GCSE Computer Science, but no teacher

The mp, nor anyone else, can find a teacher for the new year, even with double the funding. They are not there!

So the school needs to cancel the GCSE course and offer the pupils other options rather than letting them be lambs to the slaughter.

I actually think most MPs are awake to teacher shortages. However, when grads appear to prefer other forms of employment then it is difficult to persuade them to be be teachers. It is not all about money either. Not all grads make more than teachers and a successful teacher can earn a lot as an assistant head and they will not need to be much over 30 either. It is a very decent salary if you life in an area of cheaper housing.

I sometimes wonder if they would have more success in persuading older people to teach computer science but teaching has such bad publicity I can see why they would not want to. My local secondary school, which is very good and well supported by parents and largely middle class, has a new head, and guess what, massive clampdown on uniforms. The children coming out of the school always looked OK to me. It is this sort of attention to "rules" that turn people off wanting to teach. They don't want to be picking up children for minor issues all the time. The whole atmosphere in some schools is not attrative.

@BubblesBuddy - approaching the mp is a long term strategy so they are aware that not just teachers are worried about pay and working conditions!! A wake up is needed that this actually affects children!!

Wanting to do it isn’t the same as needing to do it. Move to a 6th form that offers it if it’s vital. I wouldn’t get a crappy grade by sticking to my guns.

The mp, nor anyone else, can find a teacher for the new year, even with double the funding. They are not there!

There are vast numbers of computer science grads but few want teaching. It’s partly wages but it’s partly the poor working environment and poor management people find in schools. It’s just not where many grads want to be. Some schools seem to be run like a police state.

Have faith they will get a teacher

Yeah, right. My DS didn't have a res mat teacher for the entirety of year 11. School just provided random cover teachers who hadn't a clue - literally different teacher almost every lesson, none of which were actually tech teachers. If they'd have been honest at the start, DS would have moved to a different subject or just used them as free study periods, but it was always promises of a "proper" teacher "soon".

They'd even said they were changing the timetable so that the cover teachers would be allocated the younger non-exam lessons, but that never happened either. Never trust the school!

Campaign your mp for better educational funding and better working conditions? Discuss your concerns with the head, not the teacher. They have the right to leave/ change employment and badgering them about resources for after they leave isn't fair.

A relative who is a maths teacher taught gcse computer science and basically had to teach it to himself to teach the kids - he said he was literally a couple of lessons ahead. Presumably this means if you are inclined in that direction you could do the same.

Given the teacher isn't leaving until Christmas can you not share your concerns with her/him and if (s)he has any recommendations for resources or any lesson plans etc (s)he would be willing to share?

Sign up to Craigndave.com for some excellent resources-they have a free YouTube channel as well. Also, get the PG Online textbook, as well as the Python textbook they have. Best resources out there. Your DD will be fine if she is able to go through this material over the next two years. It will be 100% graded on both exams, at the end of year 11, so don’t panic about not having a teacher to ‘mark’ any coursework as there isn’t any-just a programming task to try but the success of it does not matter.
Have faith they will get a teacher!

Doing it wether its necessary or not is not entirely up to her though. Does she want to do it regardless and get a rubbish grade on her otherwise glowing GCSEs or would she rather count her losses and choose another subject she's got a good chance of getting a high grade in. Which is more important to her?

I am really unsure of what is in the revision guide but W3 Schools will have lots of tutorials online. My suggestion would be to have your DD try some tutorials related to her course and this can help you determine if it can be self taught.

I did a computer science degree and i learnt a lot in labs and tutorials online based on the course content.

Drop the subject? It’s not necessary for the degree. Hopefully they will recruit.