Is computing compulsory at GCSE?

[Painaupain]

I know that students don't have to choose to take Computer Science GCSE. But is it right that they DO have to had some level of computing education (even if they don't choose CS as one of their options)? In the same way as even if you don't choose PE GCSE, you still have to do some PE!

From googling, it looks to me like you do have to.
But my son's school seems to be saying, you either do CS for GCSE ... or you never study it again!

If it's an academy they don't have to follow the national curriculum.

No it’s not compulsory.

Not nationally , for a start there aren’t enough properly qualified CS teachers .

Not compulsory at my dc secondary school, or any others round here that I’ve heard of.
where did you see that information?

My DD had to do CS until yr9 when she picked her GCSE options

I've heard some UTCs doing this, but there is nothing like there is PE at GCSE level for computer for all schools.

It's expected that KS3 will have covered the basics, though I'm not sure how realistic that is.

Nope it is not compulsory.

What website have you found this on? It may be that some schools offer students a lesson of ICT during KS4 as well – tho tbh the timetable is usually so full that there would not be room.

Interesting . DS didn't have to study this at school or at the 6th form college where he did a year, but when undertaking modern apprenticeship at 17, he had to do computer studies alongside his NVQ, the rules being that if a young person did not have maths, English and IT at GCSE they had to continue studying them as part of the apprenticeship scheme.

It is not compulsory at my DC's school.

Nope only English, Maths and Science are compulsory.

Don’t know where you found that on Google but Computing is not compulsory in any form at GCSE. It’s an optional subject. Some schools don’t even offer that.

My son’s school does no ICT at all in years 7-9. They only do computing if they choose to study it at GCSE.

Ofsted and Nat Curriculum seem to suggest it is compulsory?

www.gov.uk/government/publications/research-review-series-computing/research-review-series-computing#fn:21

when was that? ICT GCSE hasn't existed in any useable sense for years.

It’s not a compulsory GCSE in any school I know of. I suspect there’s some fudge about using computers across the curriculum to cover the requirement alongside students having the option.
Regardless, there are not enough teachers (nor enough hardware in most schools) to offer Computing in the same way as English and Maths.

It's an option at GCSE, but once students have chosen their options, they don't have to study it. Other subjects such as PE and PSHE are still mandatory to study until end of Year 11, perhaps you're thinking it's the same in that context? But it isn't according to National Curriculum. Academies can do their own thing though!

My son never did any sort of IT lessons once he chose his options which didn't include IT which I think is a mistake given how important computer skills are. My other son at a different school they have to do a BTEC in IT if they don't choose an IT GCSE.

It's not compulsory. The "aspects of" referred to in that screen shot will be covered during other subjects eg Windows office during English, excel for maths/science, etc

Clearly not compulsory as even in this day and age, some schools still don't offer it as an option!

They "fudge" it by superficially covering the topics in other lessons.

At my son's school, they did a power point presentation as part of a French project,

They did "word" superficially in English and History, i.e. to draft and edit essays etc.

They did a bit of Excel in Maths.

Etc.

“Have the opportunity” - so it’s offered to them yes, but not compulsory.

I'm not sure it was even offered at my children's secondaries never mind compulsory

My children’s secondary doesn’t offer Computer Science GCSE and they had no computer lessons at all after year 9. It’s bonkers in my opinion, especially as RE is compulsory 🙄.

They make them wear uniforms with ties & blazers to ‘get them ready for work’ but don’t teach proper IT skills. It’s just lack of joined up thinking.

As I said upthread there is a massive shortage of properly qualified CS teachers because let’s face it if you have a degree in computing you can likely earn a lot more money not teaching .

I’m in my 20’s and we could choose Computer Science as one of our options but if we didn’t we still did ICT to GCSE and got that GCSE. I have cousins who are at the same school and it’s still the same now, so you can choose CS but regardless of options you have ICT to GCSE.