Join the class of '21!
12 July 2021
This week, we're celebrating the success of teachers who have completed the Computer Science Accelerator in 2020/21 and explaining how you can be part of this year's cohort.
Despite the ongoing impact of Covid on schools this year, we have been amazed by the response of our teacher community, who have continued to demonstrate a commitment to their personal development by engaging in professional development.
With 4,500 participants now having participated in courses from the CS Accelerator to date, we caught up with Helen Brant, one of the first cohort of teachers to complete the certificate. Having made the move from Head of Music to Head of Computer Science, we asked her what advice she would give to other teachers considering upskilling in computer science.
Computing is the future - the last 12 months have taught us that. The courses are easy to access; all sorts of people from diverse backgrounds do them and the support you get when doing them gives you confidence in the classroom.
If I can go from music to computer science 15 years into my career then anyone can, you just need to have an open mind, be willing to learn and practice and that there is a massive community out there to support you.
Helen is not alone. Rohini Shah , computer science teacher at QPCS, London, told us:
To refresh my skills and have access to new material, I joined the CSA programme. The courses gave me new insight and pedagogy. I gained more confidence in my pedagogy, and despite being a tough subject to teach as it is so fast-moving, we exceed the national grades boundaries with our students. I’d highly recommended because it is good for your career progression. The CSA gives you confidence, and ideas to improve pedagogy and, in turn, benefits your students. It’s a win-win outcome doing the CSA programme.
Martin Sexton teaches at Mildenhall College Academy in Suffolk where he is Faculty Lead for Business, Health and Computing.
Even with a CS degree, I felt there were some areas where I could improve my understanding, and the range of courses run by the NCCE allowed for me to do this. The flexibility of the course was a big draw and being able to assess my weaknesses gave me an idea of the courses to focus on. The courses are generally of a high standard and always have lots of great ideas to take forward. I’ve got lots of new ideas to teach the topics I have been teaching for the last nine years! There are now new activities that I use and more videos which give students extra revision materials. I also discuss the ideas and provide the resources to other teachers in our academy and throughout our trust.
Join the Class of '21
If you are yet to complete your certificate, we have the perfect summer CPD programme for you! With five pathways to choose from and summer schools taking place across the country, our curated programme of CPD, CSA in the Summer, has something for all abilities, from beginner to advanced level.
Celebrate your success!
We're encouraging graduates of the CS Accelerator to join us this week to celebrate your success. Get involved by following these simple steps: