Microsoft and CAS form ground-breaking partnership

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8th April 2014: With the new Computing curriculum coming into force across UK primary and secondary schools in September, Microsoft and Computing At School (CAS) are joining forces to help teachers inspire a new generation of young people. Backed by a £334,000 investment from Microsoft, CAS is holding a series of 'Back to School' training sessions to show teachers how they can take the complexity of Coding and Computer Science and make it engaging to the touch screen generation.

"How do you explain an algorithm to a class of 6 year olds and make it fun? We have a real opportunity here to excite and inspire the next generation of games developers if we get this right. But we need to move fast to bring the curriculum to life and grab the interest of kids in that very first term." (Claire Lotriet, ICT Coordinator, Henwick Primary School)

The 'Countdown to Computing' programme will see Microsoft and CAS create two training courses for teachers; one for primary and one for secondary, together with supporting classroom resources that teachers can use in their first term. Using the CAS hubs, experts including the CAS master teachers will deliver face-face training across the country with 2,500 local events. There will also be more flexible training options via Skype so that all teachers can make the most of the training and resources available.

• Find out more about the Countdown to Computing project
• Register your interest
• Apply to join the team!  We are hiring NOW!

Primary Training Days

CAS in association with our university partners, Rising Stars and Naace are running a number primary regional training days. Each day is tailored to the needs of primary teachers, KS1 or KS2 with plenty of hands on activities, workshops and presentations to help gain confidence with the new curriculum.

• 28th March Manchester
• 31st March UCL London
• 2nd April Newcastle
• 2nd April Southampton
• 28th April Bath

The CAS Newsletter

Download the latest issue of our newsletter here. The newsletter is produced once a term and is packed with articles and ideas for teaching computer science in the classroom. This issue takes a look at the idea of Computational Thinking. Com-putational thinking is something children do, not computers. Indeed, many activities that develop computational thought don't need a computer at all. This influential term helps stress the educational processes we are engaged in. Developing learning and thinking skills lies be-hind our view that all children need exposure to such ideas. There is something of interest to all CAS members and the wider teaching community. Resources and ideas shared by teachers, both primary and secondary. There is also a section on the Network of Excellence for those new to CAS who aren't familiar with current developments. Previous issues

Sample Articles What is Computational Thinking? Introducing algorithms to children in reception class Getting to grips with data representation and graphics

Barefoot Computing

A project to help introduce the new computing curriculum into primary schools in England is being launched by BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT in partnership with Computing at School (CAS), funded by the Department for Education (DfE).

Known as Barefoot Computing, the project aims to equip primary school teachers with the basic knowledge and confidence needed to begin the journey towards becoming an excellent computing teacher.   [Read more ...]

Primary Guidance 

CAS, in association with Naace and other partners are delighted to publish this guide for primary school teachers.  The guide explains how primary teachers can get started with the new computing curriculum and provides many pointers to excellent resources and ideas for building an innovative and exciting curriculum.

Don't be daunted by the changes in the move from ICT to Computing. Rather, see this as an opportunity to develop your own knowledge about computing and to learn to program, if you've never had the chance before. Although this might sound like hard work, it's actually great fun. You'll find that you make better use of the technology you have at home and in school, and also that you start to think a bit differently, looking at systems and problems in the same way a computer scientist does.

"I think the primary guidance is a fantastic document that will enable primary teachers to gain a better understanding of the new curriculum and I particularly love the section on assessment" (Deborah Ball, Dosthill Primary School)

• Download the guide
• Further Information

From our partners

Computing At School are delighted to partner with Apps For Good.

Apps for Good aims to build the next generation of problem solvers and digital makers. They partner with educators in schools and learning centres to deliver a course to young people 10-18 years of age. They provide the course content, training and connections to their Tech Expert volunteers, and then let teachers do what they are best at - inspiring and guiding young people.

The programme equips students to research, design and make digital products and take them to market. It "ticks the box" of the new computing curriculum but does much more.  Students work together in teams to determine the issues they want to tackle and how best to solve them using social, mobile and web apps. With a focus on solving real issues that matter to young people and their communities, students learn about the full software product development process in a hands-on way.The result is students who are creators not just consumers of technology and they have the real life entrepreneurship skills to make their ideas a reality.

Apply to become an Education Partner now: www.appsforgood.org.

Code.org is a non profit organisation whose aim is to demystify that coding is only for geeks, it is accessible for all!  Having run a hugely successful campaign in the US last year they are now promoting a UK version in march 2014.

Although the Uk Hour of Code has now happened the materials and resources are still available for all schools to use.

To help schools and teachers engage with the hour of code the organisers have brought together many tutorials for all levels with the most basic one being the first, which teaches students the basics of computer programming in just sixty minutes, through very simple and fun tutorial where Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Microsoft's Bill Gates team up to encourage learners to program their very own "Angry Birds". 

CAS welcome this initiative and are pleased to support the Hour of Code in UK schools.