Tidy up your Teach Computing account profile

With the end of the term in sight, now is a good time to update your account profile ready for September. We’ve pulled together some top tips to get you started.

04 JULY 2022

Data and Information within the computing curriculum

The huge growth in computing has resulted in data becoming vital across society. The use of data is pervasive across all sectors and economies around the world, to analyse, evaluate, and inform decisions.

30 JUNE 2022

Celebrate Games Careers week with our curated resources

To celebrate we have pulled together a list of resources you can use in the classroom to inspire and teach your students about what a career in gaming could involve.

20 JUNE 2022

Programming teaches exceptionally useful skills

In their third blog, based on the white paper, Practical Programming in Computing Education, the NCCE Academic Board members explain why practical programming is key to computer science, not just an optional add-on.

13 JUNE 2022

Preparing to teach GCSE computer science?

Are you delivering GCSE computer science for the first time this September? This summer, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join us in York for our three-day Preparing to teach GCSE computer science residential.

09 JUNE 2022

Congratulations to Prof Simon Peyton Jones, Chair of NCCE, on his OBE award

The National Centre for Computing Education is delighted that its Chair, Prof Simon Peyton Jones, is to receive an OBE for his services to education and computing science.

01 JUNE 2022

Find out more about our upcoming graduation events!

We're delighted to extend the invite for our Celebration events to all teachers who have obtained certification from the NCCE. Here's a sneak peek of what attendees can expect.

30 MAY 2022

Join us for a summer of computing

Here at the National Centre for Computing Education, we're so excited about what we have in store over the next few months to help you make maximise your professional development and get ahead for September.

27 MAY 2022

Programming is intrinsic to computer science

In their second blog, based on the white paper, Practical Programming in Computing Education, the NCCE Academic Board explain why practical programming is intrinsic to computer science, not just an optional add-on.

25 MAY 2022

Are you starting a new role in September?

Starting your first primary teaching post can be an exciting but apprehensive time. Rachel Jackon offers tips to get you off to an early start and help support you in your first year.

24 MAY 2022

Summer term computing projects for Year 6

The summer term is finally here and we've collated a few ideas linked to computing to carry out with your Year 6 pupils.

11 MAY 2022

Gender Balance in Computing: Trialling a storytelling teaching approach

Today we have published the first of a series of evaluation reports for the Gender Balance in Computing programme. This first evaluation report concerns the feasibility of our pilot study of a teaching approach based on storytelling in key stage 1.

10 MAY 2022

Booking now live for our Computer Science Accelerator graduation events!

We’re pleased to announce that booking is now live for our celebration events for graduates of the Computer Science Accelerator programme!

09 MAY 2022

Half term CPD schedule

Throughout the May half term, our Computing Hubs will be running a comprehensive range of live remote and face to face courses as part of our primary and subject knowledge certificates.

28 APRIL 2022

Physical computing kits: the story so far

It's now six months since the NCCE physical computing kits scheme was launched, so we thought it would be a good time to report on how the scheme is going.

25 APRIL 2022

The importance of practical programming

In their first article, based on the white paper, Practical Programming in Computing Education, the NCCE Academic Board explain why practical programming experience is a vitally important part of any computing education

22 APRIL 2022

Our support and guidance for computer science subject leaders

Whether you’re an established subject leader, or excited to be moving into your first leadership post; the Teach Computing offer has grown significantly this last year, meaning we’re on hand to support you and your department's journey.

13 APRIL 2022

The Computing Quality Framework: We're celebrating 1,000 schools now registered

It's been a milestone month for the CQF with 1,000 schools now registered users, 25 Computing Quality Marks Achieved, and a packed event at BETT UK

11 APRIL 2022

Assessment of programming: exam-board specific courses

Following the changes to the assessment of programming, the NCCE has realigned its Python Programming Constructs course to each of the GCSE awarding body specifications.

06 APRIL 2022

Summer term residential and intensive CPD programme

We are delighted to launch our summer term residential and intensive CPD programme, which takes place between May and July.

23 MARCH 2022

Easter CPD schedule available

We are excited to announce an exciting programme of CPD available to book throughout the Easter holidays.

21 MARCH 2022

Primary Spring-themed activities for your classroom

In preparation for Easter, we’ve collated a range of computing resources that you can adapt and use in your classrooms for a little seasonal fun!

17 MARCH 2022

Subject Practitioner Panels: Gathering teacher voices

The NCCE is looking for more teachers to join its Subject Practitioner Panels group. We ensure that we can best meet the needs of computing educators.

16 MARCH 2022

Celebrate with us this summer - graduation events for the Computer Science Accelerator

Following the success of our inaugural graduation event at Google Headquarters in 2019, we are pleased to announce that we will be running a series of celebration events in July 2022 for graduates of the Computer Science Accelerator!

15 MARCH 2022

Join us at BETT 2022 for our exciting Computing at School and NCCE events

We've got guest speakers, plus an 'After Hours' Computing at School event at BETT 20222 celebration of education and technology

14 MARCH 2022

Talk to us at ASCL Annual Conference this week

Are you heading to the ASCL Annual Conference 2022? Come and talk to the NCCE team; find out more about what we do, including our new tool for schools, the Computing Quality Framework (CQF).

08 MARCH 2022

Collaboration between mathematics and computing departments

Computing is a relatively new subject in schools but computing in mathematics education has a long history.

07 MARCH 2022

Why you must care about cyber skills

Dave Gibbs looks at what cyber skills mean to school leaders, and how teachers and learners can thrive online.

28 FEBRUARY 2022

Quick read: Addressing learners’ alternate conceptions in computing

Alternate conceptions (often referred to as misconceptions) are learners’ beliefs about a concept that are overly simplified or inaccurate.

24 FEBRUARY 2022

Careers week support from the NCCE

This year National Careers Week will run from 7 to 12 March 2022. We have curated resources from across the NCCE to help you support your students.

16 FEBRUARY 2022

The Golden thread of teacher development in computing: ITT, ECF, NPQs and the NCCE

Christian Turton discusses how professional development from the NCCE can support schools to implement the new requirements of the golden thread of teacher development.

15 FEBRUARY 2022

Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science

Read our interview with Carrie Anne Philbin, the Raspberry Pi Foundation's Director of Educator Support.

11 FEBRUARY 2022

Advance information for exams: support for computer science

This week, advance information ahead of the 2022 exam series has been released. We look at what this means for computer science and how the NCCE can help.

08 FEBRUARY 2022

The return to exams: improving student attainment in computer science

Are you looking to improve your understanding of student attainment ahead of the GCSE exams this summer? To support you, we have grown our Computer Science Accelerator residential programme.

01 FEBRUARY 2022

Fast-track Fortnight

We are excited to announce the launch of our brand new two-week CPD programme, Fast-track fortnight!

31 JANUARY 2022

Love your CPD this half term

This February half term, we have a wide range of live remote and face to face courses on offer as part of our primary, secondary and subject knowledge certificates, all available to book now.

24 JANUARY 2022

The Computing Quality Framework (CQF)

The NCCE's new CQF is an online resource which enables schools to review and develop their computing provision - and recognises excellence

13 JANUARY 2022

Online courses now ‘always-on’

We are very excited to announce a new way to take our online courses. Instead of our online courses being scheduled in runs, from today you will be able to join them all at any time you want.

05 JANUARY 2022

GCSE topics now available on Isaac Computer Science

We’ve released 8 new topics of GCSE Computer Science content through the Isaac Computer Science programme.

04 JANUARY 2022

Spring term residential CPD

We're delighted to launch our new spring term residential programme, which is available to book now!

27 DECEMBER 2021

Step into Computing

This month, we've selected some sparkling, seasonal resources to help you and your pupils celebrate the festive period. From Christmas coding and digital cards to making scarf designs for snowmen, these fun-filled resources can help you to bring festive joy to your classroom this December.

29 NOVEMBER 2021

Quick read: Culturally relevant pedagogy

Culturally relevant pedagogy is a framework that emphasises valuing all learners' knowledge, heritage and ways of learning. By drawing on students' own experiences and cultural knowledge you can ensure that the computing curriculum is relevant, engaging and accessible to all.

25 NOVEMBER 2021

Computing for all at key stage 4

Dave Gibbs and Carrie Anne Philbin look at how the NCCE can help schools ensure all students build the knowledge and skills needed in the digital age.

24 NOVEMBER 2021

Leading primary computing

We spoke to Sophie Hudson, who teaches at Linton on Ouse Primary School and Nursery, about her experience of leading primary computing and how she’s benefiting from the NCCE’s support.

15 NOVEMBER 2021

We are three

Yesterday marked the third birthday of the NCCE. So let's look at how Teach Computing has contributed to our work with its extensive training, resources and guidance for teachers at key stages 1 to 4.

08 NOVEMBER 2021

Quick Read: Variety in teaching and assessment of programming activities

Computing is a discipline rooted in three main traditions: engineering, maths and science. Depending on our own experience, we’re each likely to favour one or more of these perspectives, which can have an impact on how we present computing to our learners.

04 NOVEMBER 2021

Leading primary computing: getting colleagues started

Whether you’re brimming with ideas of how to lead primary computing or new in post and not knowing where to start, we can help you support colleagues and ensure computing is taught effectively in your school.

02 NOVEMBER 2021

Digital Skills Forum - Computing education and gender

How can industry and education work to boost the numbers of girls studying computing and women working in tech? Register now for this free event

28 OCTOBER 2021

New residential CPD programme - available now!

Following the success of our Summer pathway courses, we are delighted to be launching a year-round residential CPD programme, starting this November.

27 OCTOBER 2021

There's something about Bebras

Last year 2.5 million students from 56 countries took part in the annual Bebras Challenge, including nearly a quarter of a million from the UK. Chris Roffey tells us just what is so great about Bebras.

21 OCTOBER 2021

The governments 2022 plan for grading - what does it mean for GCSE computer science?

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi recently announced that GCSE and A level grades in England will return to pre-pandemic levels over the next two years. So what does this mean for GCSE computer science?

11 OCTOBER 2021

FutureLearn changes coming 20 October 2021, which may impact your online course activity

On 20 October, FutureLearn will be making some changes to their data retention processes, and which course activity records they store, as part of UK GDPR compliance.

05 OCTOBER 2021

Trick or training?

This October half term, we have scheduled a spellbinding collection of live remote and face to face courses as part of our primary, secondary and subject knowledge certificates, all available to book now.

28 SEPTEMBER 2021

NCCE Digital Skills Forum - Ethics

Book now to join us at the NCCE's next Digital Skills Forum - a lively free online event looking at ethics and education, with speakers Prof Andy Phippen, Kate Arthur and Sharon Cromie.

27 SEPTEMBER 2021

Make your ideas with our new physical computing kits!

Physical computing kits are now available to borrow free of charge from all 34 NCCE Hubs!

27 SEPTEMBER 2021

Girls in STEM - Saffron Walden students discuss gender balance with Government Equality Hub

Students at NCCE Hub school, Saffron Walden County High, discussed getting more girls involved in tech, with the Government Equality Hub

24 SEPTEMBER 2021

Quick Read: Physical computing

Support learners to develop and apply programming skills and comprehension by applying them to a real-world, tangible project.

16 SEPTEMBER 2021

Back to school with Isaac Computer Science!

As Isaac Computer Science enters its third academic year since launching in 2019, we felt this was a great opportunity to take stock of our achievements over the past year.

09 SEPTEMBER 2021

From MFL to computer science: the power of languages

Paul Hipperson reflects on moving from teaching MFL to computer science and how his passion for learning new languages helped ease the transition.

07 SEPTEMBER 2021

A summer of computing

We spoke to Computer Science teacher Leroy David, who recently attended one of our face to face events in York, about his experience of attending CPD over the holidays.

01 SEPTEMBER 2021

Back to school with Teach Computing

Are you looking for computing inspiration to help you hit the ground 🏃running🏃 this Autumn term? We’ve collated some quick and easy welcome back ideas for primary and secondary teachers from our comprehensive range of support to help you start the new school year off right.

26 AUGUST 2021

Remote training for non-specialists in September

We have created a flexible package of CPD to support teachers from other subjects who are new to teaching computing, to help them prepare for the year ahead.

18 AUGUST 2021

Computer Systems and Networking Within the Computing Curriculum

A new report exploreing the importance and progression of the computer systems and networks strands of the English computing curriculum, and how these strands are covered in the Teach Computing Curriculum.

15 JULY 2021

CSA Class of 21 - teacher Heather Whittle shares her CSA experience

All this week, we’re shining the spotlight on the 4,500 teachers who have now engaged in the CS Accelerator. Today we speak to Heather Whittle about how the CSA has benefited her teaching and the NCCE’s provision for dyslexia.

15 JULY 2021

CSA Class of 21 - We talk to Simon Wheatcroft, teacher & adventurer

All this week, we’re celebrating the CSA Class of 21, shining the spotlight on the teachers who’ve completed our CSA programme. Today we speak to Simon Wheatcroft, a storyteller, technologist, adventurer, inclusivity consultant and an ultra-runner.

14 JULY 2021

NCCE physical computing kits, coming soon to a Computing Hub near you

NCCE physical computing Hub kits, coming soon to a Hub near you. Looking to teach physical computing in your classroom next year but not sure where to start? Do you need free guidance, training, and access to the latest physical computing equipment? Then read on…

13 JULY 2021

CSA Class of 21: Academy trust paves the way for success

"We’re thrilled that nearly 40 teachers are taking part in the CSA. We know that our young people will benefit from that enhanced training." The team at Delta Academies Trust, tell us more about their CSA Class of 21

13 JULY 2021

Join the class of '21!

This week, we're celebrating the success of teachers who have completed the Computer Science Accelerator in 2020/21 and explaining how you can be part of this year's cohort.

12 JULY 2021

What makes a great computing student?

Katharine Childs examines some of the misconceptions that pupils face about what it takes to be a great computing student, and separates the myth of brilliance in computing from the reality of real-world computing success.

07 JULY 2021

Ready for success: preparing your department for September

For subject leaders, getting ready for September always brings fresh challenges. Dave Gibbs, Senior subject specialist at STEM Learning, explains how support from NCCE can help you ensure you’ve got everything in hand.

01 JULY 2021

NCCE Digital Skills Forum - The future of Work, July 8

The work-place is changing fast - and the needs of employers and the economy are evolving rapidly. Our Digital Skills Forum brings together speakers from industry and education for a lively discussion.

30 JUNE 2021

Hit the ground running

Paul Thornton, Network Education Lead at STEM Learning, discusses why teaching is about meeting standards at various stages of your career and how the NCCE can help.

17 JUNE 2021

Summary of Envisioning AI for K-12: What should every child know about AI?

James Robinson provides a summary of 'What should every child know about AI?'. In this position paper, researchers explore the increasing importance of AI education for young learners.

08 JUNE 2021

Celebrating Pride Month: an interview with Dr. Alfredo Carpineti

This month, we interviewed Dr. Alfredo Carpineti, Founder of Pride in STEM, an astrophysicist, activist, and science journalist.

07 JUNE 2021

Join us for a Summer of Computing

We are excited to bring you Summer of Computing, an exciting programme of CPD events running throughout July and August.

27 MAY 2021

Computer Science Accelerator in the Summer

Are you looking to supercharge your computer science knowledge this term? Fire up your computer and join us for a summer of learning.

27 MAY 2021

Taking the next step with Teach Computing

Rob Wilks, a specialist Computing teacher, explains his motivation for engaging in the Teach secondary computing certificate and the benefits for others.

13 MAY 2021

Can a non-specialist teach computing?

Are you wrestling with a timetable for next year with more computing lessons than computing teachers available? Find out about available support to help secondary non-specialists to teach computing effectively.

12 MAY 2021

Achieving my CPD goals with Teach Computing

Secondary and sixth form teacher Dominic Beresford tells us why he chose to kick-start 2021 with our Teach secondary computing certificate.

11 MAY 2021

Leading the way with Teach secondary computing

Our first graduate of the Teach secondary computing certificate, Karishma Aubeeluck, tells us about her experience of continuing her professional development with the NCCE.

10 MAY 2021

Quick Read : Using project-based learning to apply programming knowledge to real-world scenarios

Support learners to consolidate their programming knowledge by applying it to real-world, tangible projects. This approach to teaching computing focuses on structuring the learning activities around the design, creation and evaluation of a digital artefact.

07 MAY 2021

Education recovery and assessment of computing knowledge

Many teachers report that they have a less secure view of what students have learned. Routine assessment for learning, as well as more formal testing, have proved challenging in this period.

21 APRIL 2021

Barefoot's new #BeCyberSmart resources launched today

How do you teach primary children about cyber security? Courtroom dramas and phishing games are all part of a new set of resources created by Barefoot in partnership with the National Crime Agency (NCA).

14 APRIL 2021

Celebrating Games Careers Week part three: Rob Hewson

In our final interview for Games Career Week, we spoke to Rob Hewson about navigating the gaming industry as an indie developer, the game he is most excited to work on, and why being a #RaiseTheGame pledge partner is important to him.

01 APRIL 2021

Quick Read : Using Code Tracing to improve program comprehension

Code Tracing supports the development of program comprehension by encouraging learners to read, understand and record the behaviour of a program at different stages of it's execution.

31 MARCH 2021

Celebrating Games Careers Week part two: Stuart Fraser

Next up for Games Careers Week, we spoke to Stuart Fraser, who shared the game that inspired him to get into the industry, the pros and cons of being an indie developer, and some advice for getting into the industry.

30 MARCH 2021

Celebrating Games Careers Week part one: Andrew Gillett

We spoke to Andrew Gillett who told us about getting started in the industry when you don’t have a degree, how he went from working at a big gaming company to being an indie developer and tutor, and why his game Partition Sector unlocks photos of cats.

26 MARCH 2021

Summer term support programme for Computer Science Accelerator

Back by popular demand, the Computer Science Accelerator support programme is returning for the Summer term.

24 MARCH 2021

Celebrating International Women's Day part four: Adonai Chinyama

For our final interview to celebrate International Women’s Day, we spoke to 14-year-old Adonai Chinyama, a young coder who makes YouTube videos about coding, technology, and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics).

08 MARCH 2021

Celebrating International Women’s Day part three: Ruth Amos

Continuing our International Women’s Day celebrations, we spoke to Ruth Amos who has over 15 years of experience as an inventor, business owner, presenter, and professional YouTuber.

08 MARCH 2021

Celebrating International Women's Day part two: Dahlia Poulton-Trask

Continuing with our celebration of girls and women who are doing amazing things in computing education, we spoke to 11-year-old Dahlia Poulton-Trask, who started a YouTube channel with her brother Ethan with the purpose of creating short, easy-to-follow tutorials for other learners.

08 MARCH 2021

Celebrating International Women's Day part one: Asawari Shiposkar

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we have cast our net further afield than usual (much further!) to speak to Asawari Shiposkar, an inspirational educator based in Mumbai, India. Asawari has over 25 years of experience as a teacher, academic, trainer, author, researcher, and consultant.

08 MARCH 2021

Summary of A Comparison of Two Pair Programming Configurations for Upper Elementary Students

James Robinson provides a summary of Tsan, J. et al. In this experience report, researchers explore the practice of paired programming with primary school-aged learners.

25 FEBRUARY 2021

Digital literacy within the computing curriculum

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

Could your school be a CyberFirst School?

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

Spring into the Computer Science Accelerator

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

How to use behavioural science to help girls engage with computing

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

Supply teachers: computer science needs you!

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

More students are choosing to study Computer Science at university

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

What’s working well in remote computing education?

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

Have you claimed your digital badge?

We have launched an exciting new initiative to formally recognise your contribution to computing education in England.

12 JANUARY 2021

Summary of Semantic Transfer in Programming Languages: Exploratory Study of Relative Novices

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

WiPSCE 2020 conference review

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

How we teach computing

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

NCCE's hub at Dartford Grammar recognised with innovation award

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

How can we support girls’ problem solving in computing?

Hayley Leonard explores the role that emotions play during problem solving in programming.

14 DECEMBER 2020

Teach Computing Podcast Ep12 - The PRIMM Approach

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

New support programme for Computer Science Accelerator

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

Over 1,000 schools engage with NCCE subject matter experts

The NCCE has reached the milestone of engaging with over 1,000 schools through its school engagement programme.

03 DECEMBER 2020

New NCCE report shows thousands of teachers supported by its work

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

Support for remote teaching of computing

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

Take part in our awesome two year anniversary competition!

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

A message for our CPD participants

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

Report shows impact of Computer Science Accelerator on schools, teachers and young people

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

Isaac Computer Science learning resources save teachers three hours a week

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

Learning how to Be The Difference

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

Gender Balance in Computing is back!

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

Quick Read: Understanding program comprehension using the block model

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

How do you teach computing with limited access to computers?

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

NCCE's Chair celebrates the achievements of the first 1,000 CS Accelerator graduates

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

Contrasting unplugged and offline computing activities

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

From design to digital technology

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

A summer of learning

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

Inside track: transitioning from PE to computing

Alexander Gray, a PE teacher from the North East, tells us about his move to teaching computing.

26 SEPTEMBER 2020

Quick Read: Using PRIMM to structure programming lessons

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

From French and Spanish to Computer Science

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

Why waste years? Let’s inspire careers!

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

One thing every teacher can do to inspire girls about computing

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

Mind over Minecraft

Ajay Sharman, Regional Network Lead for STEM Learning, poses the question of whether playing video games can help literacy in schools.

10 SEPTEMBER 2020

Isaac Computer Science: one year on

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

Episode 11 - The Teach Computing Curriculum

The "Teach Computing Curriculum" aims to support teachers, reduce workload, and provide outstanding learning experiences for pupils.

04 SEPTEMBER 2020

National Centre for Computing Education celebrates its first 1,000 graduates

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

How CPD changed my career

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

What a difference a year makes

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

Introducing our exciting new Teach Computing Curriculum

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

Home teaching week 12

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

Boosting classroom skills with Teach Primary Computing

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

Teach Computing Curriculum coming to Oak National Academy

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

Home teaching week 11

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

Computer Science Accelerator in the Summer

Are you looking for some supercharged computer science CPD over the holiday period? We've got you covered.

02 JULY 2020

Home teaching week 10

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

Quick Read: Planning effective surveys and interviews for research or evaluation

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

Quick Read: Using observation techniques to record student behaviour for research or evaluation

In many research projects observing and recording student behaviour is a useful way to measure the impact of new ideas and approaches. In this quick read we explore structured and unstructured observation techniques as well a verbal observation approaches.

25 JUNE 2020

CAS Virtual Showcase opens with programme of 50 inspiring events

CAS’s usual summer conferences cannot be held as planned, but its new online event extravaganza, the CAS Virtual Showcase, promises an exciting programme focusing on the latest in computing education

22 JUNE 2020

Home teaching week 9

It's week 9 of our home teaching programme and, as always, we are here to support all student age groups and abilities to learn about computing.

22 JUNE 2020

Home teaching week 8

It's week 8 of our home teaching programme and, honestly, we can't believe how quickly the time has gone.

15 JUNE 2020

Episode 10 - Classroom Action Research

Today see the launch of our brand new program focused on supporting educators to develop their practice through action research in the classroom. In this episode I spoke to Lynda Chinaka about her experience of action research in the computing classroom

09 JUNE 2020

Introducing our new Action Research programme

An exciting new online course is now available for teachers of all age groups. You will learn how to research, plan, execute, and analyse new pedagogical ideas for your classroom.

09 JUNE 2020

Home teaching week 7

Hello and welcome to week 7 of our home teaching programme! This week is a re-boot of sorts because we run our schemes of work in six week blocks.

08 JUNE 2020

Home teaching week 6

Hello! We're back for another action-packed week of home teaching lessons to support you and your students.

01 JUNE 2020

Home teaching week 5

Hello and welcome! We're up early and ready for week 5 of our Home teaching programme.

25 MAY 2020

Are you a trainee teacher? We are here to help

We are providing specific support for trainee teachers to help you develop your subject knowledge, subject specific pedagogy, general teaching pedagogical skill.

18 MAY 2020

Home teaching week 4

Our latest lessons and activities for students of all ages: dungeon design, cybercriminals, and building blocks!

18 MAY 2020

Free assessment tools for secondary computing – know what your students know

Tests, hosted by Eedi, make it easy for you to set quizzes for your students to complete at home.

14 MAY 2020

Home teaching week 3

Find out what's new in our latest round of lessons and activities for students of all ages...

11 MAY 2020

Episode 9: Peer instruction

This month's episode focuses on Peer Instruction, a classroom practice we recently covered in a Pedagogy Quick Read.

07 MAY 2020

Power of creativity helps Wirral school during COVID-19

A school where computing is very popular amongst students has quickly adapted to online teaching - and students have shown they know how to use the mute button!

07 MAY 2020

Quick read: Planning and reflecting on distance learning

Current circumstance has had a profound impact on the way that education is delivered to students around the world. This quick read introduces some terms, frameworks, and barriers related to distance learning, and aims to support educators as they transition to online teaching.

28 APRIL 2020

How Craig‘n’Dave were ahead of the game in going virtual

Craig‘n’ Dave’s videos for students and teachers of computer science have come into their own in this new era of home teaching.

27 APRIL 2020

Computer Science Accelerator Programme to support more teachers to teach GCSE Computer Science

We are delighted to announce our decision to widen the eligibility for our flagship training programme, increasing the number of teachers able to deliver GCSE computer science.

22 APRIL 2020

New online support for A level Computer Science teachers and students

The Isaac Computer Science team has been working hard to make sure that you have everything that you need to teach or learn A level Computer Science from home.

21 APRIL 2020

Schools produce equipment for the NHS to help COVID-19 patients

Schools and colleges have been swinging into action to produce face shields and other PPE for the NHS and social care sector using their 3D printers and laser cutters.

15 APRIL 2020

Computing resources for home learning

To help support teachers, parents and students we’ve brought together a range of resources and websites that can be used to continue educating and supporting young people whilst they are at home.

09 APRIL 2020

National Centre for Computing Education update

In response to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, we have been working hard to develop and roll out a range of online materials to support teachers, schools and families.

08 APRIL 2020

Moving teaching online: challenges and opportunities

Given current events we wanted to hear from a group of educators about their experiences of shifting learning online at short notice. The challenges and opportunities they have encountered as well as their recommendations of tools, approaches and content.

02 APRIL 2020

Online support for teachers and home learning

During this time of uncertainty, we are working hard to develop and share a range of online materials to support you. Find out more about what is available.

25 MARCH 2020

Modelling the programming process through live coding

Following our recent quick read on the same subject, I spoke to Rebecca Franks from the Raspberry Pi Foundation about the benefits of Live Coding in computing education.

19 MARCH 2020

Quick Read: Using concept maps to capture, communicate, construct, and assess knowledge

Concept maps could be presented to learners to convey connections between concepts or created/completed by learners themselves. They can even be used to capture and assess pupil understanding.

17 MARCH 2020

Flying Start degree Apprenticeship route

Meet our careers week champion, Sam Parker, a Technology Degree Apprentice at PwC, who studies Computer Science (Digital & Technological Solutions) at the University of Leeds.

27 FEBRUARY 2020

Researching the right career

We chat to Swetha Sethu-Jones, Senior UX Researcher at Just Eat, about her career path, from choosing her university degree to her current role.

27 FEBRUARY 2020

Using computational thinking to tackle real-world problems

Risa Ueno, PhD student at British Antarctic Survey, explains how her research has steered her career and understanding of climate change.

27 FEBRUARY 2020

Using coding to help advance healthcare

Marcus Tyyger, Radiotherapy Research Physicist, explains how his interest in computing has led him into a healthcare role with a real impact on cancer patients.

27 FEBRUARY 2020

Alexa? Can you tell me more about digital careers?

As part of our National Careers Week campaign, we shine the spotlight on Beth Holmes, Knowledge Engineer, Alexa at Amazon.

27 FEBRUARY 2020

Flying high for careers week

We talk to Mark Bardsley, Transformation Programme IT Executive at Manchester Airport Group, about his career path in IT, from academia to a typical day in his current role.

27 FEBRUARY 2020

Approaches to developing progression for teaching computing

A progression framework is the backbone of any subject curriculum. From our research, we have found that there are two quite different ways of presenting progression that show what should be taught and when it should be taught, as well as information on how or why concepts should be taught.

25 FEBRUARY 2020

Applying evidence-based practices to secondary programming resources

This week saw the launch of two Year 7 programming units for the NCCE Resource Repository. We’re very excited that they will be the first of many programming units to appear on the Resource Repository, and want to explain the thinking behind these units.

25 FEBRUARY 2020

Progression in primary computing

Almost a year ago, we began the task of deciding what the ‘best’ approach would be to covering the entire content of the KS1 and 2 Computing National Curriculum. We had the national curriculum, but what it doesn’t show is how to get learners from their starting point, to the predefined end points.

25 FEBRUARY 2020

Categorising content across the National Centre

Just over 15 months ago, we were in the process of planning for the delivery of the NCCE. We began to think about the significant challenge we’d face in organising and talking about our subject. We reviewed many of these and eventually decided upon three principles for our organisational structure.

25 FEBRUARY 2020

Episode #6: Approaching progression in computing education

In this month's episode, we hear from members of the Raspberry Pi Foundation Educator Support team about how they are approaching progression throughout the NCCE Resource Repository resources.

18 FEBRUARY 2020

Quick Read: Using semantic waves to improve explanations and learning activities in computing

Throughout computing, and in particular programming, there are many technical terms with precise technical meanings. This can frame expert knowledge as inaccessible to novice learners. Using semantic waves is one way to support novice learners in computing.

13 FEBRUARY 2020

The National Centre for Computing Education announces four new Computing Hubs

The National Centre for Computing Education has announced a further four schools/colleges that have been successful in their application to become Computing Hubs.

13 FEBRUARY 2020

Isaac Computer Science: introducing our Student Rewards Programme

An exciting announcement today: as part of our ongoing work and support for the National Centre for Computing Education, we have launched a new rewards programme that will see us give away 4,000 Raspberry Pi 4 kits over the next three years!

05 FEBRUARY 2020

Mounting the Barricades

With technology changing the way we live, learn and work, our chair Simon Peyton Jones spoke at Bett about the need for a different approach to the teaching of computing in the classroom.

29 JANUARY 2020

Episode #5: Supporting all students in Computing

In this month's Teach Computing Podcast, we explore some practical strategies that not only support SEND students but improve accessibility for all learners.

23 JANUARY 2020

Isaac Computer Science: introducing our new Class Progress Tool

We've released a new way to measure your students' understanding of the A level syllabus on the Isaac Computer Science platform. It's called the Class Progress Tool.

21 JANUARY 2020

Find out more about the NCCE at Bett 2020

Are you attending this year's Bett Show (22-25 January)? Come and find out about the programmes and resources we offer first hand.

17 JANUARY 2020

Quick Read: Using live coding to bring coding to life

A learner's first experience of a solution to a programming problem may in fact be the final program, polished, complete and error free. Live Coding is one approach to exposing learners to the full process of programming.

14 JANUARY 2020

Isaac Computer Science: ten new topics released!

We are committed to helping A level teachers and students get the most out of Computer Science. That’s why we have just released 10 new topics — 27 in total — on our platform.

08 JANUARY 2020

Quick Read: Using peer instruction to discuss computing concepts

Like many other teachers, I regularly used multiple choice questions in quizzes and tests, and viewed them primarily as a means of assessment. Peer Instruction turns this view on its head and instead uses multiple choice questions for teaching.

19 DECEMBER 2019

Episode #4: Challenges facing Computing educators

In this month's Teach Computing podcast we focus on the challenges facing Computing educators and some of the ways in which teachers can get support.

17 DECEMBER 2019

A look at the year ahead for Isaac Computer Science

Hello! This is a quick post to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped Isaac Computer Science to have such an amazing first year. You are all awesome, and we are excited to be working with you to develop this programme further.

16 DECEMBER 2019

Become a computer science teacher – everyone welcome!

Computer science is a growing GCSE subject, presenting opportunities for teachers looking to develop their career across the curriculum. Dave Gibbs looks at opportunities for non-specialists, including our new course ‘Introduction to GCSE Computer Science’.

03 DECEMBER 2019

Episode #3: Cognitive Load Theory in Computing

In this month's Teach Computing podcast we’ve decided to focus a whole episode on a single aspect of pedagogy and how it applies to teaching computing.

28 NOVEMBER 2019

Watch our new film ‘NCCE: the story so far’

Watch our new film, 'NCCE: the story so far'. To mark our anniversary, we've been to Newcastle, Wolverhampton, Swindon and Cambridge to find out what teachers think about our programme.

27 NOVEMBER 2019

From KS3 to GCSE: assess student progress across the secondary curriculum

Our full suite of Key Stage 3 and GCSE level subject knowledge assessments are now available, and are free for use by any teacher and their students.

20 NOVEMBER 2019

Gender Balance in Computing: our interventions

Today, we are opening general recruitment for the programme. This means that all primary and secondary schools in England can now take part in the upcoming trials in this landmark programme.

11 NOVEMBER 2019

Entries open for Longitude Explorer prize

Longitude Explorer Prize is open to secondary schools and youth groups across the UK, to enter teams of 11-16 year olds with ideas for tech that will help improve the world around them.

05 NOVEMBER 2019

One year on: the anniversary of the NCCE

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the National Centre for Computing Education. To celebrate, we're taking a look back at some of the highlights from the past year, as well as giving you a chance to find out we've got planned for our anniversary week.

04 NOVEMBER 2019

Episode #2: What is computing?

We’re following up our inaugural episode’s exploration of the reasons for teaching computing with a discussion about what we mean when we talk about ‘computing’.

18 OCTOBER 2019

National Centre for Computing Education teacher survey

At the National Centre for Computing Education we want to capture the views of Computing teachers on the front line. So over the next month, we are running our first National Centre teacher survey to understand the how Computing is being delivered in your school.

16 OCTOBER 2019

Book your place on a new Isaac Computer Science event

We are pleased to announce the first part of our autumn/winter programme of Isaac Computer Science events for students and teachers. There are a number of different events happening all over the country — book your place at an event near you today!

09 OCTOBER 2019

Introducing our new assessment toolkit to evidence student knowledge

We are excited to announce the launch of a comprehensive new assessment suite for Key Stage 3 computing and GCSE computer science.

02 OCTOBER 2019

New Resource Repository for teaching computing launches today

We are working to create a comprehensive Resource Repository for you: 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.

30 SEPTEMBER 2019

We did it!

Following on from the highly anticipated Google graduation, roving reporter (and Programme Manager) Claire Arbery reflects on her highlights of the day.

24 SEPTEMBER 2019

Togetherness in teaching computing

Venetia Howard reflects on how far she has come as a teacher and the sense of purpose and community she enjoyed at the CS Accelerator Google graduation

19 SEPTEMBER 2019

Living the computing dream

After proudly achieving the Computer Science Accelerator Certificate, Spencer Organ is looking forward to having an impact on his students' learning

18 SEPTEMBER 2019

Our vision for Teach Computing

Watch our new video, which sets out the vision for the National Centre for Computing Education, as narrated by Simon Peyton Jones.

17 SEPTEMBER 2019

Quick Read: Cognitive Load Theory

Busy teachers don’t always have the time to access, read, and assimilate pedagogy research into evidence-based practices, let alone begin to implement these practices in their classrooms. To help, we’re developing a series of bite-sized Pedagogy Quick Reads.

12 SEPTEMBER 2019

Poetry and programming

English teacher Julie Simmons has taken a new chapter in her career, moving to teaching GCSE computer science through the CS Accelerator course

11 SEPTEMBER 2019

Say hello to Isaac Computer Science!

We are delighted to co-launch Isaac Computer Science, a new online platform for teachers and students of A level Computer Science.

09 SEPTEMBER 2019

#CASChat returns: new year, new conversations

With the return of #CASChat taking place on Tuesday 10 September, Steve Clarke explains more about the weekly chat forum, and why you should get involved this year.

05 SEPTEMBER 2019

Collaborating for computer confidence

A recent participant on the NCCE CS Accelerator course to improve teaching of computer science at GCSE level, Ahsan Ashraf explains the ‘amazing’ benefit of working with other computer science teachers

05 SEPTEMBER 2019

Getting the most from summer CPD

Having recently attended our NCCE summer school, secondary teacher Leroy David talks about the benefits of blended CPD and collaborating with peers to develop new techniques.

02 SEPTEMBER 2019

Results day: celebrating GCSE computer science

Entries to GCSE computer science have increased in 2019, for the sixth year in succession, indicating a growth in popularity for the subject

22 AUGUST 2019

The National Centre for Computing Education announces seven new Computing Hubs

The NCCE is delighted to launch a further seven Computing Hubs, taking the total number to 30 and increasing the geographical reach of the programme.

31 JULY 2019

Teach Computing - our focus on pedagogy

Every teacher understands that how you teach is as important as what you teach. Here, James Robinson describes the NCCE's plans to support teachers of Computing who are interested in pedagogical strategies and evidence-based teaching.

24 JULY 2019

Apollo 50 and me...

In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Moon landings, Claire Arbery talks about the vital role of computer science in helping young people to become pioneers of new technology.

22 JULY 2019

From piano to programming

Moving from teaching music to teaching computer science may not seem the most natural step, but Helen Brant has successfully made the leap, with help from the National Centre for Computing Education’s Computer Science Accelerator Programme.

16 JULY 2019

Develop your skills this Summer

We are running a series of summer schools for teachers looking to enhance their GCSE computer science subject knowledge ready for the next academic year.

11 JULY 2019

Why do I need computing, Sir?

Paul Thornton explains why including computing as part of the curriculum is so important to young people and society

09 JULY 2019

Graduate at Google this autumn

Teachers who graduate from the Computer Science Accelerator Programme by 31 July are being offered the opportunity to graduate at Google this September.

03 JULY 2019

National Centre for Computing Education announces first Computing Hubs to improve computer science education in England

The NCCE has announced 23 schools and colleges who will be leading Computing Hubs in their area.

02 JULY 2019

Don't forget the humans

Dave Gibbs explains why our human needs are key when it comes to teaching computing and the latest technology

25 JUNE 2019

Does your curriculum compute?

Steve Clarke, Senior Education Lead for Computing, explains how the NCCE can support your school with computing and with the new Ofsted framework

21 JUNE 2019

Gender Balance in Computing - register your interest for our first project!

Gender Balance in Computing - register your interest for our first project!

11 JUNE 2019

The benefits of volunteering in the community

James Robinson, Senior Learning Manager at Raspberry Pi, tells us about the benefits of volunteering in the community

05 JUNE 2019

Resources for primary and secondary schools are coming soon!

We are developing new resources for primary and secondary schools. These resources include schemes of work, lesson plans, activities, and assessments.

04 JUNE 2019

Why coding matters

In response to recent press coverage around coding in schools, our Chair Simon Peyton Jones explains why teaching children to write programs is of central importance.

03 JUNE 2019

New GCSE programme brochure

We have just published a brochure about our professional development programme for teachers of GCSE computer science.

23 MAY 2019

New 'Gender Balance in Computing' project announced

As part of our work as the National Centre for Computing Education, we are excited to reveal that we’ve been awarded £2.4m for a new research project to investigate what works for engaging more girls in computing.

30 APRIL 2019

Powering imaginations through computing CPD

We spoke to Richard Smith, who has recently become a course facilitator for the National Centre for Computing Education, about his experience of delivering CPD.

24 APRIL 2019

Boost in computing support for local schools

We are delighted to announce our first regional delivery network, which has been established to support our vision of a world-leading computing education for every young person in England.

04 APRIL 2019

Raising awareness of women in STEM

Last week we celebrated International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which prompted me to reflect on the experiences and factors that led me to study STEM subjects at A level.

01 APRIL 2019

Support for A Level students and teachers

The A-Level programme element of the National Centre for Computing Education will provide comprehensive support to teachers and students in England for AS/A level computer science.

23 JANUARY 2019

The National Centre for Computing Education website beta is live!

Less than three months from the official announcement of the creation of the Centre, we have released our first major set of features to allow users to begin their journey with us.

22 JANUARY 2019