DSs' high school has stopped teaching computing!

[nolassie]

As of August this year S1 -3 can't take computing. S4 -S6 can complete what they are doing. The single teacher we have has had such a bad pass rate for 5 years the school no longer want to allow other children to suffer such poor outcomes. How can this be right in 2016 when STEM is meant to be so important ? I think the roll is around 1800 so not a wee school.
Who's the best person the complain to?

DDs primary doesn't have a computer suite but they do have laptops that they share and WiFi (and they have an after school code club)
I agree that we are too 'tablet/ipad' obsessed...they aren't as versatile as a 'real' computer. Guess they might be in the future but we are not there yet...pretty sure you can't design and build an app on a tablet...

The first words in the first lecture in Computer Science "How many learned to program at school? Well forget that."

The first words a new graduate hears in a software department "Here is the description of the coding methodology and standards we use here"

Our school in Aberdeenshire lost it's Computing teacher late 2014 and a replacement could not be found for love nor money. This seems to be a problem nationally. Those sitting exams last summer did distance learning/college courses.

Our school paid for a teacher to be trained up to teach computing which has worked out really well. But realistically if you are good with computers you are not going to teach when you can earn £££ in the industry.

That's a shame for your son OP. Sadly another example of how the Scottish government is failing our children. Standards in education are dropping every year, it is disgraceful.

And even more disgraceful that a poorly performing teacher cannot be sacked! The public sector really needs a shake up if it's not possible to get rid of a teacher who can't do their job properly.

You should write to the education minister Angela Constance expressing your disgust. Perhaps she could have a word with the school?

As people have suggested, there's a massive shortage of CS teachers in Scotland which is causing huge problem, and it's getting worse. It is such an important subject - CS is not about using programmes (excel, etc) - that's IT, and it isn't even just programming, it's about computational thinking - essentially applied logic. There are lots of areas where it is applicable and there is a huge gap in the market where the tech firms that are so crucial to Scotland's economy simply cannot hire people with the appropriate skills. If it continues, many will have to leave.

It's not true that universities don't care about (I work in CS at a uni). It's not insisted on because we simply couldn't fill places and because historically (not now) the curriculum has been so terrible (basically IT). But we def like it.

There are out of school initiatives kids can get involved with. Coderdojo is probably most suitable for this age range. I would investigate that.

I second contacting Angela Constance and also your local MSP. Not only because of the CS but also that they are claiming they can't get rid of a crap teacher. Half my family and several friends in education and that's just not true. Also a school that size should have more than one. But as pp have said there's a recruitment issue there.

iisme I just checked and what DD did was called computer studies and she was still doing till the end of S3. I have to admit after the first parents evening I gave up even thinking about it ...and business studies. Both seemed like a waste of time in an already overloaded curriculum, mainly I guess due to how they were being taught...
I can understand some value in learning some of the technical language (like learning in eg chemistry a beaker is called a beaker - so basic directions make sense) and some basic concepts...but 114hrs worth?
And (I might be being stupid) but can you really teach applied logic?

unlucky - yes, you really can teach applied logic. Of course you can! Logical thinking is much more a matter of education than natural talent. It's a very broadly applicable skill, and CS techniques are used in a wide range of jobs (not to mention the vast swath of high-quality, high-paid jobs in the tech industry in Scotland). It's not got anything to do with learning technical language, it's about learning a way of thinking and using your brain.

I don't know what 'computer studies' would involve. It's sounds less scientific than computer science!

DS1 is doing Computing Science Nat 5 at the moment. Seems to be more than just about programming too. Have seen him with homework relating to Data Protection Act and Information security etc. He wants to do higher.

I agree Magnum - I'm now getting lectures from ds as to what info I should or rather shouldn't be keeping for ds' rugby club's junior registrations

He seems to think it will be useful going forward even though he isn't continuing it to Higher.

I work in regulatory compliance so it would be teaching his grandmother to suck eggs... :o

He is of a technical mind frame so is doing Maths, Physics, Engineering Science, Computing Science and Graphic Communications. Options forms went in yesterday but they said that over a third of selected courses get changed after results in August.

Haven't seen his choices booklet but apparently he went through it yesterday with his pastoral care teacher.

He's doing a very standard combination of English, Maths, Phyiscs, Chemistry and Georgraphy. I don't see that changing in August.

Our only potential spanner is that he isn't doing what they asked and choosing the 5 he got best marks in in the prelims (Maths, Physics, Engineering, English and geography) and he hasn't done Nat 5 in Graph Comm and isn't sure that he will get the A in Art that they expect him to have in order to crash the Higher.

He hates Geography and only picked it as the best of the bunch in the Social Science column. He wanted to do Graph Comm but it clashed with Engineering or Computing as far as I remember. They did say at the time he could do the Higher as a crash in 5th year but whether they will remember or support that now I don't know.

He wants to leave English until 6th year.

at your ds being expected to do the 5 that he got the best Prelim marks for . No wonder a third change their choices in August.

Ds isn't being given a choice about dropping English in S5 (To be fair, he sees the value of English even for his other subjects).

S6 will probably be Advanced Maths, Advanced Geography and either Advanced Physics or Geography and possibly a crash Biology. He's expecting to start on the Advanced Higher Maths curriculum in September. At the moment, they're alternating a week of Higher curriculum with a week of Nat 5 revision.

Posted too soon.

Hope your ds is able to do his Graph Comm Higher.

Tbf - they were recommending that you do Maths and English if possible but that otherwise you should leave 6th year to indulge in your passions or special subject requirements and concentrate on what you are good at in 5th year so as to make it less stressful for getting your grades in one sitting. I guess that people might not get what they wanted for Nat 5s and need to change or have a change of heart over the summer.

I hope he is able to do it as well. He just needs to decide what it is he actually wants to do with himself after that. He is still torn between computing and engineering but is quite creative. I got lots of good recommendations on here and saw a course in product Design engineering that I thought he might like but no reaction from him.

DS2 wants to go into politics. I'm trying to tempt him into Law as that would be useful for anything in that line or for a variety of careers. His just chosen his Nat 5s though so a wee bit to go before he needs to worry.

Ds wants to be a professional rugby player

Failing that, "something sciency"

To be fair, he is very good at rugby so it is possible. But he is still also focussed on doing well at school and going on to Uni.

Mine are definitely going to have to rely on their brains rather than their sporting abilities. It's a shame as DH had DS1 as a back and DS2 as a forward. The original plan was for DS1 to be a goalkeeper given his height potential. He has no interest or ability in football though :). He's just starting rowing though so maybe there is hope yet :)

Good luck to your DS, I look forward to shouting on him when he's playing for Scotland :)

His first name was partly chosen for its suitability for shouting on as he goes in for the winning try! Unfortunately he doesn't like it in its shortened form although he might make an exception in such circumstances

His surname is even more suited - you'll realise why if you ever see it!

Ah, okay, :o You can let me know when he's going to be on TV and I'll support him :)

My DH was more going for "the Magnum brothers appearing for Scotland once again...." so first names were not really so relevant :)

Will do. But if I forget and you see a scrum half/stand off with a "fast" name, you'll remember!

Many thanks for all your replies. Very interesting to see people's different experiences.

I ended up writing to MP, 2 councilors, Head of Education and MSP. MP's admin very quick to call back and say who'll they'll be taking it up with. MSP eventually got back with very political response rather than practically helpful and no response from the others as yet.

I think it's a very important subject as it contributes to STEM.
But don't worry, all the extra investment will mean the kids can learn Gaelic instead 'cos that's more useful 😦