Boost for computing as the Department for Education renews funding

The Department for Education has renewed its funding for STEM Learning to deliver the next phase of its national support for computing education in England.

The National Centre for Computing Education will be continuing to provide comprehensive support and an invaluable resource to improve the quality of computing education for young people in England.

This ongoing investment means that the National Centre for Computing Education and network of Computing Hubs will continue working towards its vision for every child in every school in England to have a world-leading computing education, no matter what their background.

The National Centre for Computing Education has made a huge impact over the last four years, with successes including delivering the Computer Science Accelerator to over 7,400 secondary teachers, equipping them with expertise to teach GCSE Computer Science with confidence.

Yet, there is much still to do, with the digital sector growing at pace, and computing and digital expertise consistently in high demand. It is vital that young people have the essential foundational knowledge to become digitally literate citizens who can access and be successful in their choice of education and careers.

The proportion of girls taking GCSE and A level Computer Science also remains low, and through the National Centre for Computing Education, teachers will encourage more girls to identify the subject as an area in which they can excel.

Quality teaching is pivotal to improving pupils’ classroom experience and influences young peoples’ decision to take their studies further – it is the single most important in-school factor for improving pupil outcomes.

Minister of State for Schools Nick Gibb said: “The digital industry makes a vital contribution to our economy. To ensure its sustainability, young people need the aspiration, knowledge and skills to succeed.

“As such, it is vital that our computer science teachers are trained to teach the latest digital skills, ensuring young people across the country benefit from a high-quality computing education.

“The National Centre for Computing Education gives teachers the subject knowledge and support they need to teach the computing curriculum.”

Read more about the National Centre for Computing Education, and the impact of its work over the last four years here.