Our response to Mr Gove's statement on 11th January 2012 regarding the teaching of ICT
On the 11th January the Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove) made a speech at the BETT conference and also issued a Written Ministerial Statement (see below) regarding teaching ICT.
Many news sites and forums have been stating that ICT is to be dropped from September 2012 and replaced by computer science. This is not as black and white as it might first appear.
Will ICT lessons be stopping in September?
NO
This paragraph is taken directly from Mr Gove's speech:
"Let me stress - ICT will remain compulsory at all key stages, and will still be taught at every stage of the curriculum. The existing Programme of Study will remain on the web for reference." |
What this means is that you do still have to teach ICT but you are no longer restricted to the current Programme of Study which states what should be covered.
Mr Gove has stated that universitites and businesses will work together to create a new curriculum which will be based around computer science. Whether this is ready in time for September 2012 is anyone's guess.
What will be in this new curriculum? Again, no one quite knows as yet but it does sound like teachers will have a lot more choice in what they choose to teach.
Do I have to stop what I'm doing and write new schemes of work?
NO
Right now no one knows for sure what will be in the new curriculum or how radically it will change.
There should be significant overlap between what is currently taught in ICT lessons and the new curriculum. Not everything in ICT is 'dull' or 'harmful' as the papers have delighted in telling us.
Any sensible curriculum will hopefully still include the important elements of ICT such as e-safety, computer networks, the Internet, graphics editing, video and sound editing and web design, along with many of the other skills that you teach.
Basically our advice is to hold fire and not panic. You will very likely be able to use much of what you already have.
If there are major changes then we will ensure that we will produce some of the best resources available to help you.
I don't know anything about programming. Does that matter?
To some extent.
The main criticism of the current ICT curriculum was that it lacked any computer programming content.
To press the point, some groups suggested that ICT was mainly the teaching of mundane 'office' applications. This of course was disingenuous, as ICT topics such as e-safety, graphics, video editing, web authoring have long been part of both the KS3 and KS4 programs of study. We believe that these skills are valuable and that they should still be taught to students, especially at KS3.
However the teaching of some computer programming skills may be part of the mix which will require teachers to gain some skills in this topic.
We will continue to keep you informed of the latest development in this area for example see our Scratch tutorials, and Professor Kölling's Greenfoot section.
Much is still in the air and we will be monitoring announcements very closely to ensure that we can produce the resources that you need.
Will my subscription to Teach-ICT still be useful?
More than ever.
With the release of schools and teachers from the restrictions of the old and often dull Programme of Study there is now the chance for teachers to feel more confident in trying out things that they perhaps didn't have time to fit into their old curriculum.
We plan to continue creating new and interesting resources which will help you be confident in making the transition to the new curriculum (when we know what it is going to be)
Don't forget, we already have a comprehensive computing section available with plenty of resources for GCSE Computing and theory mini-webs for A2 computing.
We will be adding a lot more to it during this year.
Debbie Jones
Teach-ICT.com
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The Secretary of State for Education (Michael Gove MP) today made the following Written Ministerial Statement:
I am today announcing my intention to launch a public consultation on my proposal that the National Curriculum Programmes of Study and associated Attainment Targets and assessment arrangements for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in maintained schools in England should not apply from September 2012.
There is a significant and growing base of evidence, not least from Ofsted inspections, that demonstrates that there are persistent problems with the quality and effectiveness of ICT education in schools. Evidence indicates that recent curriculum and qualifications reforms have not led to significant improvements in the teaching of ICT, and the number of students progressing to further study in ICT-related subjects is in decline. Furthermore, the ICT curriculum in its current form is viewed as dull and demotivating for pupils. Its teaching may not equip pupils adequately for further study and work, may leave them disenchanted or give rise to negative perceptions that turn them off the subject completely. At the same time we know that the demand for high-level technology skills is growing, and many employers in the IT industry are concerned that the way in which ICT is taught in schools is failing to inspire young people about the creative potential of ICT and the range of IT-related careers open to them.
However, we also know that ICT teaching in schools can be done well. There are numerous positive examples of schools that are leading the way in developing new and exciting visions for ICT, and of industry-led initiatives which are invigorating ICT teaching in schools. In order to facilitate more innovative ICT provision in schools, I am proposing to make provision under the 2002 Education Act to disapply the existing ICT Programmes of Study and Attainment Targets at all four key stages, and the associated statutory assessment arrangements at Key Stage 3, from September 2012.
Under this proposal ICT would remain a compulsory subject within the National Curriculum, subject to the outcomes of the National Curriculum review. However, schools would be freed of the requirement to adhere to the existing Programmes of Study, Attainment Targets and statutory assessment arrangements.
By disapplying the ICT Programme of Study from September this year schools will be able to offer a more creative and challenging curriculum, drawing on support and advice from those best positioned to judge what an ambitious and forward-looking curriculum should contain. I am encouraged by the work of subject organisations and others on how universities and business can develop high quality Computer Science qualifications. I'm keen to explore how Government can continue to facilitate this.
If, having listened to the views expressed in the public consultation and subject to the will of the House, I decide to proceed with the proposed disapplication of the ICT Programmes of Study, Attainment Targets and assessment arrangements, it will represent an interim measure that will be effective from September 2012 until September 2014, when the outcomes of the National Curriculum review will come into force. The status of ICT within the school curriculum is currently being considered by the National Curriculum review alongside that of all other National Curriculum subjects (aside from English, mathematics, science and PE), and I will bring forward proposals later this year.
The public consultation on this proposal will commence shortly and run for 12 weeks. A consultation document containing full details of this proposal and how interested parties can respond to the consultation will be published on the Department for Education website. Copies of that document will also be placed in the House Libraries.
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