Y7 have had their IT classes cut altogether - is this mad?

[Pinealike]

Things may change again next year, but DC has just showed me the new timetable, which includes no ICT/computer/anything at all. This seems utterly insane - if these kids don't grow up coding, they really are going to be left behind.

Any others had this experience?

Hula he's done Scratch for years both at school,on courses and at home.Also Java and a shed load of other stuff which I have no idea what the names are(it goes over my head).Granted he is G&T at ICT.However you could say there is scope to be pushed in anything,whether that translates into reality is a whole other thing.

At the moment he is bored stiff in ICT lessons,supports the other kids(and teachers at times). Dp was horrified when we looked round local secondary schools at how crap the ICT provision is,the lack of knowledge when you start asking questions and also the lack of the knowledge re the new curriculum.

His state primary seem more on the ball and he could do with an awful lot more pushing where he is already.Imvho it's harder for primaries to deliver(as teachers are teaching the entire curriculum) so the secondary provision we've seen so far was a concern.If he's going to sit bored and twiddling his thumbs for several years it seems a tad pointless.

I wonder how they're going to deliver this curriculum to the huge varieties of abilities there will be.

No comet I asked my dp this.Think he says it's important that they learn to problem solve and be more self reliant.It's like teaching kids to read but not bothering with writing.

Don't quote me though,I'm the clueless non coding member of the family.

Well - obviously with coding there are almost endless opportunities, especially with bright children. Bigger and better projects to work on. The only limit is his imagination and desire to do it.

He sounds like a bright lad and obviously interested if going on courses, etc. So - using the coding languages he knows or new ones - he can create endless projects, getting more and more complex.

As for his secondary school - it will come down to the teachers, as with every subject.