STACS Annual Report - 2022/23

ANNUAL REPORT

Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science 2022/3

“Teaching Computing Science in schools is more important than ever. It is a subject that every student should have a basic understanding of and it’s especially important to remove and reduce the gender gap, and to make sure all students, especially young women participate enough in this field to learn about how digital technology works, and more importantly to learn the creativity in Computing Science. To learn how to make apps, to learn how to make games, to learn how to make websites and to play a role in democratising the super power of computer technology and to play a role in using that technology for good and to help make a better future for the next generation.”

and Founder of Code.org

Hadi Partovi, CEO

The tech sector in Scotland faces a well-known talent shortage. Building a sustainable and successful tech talent pipeline starts with inspiring students from primary to secondary school to choose Computing Science. By fostering a thriving tech talent pipeline, Scotland can meet the demands of the evolving digital landscape and ensure long-term growth and competitiveness.

Computing Science teachers play a crucial role in turning this vision into a reality. Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science (STACS), as a teacher-led organisation, is fully committed to supporting, championing, and advocating for the Computing Science teacher community, while also promoting the subject of Computing Science.

STACS acknowledges that all schools are individual, and teachers know their school environment and pupils best. STACS works to empower teachers by providing them with the necessary tools and resources, relevant assistance, and support for their individual needs or needs of their department to enhance Computing Science education at their school. STACS is about working with the Computing Science community, not telling them what to do, instead giving them the support and tools they need to achieve their vision and goals for their own department.

In our first year, STACS has made significant progress. One of our main goals was to complete a detailed, and quantitative analysis of the current landscape of Computing Science across Scotland focusing on two major challenges: uptake and gender gap.

Working closely with the Scottish Government’s STER program and our STACS reference group, we designed and led a national teacher upskilling pilot programme. This pilot was highly successful, with 71 Computing Science teachers from 50 education authority schools and 11 independent schools across 27 local authorities signing up.

We also launched the STACS website, a dedicated platform specifically for Computing Science in Scottish schools. It offers valuable resources such as videos, classroom tools, coding websites, library books, research materials, and an updated list of courses and opportunities for both staff and pupils. We have developed over 200 hours of high quality, pick-up-and-play engaging lessons, and have worked hard to ensure best pedagogy research around delivering Computing Science is embedded throughout.

As a teacher-led organisation, STACS actively advocated for the Computing Science teacher community. We have shared concerns brought to our attention in our meetings with the Scottish Government and the STER team.

Continual engagement with Computing Science departments and individual teachers is a top priority for us. We facilitated industry connections, supported departments with curricular ideas and departments visions, contributed and supported industry events. We worked with industry and other organisations looking to gain understanding around the landscape of Computing Science in schools to help them identify opportunities where they could support.

Recognising the importance of collaboration and support among teachers, we have also begun working on nurturing the vibrant Computing Science community, which is filled with incredible talent, ideas and experience. Our focus is on creating opportunities for knowledge sharing and networking among Computing Science teachers to come together, exchange ideas, learn from one another, and share best practice and lessons learned. By collaborating in this way, we aim to enhance the learning environment and experiences for our pupils, with the ultimate goal of making positive strides on a national level, such as increased uptake and a narrower gender gap.

Our strong dedication to supporting and collaborating with other Computing Science teachers has been essential to our efforts. We extend a special thanks to our STACS reference group, whose ideas, ongoing feedback, and guidance have played a crucial role in shaping our initiatives. We look forward to continuing our engagement and working alongside the remarkable Computing Science teaching community.

Membership Statistics

Since site launch - 30th Nov 2022

100% of Scottish councils reached

77% of Scottish independent schools

61 secondary teachers across other subjects

10

international secondary teachers from Greece, Norway, USA and Australia

64% of Scottish education authority schools

65% of Computing Science teachers in Scotland

15 secondary teachers from England

What is STACS?

STACS stands for Scottish Teachers Advancing Computing Science. It is a teacher-led organisation that works to support the Computing Science teacher community in Scotland. It was created and funded by the Scottish Government in response to the education recommendations made in the Scottish Tech Ecosystem Review by Professor Mark Logan.

ABOUT US

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Computing Science in education and its role in Scotland’s ambition to be a digital nation. STACS aims to advocate for the Computing Science teacher community, remove barriers, and support teachers in developing and delivering their vision and goals. The ultimate goal is to increase the uptake of Computing Science and close the gender gap at a national level, ensuring that the subject thrives in all schools.

When STACS was first established, forming a core group of Computing Science teachers and educational leaders was a top priority. We invited teachers with varying levels of experience to provide unique insights into the needs of educators at different stages of their careers. This team serves as a reference group for STACS, guiding and shaping the direction of the project ensuring that our actions and priorities align with the needs of those teaching in the classroom.

UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW

At STACS, we are proud to be based at the Centre for Computing Science Education (CCSE), which has brought much-needed focus to the development of Computing Science as a mainstream subject in schools and universities. The CCSE’s mission of creating a coherent progression of Computing Science education, from early years to graduate level and beyond, aligns with our own goals of enhancing the experience of Computing Science for pupils across the country.

Being based at the CCSE allows us to build strong partnerships between research and implementation and practice. We can collaborate with experts in the field and draw on their insights to inform our work, from best practices in teaching Computing Science to developing knowledge-sharing networks. This unique partnership enables us to stay at the forefront of advances in Computing Science education and to help shape the future of the field.

STACS Team

Brendan McCart

Brendan McCart has been a Computing Science teacher for 37 years. He brings an unique insight Computing Science as a subject and the various changes that the subject has been through over the length of its existence in the Scottish school curriculum. He has a wealth and knowledge and experience and is extremely well respected amongst the Computing Science teacher community.

brendan.mccart@stacs.scot

Toni Scullion

Toni Scullion is a Computing Science teacher. She is also the founder of the non-profit charity dressCode and leads a number of other initiatives focussed on Computing Science in Scotland. The work she has done to raise the profile and to support Computing Science as a subject at schools, help inspire the next generation, and work to help close the gender gap has been recognised by a number of awards and recognition. Notably she received an honorary doctorate degree from RGU for dedication to Computing Science education, advancing the subject across the country and furthering women in technology.

toni.scullion@stacs.scot

Quintin Cutts

Quintin is Professor of Computing Science Education within the School of Computing Science at the University of Glasgow. His research centres on computer science education and he has been involved in curriculum review and teachers professional development drawing on international research perspectives.

quintin.cutts@glasgow.ac.uk

STACS Reference Group

We work closely with a reference group composed of current classroom teachers and educational leaders in the Computing Science community who help to steer and shape the direction of STACS. Their invaluable input helps STACS stay connected to the pulse of the Computing Science teacher community and ensure actions are relevant and meaningful for the classroom teachers.

years.

Inverness High School

Computing Science teacher for 20 years

Computing Science teacher for 11 years and principal teacher.

Computing Science teacher for 5 years and leads

13 years.

Uddingston Grammar Computing Science teacher for 20

Bertha Park

CSS Meets.

St John Ogilvie High

Armadale Academy Computing Science teacher for 8 years.

Wick Academy Computing Science teacher for

Sinead Flanigan

Darren Brown

Katie Gallacher

Fraser McKay

Sarah Lyon

Chris Wick

Linithgow Academy

Computing Science teacher for 22 years.

Biggar High School Computing Science teacher for 16 years.

Lochaber High Computing Science teacher for 11 years and currently DHT.

Linlithgow Academy Computing Science teacher and former PT and lecturer for 20 years.

St Kentigern’s Academy

Computing Science teacher for 5 years.

SQA

Subject Implementation Manager and Computing Science teacher for 23 years.

Aberdeen Council

Quality Improvement Officer, Digital and previously a Computing Science teacher for 23 years.

A special thank you to all members of the STACS reference group for their invaluable input, guidance, and feedback, as well as their ongoing support. We really appreciate everything that they have done and continue to do for the subject.

Jackie Campbell

Bryan Irvine

Stephen Stewart

Peter Donaldson

Craig Delaney

Greg Reid

Charlie Love

Central hub for Computing Science in schools

Before the launch of STACS, there was no centralised hub that catered specifically to the needs of Computing Science teachers in Scotland. As busy professionals, we understand how easy it can be for teachers to miss updates on social media, and how Computing Science is often overlooked in STEM newsletters. STACS worked with the reference group to help shape what content would be featured on the STACS site.

The STACS website is the central hub for all things Computing Science relevant to Scottish schools. It offers free, high-quality resources that are tailored to the Scottish curriculum, including pick-up-and-play materials, over 180 Computing Science-related videos, classroom tools, coding websites, and a collection of books for library research and pedagogy. Additionally, the website provides an updated and maintained list of courses of interest for teachers and opportunities for pupils, as well as a newsletter that highlights relevant initiatives coming up. By providing all these resources in one place, teachers who deliver Computing Science have access to high-quality materials, stay up-to-date on the latest opportunities and initiatives and have confidence that they will find up-to-date information specifically for Computing Science in one place.

STACS Website

The Computing Science curriculum has undergone significant changes over the years, which has presented challenges for teachers. While there has been a focus on changes to National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher, the time available for a similar focus on Broad General Education (BGE) has not been adequate. Additionally, the COVID pandemic has made it even more difficult for teachers to give adequate attention to BGE. It is crucial to provide a positive Computing Science experience in BGE to inspire and engage younger pupils and encourage more of them to study the subject. The reference group feedback highlighted that teachers wish to enhance pupils’ BGE experience and really value support in learning from other Computing Science teachers and shared resources. Currently, these resources are scattered across multiple locations, and their usability and appropriateness vary, making it challenging for teachers to access and utilise them effectively.

During its first year, STACS focused on creating and developing a shared repository of high-quality resources for the BGE phase to enhance the Computing Science experience for younger pupils. The team consulted with Computing Science teachers to identify the most popular topics lacking widely shared resources. As a result, STACS launched a brand new repository of teaching resources for BGE, including lesson plans, tasks, fully worked teacher solutions, quizzes, slides, and teacher notes.

A one-stop-shop for Computing Science teachers to access high quality materials and up-to-date information about opportunities and initiatives.

The site also includes detailed teacher notes, providing support to teachers who may not specialise in Computing Science, including tips on delivery and potential prompts for each slide and activity. STACS launched with several units of work, such as digital literacy, cyber security, Scratch, web design, SQL, Python, and Java, with a focus on promoting best-practice pedagogy and building foundations for progression to senior phase.

Recognising that Computing Science is constantly evolving, STACS is committed to engaging with Computing Science teachers to ensure that the site is maintained and updated regularly. The STACS site provides a much-needed resource for Computing Science teachers in Scotland, offering a comprehensive and tailored hub that enhances the Computing Science experience for both teachers and pupils.

Made by Computing Science teachers for Computing Science teachers.

Case Studies

STACS is committed to enhancing the experience of Computing Science for pupils across the country and closing the gender gap in the subject. We recognise that each school and teacher faces unique challenges in achieving these goals, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. These challenges are very personal to schools and teachers know their pupils and schools best. There is no quick fix in terms of uptake and working to close the gender gap. A consistent effort is required and STACS is here to help departments in that journey and support where we can. We offer ongoing support to departments, and are always here to help when needed.

St. David’s High School, Midlothian

STACS had the pleasure of working with the Computing Science department at St David’s High School. The department has a clear vision for their future and goals of increasing uptake and closing the gender gap. They specifically wanted to revamp their BGE curriculum, and STACS was able to share their own experiences and successes from a thriving department in West Lothian. Thanks to this visit, St David’s was able to create a refreshed BGE curriculum and explore the development of new topics such as app design. Another area of focus for the future is external engagement with organisations. The department has great ideas and STACS looks forward to continuing to support their vision.

Knox Academy, East Lothian

STACS is thrilled to be collaborating with the talented Computing Science department at Knox Academy supporting them to achieve their goals and vision for their department. One of their primary objectives is to increase uptake of the subject and provide opportunities for their pupils beyond the classroom. STACS has had ongoing support with the team sharing ideas around and support on BGE curriculum design, support gaining new equipment for department and someone to bounce ideas off. We are looking forward to continuing to collaborate with them on external engagements and events that focus on the tech sector. With a new team with lots of enthusiasm and innovative ideas, it is an exciting time for Computing Science at Knox Academy, and STACS is committed to helping them succeed.

Edinburgh Computing Science Subject Meeting

STACS were invited to the Edinburgh computing science subject meeting to introduce ourselves and share information about how we can support Computing Science departments and teachers in Scotland. We provided an overview of the resources and support that we offer. We were grateful for the opportunity to connect with the Edinburgh Computing Science community and looking forward to working with them.

Uddingston Grammar, South Lanarkshire

STACS has been working with the enthusiastic Computing Science department at Uddingston Grammar to help increase uptake of the subject at BGE level. The department was keen to explore more opportunities for their pupils beyond the classroom to explore the Scottish tech sector and to raise awareness about the importance of choosing Computing Science as a subject.

Through our industry connections, STACS reached out to the fantastic team at Barclays who generously agreed to host a large group of pupils. The day began with engaging speakers who highlighted the potential of the tech sector, followed by interactive workshops that included Micro:bits, Spheros, and a tour of the Barclays Eagle Lab. We were delighted to have South Lanarkshire local Councillor Maureen Devlin to the event who also gave a fantastic speech championing Computing Science and the tech sector.

A notable part of the event was a survey that was conducted at the start of the day, which showed a significant increase in the number of pupils who were interested in pursuing Computing Science as a subject and considering a career in technology.

In addition to this event, STACS connected the department with various tech companies who could promote the sector as a career to parents and pupils at their careers fair.

Following the event, we were thrilled to hear that the uptake of Computing Science at Uddingston Grammar had increased. This highlights the importance of industry partnerships in bringing the subject to life and engaging pupils.

We have an ongoing relationship with Uddingston Grammar and continue to support their incredible work.

STACS is committed to creating more opportunities and events like this for pupils and Computing Science departments. We love working with industry, colleges, and universities to help shape engaging events for pupils. Our goal is to bridge the gap between industry and education and to create meaningful connections that will benefit both sides.

National Upskilling Pilot

Computing Science is a singularly young and rapidly evolving subject, and the need for relevant content knowledge and pedagogy for Computing Science teachers was highlighted following STER.

To address this need, we developed and obtained approval for a multi-year upskilling program, with a successful pilot version running in 2022-23. The pilot was designed as a learning experiment to trial a model for upskilling, and we received really positive feedback from participants, with many expressing an increased confidence and understanding of the subject matter. We will be using the feedback to refine the program and make it even more effective for future cohorts.

The reference group felt strongly that teachers are the most suitable individuals to provide upskilling support to other teachers. We wanted to harness and capitalise on the extensive experience and subject knowledge of exceptional and outstanding Computing Science teachers across the country. By doing so, we intend to provide subject-specific support that will enhance the quality of continued professional development for all Computing Science teachers. The delivery of information to pupils is just as significant as the theory itself.

Data Driven Course Content People and Roles

We designed our upskilling course content by analysing the National Qualification Advanced Higher course reports by the SQA. This way, we ensured that the course material was targeted towards areas where pupils could benefit from improvement at a national level.

The pilot was specifically designed to address the Object Oriented Programming topic, which is a critical component of the Software Design and Development unit in the Advanced Higher course. A strong emphasis was placed on the SQA Reference language, which is common across all centres and relevant for the exam that takes place after the upskilling delivery.

We worked closely with the Principal Assessor for Advanced Higher and four experienced tutors to develop and deliver the course content. These tutors brought a wealth of expertise and a proven track record of success from their own schools to the project.

Connecting and learning from experienced teachers.

As teachers possess in-depth knowledge of the courses and have experience delivering it in a classroom setting, they are uniquely positioned to offer valuable insights and tips on classroom craft that are relevant for a school setting.

The aim was to develop strong understanding of the fundamentals of the Object Oriented Programming topic. Our focus was on developing a conceptual understanding of the topic, including design notations and the notional machine of the SQA reference language, as well as programming languages like Python and Java. Additionally, we explored effective pedagogical methods based on evidence from SQA course reports, with guidance from experienced tutor-teachers.

The program aimed to facilitate engagement, collaboration, and learning among various stakeholders such as SQA, Principal Assessor, markers, teachers of Advanced Higher, and the University of Edinburgh (Moray House). The delivery format comprised of providing materials and modeling pedagogical strategies to help teachers implement the programme’s content into their practice with pupils. We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the upskilling pilot, with particular emphasis on the quality of delivery, depth of knowledge, and level of support provided. These positive outcomes offer new opportunities for STACS to build on and continue to improve educational experiences for all stakeholders involved.

The success of this program indicates that the model employed was highly effective. Furthermore, it is scalable due to the virtual format that enables it to reach Computing Science teachers across the entire country. This model could be replicated for other levels and content, offering a novel upskilling initiative that is a valuable follow-up to the annual National Qualification reports produced by the SQA.

Delivery Attendees Feedback

The four 90-minute sessions were filled with dynamic presentations, group discussions, real-time feedback, and interactive group breakout activities, all led by our expert tutors. For those who couldn’t attend, recordings of the sessions, including breakout rooms and Miro slides, are available on the STACS website.

A total of 71 teachers registering from 27 different councils, representing 50 education authority schools and 11 independent schools. Participants included PGDE and NQT teachers, those who have never taught Advanced Higher before, as well as those who have delivered it in the past. On average, 40 teachers participated in the live workshops, making the program a success with a diverse group of attendees.

In the feedback from teachers, they reported an increase in clarity and confidence in approaching the covered content, indicating the effectiveness of the program. Teachers also really enjoyed the delivery style of the sessions modeling conversation styles between teacher and a pupil.

Sharing theory and modeling excellent practice of delivery.

Networking Event

We are acutely aware how important connections and support of other Computing Science teachers are.

We were thrilled to launch our collaboration with the grassroots inititiave Computing Science Scotland in organising our first in-person #CSSConnect event. As computing science teachers, we understand the value of having a community to turn to for support, guidance, fresh ideas and lessons learnt. This event was an opportunity for computing science teachers to come together and welcome the current PGDE students and NQT’s to the profession while also building meaningful connections with each other. We believe that by working collaboratively, we can make a significant impact on the pupil experience of computing science at a national level.

The evening consisted of 5 workshops and attendees selected which ones they would like to attend. Our workshops were designed to cater to both new and experienced Computing Science teachers. STACS is actively exploring new ways to support Computing Science teachers, including partnering with industry to create an exciting event that showcases Scotland’s dynamic tech sector. The aim would be to help educators better understand the potential pathways, opportunities, and career options available to their pupils. Through this collaborative effort, we hope to inspire and motivate the next generation of tech talent in Scotland.

Probation Year Advice New Micro:bit Resources Closing the Gender Gap

During the session, Tanya Howden, who successfully completed her probation year, shared valuable insights and advice with all PGDE students. She discussed what students can anticipate during their probation year and provided useful tips on how to maximize their experience.

Following the distribution of free Micro:bits to all schools, several Computing Science teachers expressed interest in finding Micro:bit resources that cover fundamental concepts to establish a strong foundation for their pupils. STACS created a new Micro:bit unit of pick-up-and-play resources that cater to this need.

The gender gap is a challenge for Computing Science on a national level. Sara Jenkins from St. Ninan’s High School is making great progress in addressing the gender gap in her school. She shared her story, including successful strategies, challenges, and helpful tips.

47 Computing Science teachers from over 39 secondary schools and across 15 different councils. Including Aberdeen, Inverness and Edinburgh!

Knowledge Sharing Network

The Computing Science teaching community is filled with talented individuals. It is common for a Computing Science department to have only one or two members so creating a network and opportunities for teachers to come together, share and learn from each other is essential in order to accelerate lessons learnt and good practice that could be embedded across the country.

This year, STACS is introducing a new initiative to bring the Computing Science teaching community together virtually through a pilot annual STACS festival in June. This festival will provide an opportunity for teachers to share their ideas and expertise through short talks, lighting talks, and workshops with their peers from across the country. A number of teachers have already come forward to participate in this event and will be covering a diverse range of topics related to Computing Science. This virtual festival will help foster a community of practice among Computing Science teachers and enable them to learn from each other, share best practices, and collaborate to improve the quality of education for their pupils.

SQA Future Assessment CSSDrive Guided Tour

Greg Reid from SQA provided attendees with a variety of short presentations for listening and discussion. Interestingly, both groups expressed their preference for learning about the Hayward review, which focuses on the future of assessment. Additionally, they engaged in discussions how to create a good quality prelim.

Darren Brown from Inverness High School delivered a tour of CSS Drive, where he showcased the wide range of resources available for different topics. He also demonstrated how to access the platform and shared tips on how to contribute to its content. CSSDrive is a collaborative space for teachers delivering Computing Science to share resources with the community.

Beyond the Classroom

There are a number of organisations and individuals who are doing great work to inspire pupils into the tech sector beyond the classroom. CodeClan, dressCode, Make it Happen, ScotlandIS, and the University of Glasgow all attended the event and were there to network with teachers.

Coming together to connect, share, learn from each other and advance Computing Science.

Upskilling Feedback

“The Advanced Higher Upskilling course was a huge confidence boost for me. I’m not currently teaching Advanced Higher and the idea of delivering that course felt so intimidating when I’m still early in my teaching career but these sessions have been a great refresher for me on the content. The sessions were carefully planned out and the leaders were so supportive and patient when answering questions. I really liked that there was an emphasis on the areas that students made common mistakes. As part of the course, we are all creating resources that can be used when delivering Advanced Higher and to get hands on like this and start creating resources has been great experience for me to help me with building up my knowledge and confidence at this level. It’s also so useful to know that I can go back and watch the live recordings anytime if I wanted to review a certain section. Thanks so much to the STACS team for this fab upskilling opportunity! “

Tanya Howden

“Tutors have been very good.”

“All content relevant.”

“The support from the tutors has been amazing.”

“The chat back and forward between presenters was good.”

“Highly knowledgeable presenters.” “Steady but slow pace for the beginners.”

“Liked being online, as you made us very welcome.”

“Great quality online learning - superb tutors.”

“Quality of visuals and examples”

“Friendly & Knowledgeable presenters.”

Networking Feedback

“I enjoyed the event, it gave me the opportunity to meet other teachers and make connections that will improve my delivery of Computing Science.”

“It is a fantastic opportunity to meet the CS community!”

“I really enjoyed catching up with colleagues.”

“Good variety of sessions available.”

“The sessions I went to were excellent, unfortunately I couldn’t get to them all.”

“I thought all the sessions were relevant and I was disappointed that I wasn’t able to attend/engage in all of them. They all had value and it was impossible to fit them in to the time we had.“

Resources Feedback

“Thank you for your support. The resources on the STACS drive have helped massively during my faculty’s development day and we plan to use them extensively in our BGE curriculum.“

“Absolutely blown away with the BGE resources.”

“This looks like a fantastic resource, well done to all involved in putting it together!”

“Looking forward to using our new collaborative platform.”

“The resources look amazing and I’m looking forward to checking them out.”

“Resources look fantastic! Thanks for pulling this together!”

“I can’t wait to dive into the resources on the website, they look fantastic.”

“STACS was mentioned on the CAS Forum as having some excellent resources.”

“I appreciate all the help and support available. Being the only CS teacher in my school, this is a lifeline for me .”

“I downloaded the whole lot! They are fab!”

“Wow!! This is super fantastic, thank you so much.”

“Had a quick look at the website this morning, looks absolutely brilliant.”

“... really fantastic resource for CS teachers in Scotland.”

“This is great stuff!”

Advocating for Computing Science education in

Scottish schools

As a teacher-led organisation, STACS also works to advocate for the Computing Science teacher community. Many of the concerns that we hear are shared directly with STACS, or brought to our attention by the STACS reference group. STACS shares these concerns in our meetings with Scottish Government and STER team.

Equity of Access

Computing Science is not yet considered a core subject. Some pupils only have limited exposure to the subject. The amount of time allocated for Computing Science classes, specifically learning experiences in the Broad General Education varies across schools. Some schools offer one period per week in S1 and S2, and two periods in S3. Other schools offer one period in S1 but none in S2 etc. Furthermore, in some schools where the subject is offered, non-specialists such as Business teachers may have to rotate, which may not provide an optimal learning experience for pupils, although we applaud the efforts by non-specialists in supporting the delivering of Computing Science. A PGDE Business course now introduces Scratch to their students with the expectation they will deliver Computing Science. Limited access to Computing Science in BGE delivered by a non-specialists will potentially have implications for pupil engagement with Computing Science and impact on uptake.

Equity of Access of Educational Tools and DPIAs

Teachers have had difficulties related to Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) that can impact pupils’ learning experiences as a result of not having equity of access to the same educational tools. This issue is especially pertinent in Computing Science, where the use of technology is critical to the subject matter. There is inconsistency across Local Authorities with regards to what educational tools pupils and teachers can access.

Teacher Recruitment and PGDE

Computing Science PGDE has low uptake of getting new Computing Science teachers into the profession. PGDE Computing Science is currently only offered at three universities in Scotland, two in the same city. This presents a significant challenge for recruiting and training new Computing Science teachers, as the limited location could be a potential barrier for candidates. This is in contrast to other STEM subjects such as Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and Maths, with PGDE available at seven or eight universities in Scotland. PGDE Computing Science courses also have poor retention rates.

University Entry Requirements

The lack of Higher Computing Science as a requirement to study Computing Science degree at university has implications and challenges for Computing Science teachers at schools, particularly when it comes to subject option choices and discussions with parents and carers. Some pupils, parents and carers recognise that it is not a required subject for entry so choose not to continue the subject at school, another potential implication for poor uptake and the subject not being signalled as important to parents and carers like English, Maths and other Sciences are.

Terminology - Digital, Computing Science, IT, ICT

There is inconsistency around the language used to describe digital, technology, and Computing Science which has resulted in unclear messaging particularly, to parents, carers, and school leadership. There are examples of Computing Science teachers delivering only digital literacy in S1 instead of a pure Computing Science course, potentially affecting the uptake of Computing Science as a subject, or courses being called IT or ICT instead of Computing Science. Clear and consistent communication is needed around these terms to ensure a better understanding of the subject and its importance in the digital age.

Practical Class - Class Sizes

Mastery of programming concepts and coursework completion requires significant time and effort for pupils taking Computing Science. Despite this, the subject is not officially recognised as a practical subject, which poses a significant challenge for Computing Science teachers across the country. With class sizes of up to 33 pupils in S1 and S2 and 30 in S3, S4, S5 and S6. Most computing suites are only set up with 20 or in some cases 25 access points. The shortage of desktops or ports has led to various proposals, such as coding using laptops or iPads. This results in a negative experience and perception of the subject.

Virtual Campus

In some schools if Advanced Higher class sizes are small the pupils are taught by another teacher in another school via a virtual campus. This has implications of the experience and quality of the subject but also means a smaller potential pool of Computing Science teachers in schools with teaching experience of Higher and Advanced Higher Computing Science qualifications.

Landscape of computing science

On a national level, Computing Science has been struggling with subject uptake and a gender gap although there are some exceptional departments who are bucking the trend. Gaining a comprehensive dataset describing the landscape and trends of Computing Science education will help identify and explore underlying factors for the trends observed for Computing Science at national level. STACS have began work analysing the data.

PPartnerships

STACS have established a partnership with the SQA to help to build a holistic overview of Computing Science at a national level and track trends on an annual basis. STACS have made good progress and are analysing this data. STACS has also partnered with the charity dressCode who has a wealth of data they have curated in collaboration with the Scottish Tech Army to help provide a rich overview of the subject at school level. We have collated data from the Scottish Government on teacher numbers, probationer and target probationer numbers. It must be recognised that this data alone is not sufficient and teachers on the ground will have detailed insight and personal experience as to potential challenges or good practice that has had an impact on Computing Science at a local level.

Engaging and listening to departments’ needs and identifying the many strengths will help STACS support and build on the community of Computing Science teachers. We aim to work with teachers to identify and share good practice where all departments can benefit and adapt for their school setting. STACS recognises that one size does not fit all. Schools are very individual and teachers are the experts and know their pupils best. STACS hopes to support all teachers delivering Computing Science to enhance the great work already being done in schools and share good practice and lessons learnt across the Computing Science community.

Beyond Year one

STACS remains dedicated to supporting teachers and advancing computing science education. We have lots of plans and are looking forward to working with the STACS reference group and wider teaching community to help shape the direction of STACS and build on the success of this year.

Teacher Resources Teaching Community

Nurturing the teaching community by fostering connections and promoting knowledge sharing among educators. We recognize the importance of collaboration and continuous learning for professional growth.

Creating high-quality pick-up-and-play resources that support the delivery of computing science education. We understand the importance of accessible teaching materials to empower educators in their classrooms.

Professional Development Landscape and Advocate

Providing high-quality professional development tailored to the Scottish curriculum. Our programs and resources are driven by the annual SQA course reports, ensuring that educators have access to targeted and relevant support.

Actively listen to the teaching community and advocate for their needs. Passionately champion Computing Science as a subject and strive to promote its importance in education. By engaging with teachers, we understand their challenges and work to be their voice. Our goal is to advocate for Computing Science and ensure its recognition and support in education.

Wider STER Activity

Actively collaborates with the STER team and supports relevant activities around computing science education.

In the press

“The more people we equip at school level with a basic level of competence in Computing Science, the more start-ups we’ll eventually produce and the greater the pool of engineers we’ll have available for those start-ups to hire from as they develop. In a country with a very small population such as ours, this point is of even greater importance.”

Mark Logan, Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review

By teachers for teachers.