Ofsted has published the latest in a series of reviews into
different subjects across the curriculum. Today’s review looks at
computing.
This review explores the literature relating to the field of
computing education to identify factors that can contribute to
high-quality computing curriculums, assessment, pedagogy and
systems. We will use this understanding of subject quality to
examine how computing is taught in England’s schools before
publishing a subject report to share what we have learned.
Read the computing
research review
The national curriculum for computing sets out that ‘a
high-quality computing education equips pupils to use
computational thinking and creativity to understand and change
the world’.
Today’s review highlights approaches to constructing, sequencing
and teaching a coherent computing curriculum that achieves the
aims set out in the national curriculum. Central to this is the
importance of identifying and ordering the underlying knowledge
that pupils require to make sense of complex ideas and engage in
tasks or activities within the subject.
Teachers’ content and pedagogical knowledge are important factors
in high-quality computing education. The review notes that there
remains a shortage of suitably qualified computing teachers,
which will have significant consequences for the quality of
education that pupils receive if nothing is done to remedy the
situation. School leaders need to provide teachers with
sufficient professional development to enable them to design and
teach a high-quality computing curriculum.
Ofsted recognises that there is no singular way of achieving
high-quality computing education and there are a variety of ways
that schools can construct and teach a computing curriculum. The
review identifies some common features of successful curriculum
approaches:
- the planned curriculum includes a breadth of knowledge in
computer science, information technology and digital literacy
- declarative knowledge (‘knowing that’) and procedural
knowledge (‘knowing how’) are identified, sequenced and connected
in the curriculum
- pupils learn important programming knowledge to enable them
to become skilful programmers.
- programming languages are chosen to meet curriculum goals
- development of computational thinking and problem-solving is
underpinned by domain-specific knowledge that is identified and
sequenced in the curriculum
- the curriculum to teach pupils how to create digital
artefacts is underpinned by specified declarative and procedural
knowledge
- teachers should not make assumptions about pupils’ prior
knowledge of digital literacy
- knowledge related to e-safety is carefully sequenced to
ensure that content is appropriate for pupils at each stage of
their education
- component declarative and procedural knowledge are identified
and sequenced to enable pupils to be successful in learning
complex ideas or processes
- teachers have access to continued professional development in
high-quality computing to develop and maintain their subject
knowledge
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, Amanda Spielman said:
Digital technology is driving extraordinary global changes, so
it’s crucial that children and young people are educated to make
use of their opportunities.
Computing is rich in complex knowledge, which can make it
interesting for pupils to learn. Yet it is also hard to teach
well.
I hope this review is useful for teachers and school leaders and
helps to raise the quality of computing education for all young
people."
