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The biggest curriculum shake-up in a decade

What it means for computing teachers

14 November 2025

From GCSE computing to AI qualifications: unpacking the curriculum and assessment review.

If you’ve been anywhere near education news lately, you’ll know that the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) has landed — all 180 pages of it (plus a hefty 61-page government response for good measure). It’s the most significant look at the education system from ages 5 to 18 in over a decade. And if that sounds like a lot to digest, don’t worry — we have done the reading so you don’t have to.

Let’s check out what this means for computing teachers, students, and schools across the UK and break down the key takeaways.

GCSE Computing replaces GCSE Computer Science

One of the biggest announcements is the shift from GCSE Computer Science to GCSE Computing. At first glance, it’s just a word change — but it’s much more than that. The new qualification aims to better reflect the breadth of the digital world by combining computer science, IT, and digital literacy.

That means programming and algorithms will still be at the heart of the course, but there’ll be a stronger emphasis on digital skills and critical application — preparing students for a world where tech is integral to every industry.

A new qualification in AI and data science?

There’s also talk of a new Level 3 qualification in Data Science and AI. While it’s not confirmed whether this will be an A-level or T-level, it signals an exciting potential pathway for students keen to explore cutting-edge technology in more depth.

Academies to follow the national curriculum

Another big change: academies will be required to teach the national curriculum. This levels the playing field so every student receives the same core education — including computing — no matter where they are in the country.

NEA changes and assessment reform

Non-examined assessments (NEAs) will only continue where they’re essential. For computing, that means no return of coursework-style assessments at GCSE, though there’s still debate around whether they’ll remain at A level. The government has also made it clear that externally marked exams remain the fairest and most reliable assessment method, particularly in the age of AI.

A new era for digital literacy

Digital literacy will take on a far greater role, not just in computing, but across the entire curriculum. Expect more clarity on what “digital literacy” actually means, and a renewed focus on preparing students for life and work in a tech-driven world.

The changes will roll out gradually — with new programmes of study expected by 2028 and the first teaching of new GCSEs in 2029.

But one thing’s clear: this shake-up is set to reshape computing education for the next generation.

A modern holistic curriculum

This will be the most modern and holistic National curriculum to date. No subject sits in a vacuum, and this is no more true than in Computing, where so much of what we do is transferable to other subjects. It is clear for example, that some subjects, digital methods now influence the content and how it is taught.

Where it does, the government will include a requirement for the relevant digital content in those subjects’ programmes of study and will ensure that it aligns with the computing curriculum, to reduce the risk of duplication.

Broader still, the National curriculum revised programmes of study will prioritise core concepts in each subject and make sure they are coherent within and across subjects.

To enable this, the new National Curriculum will be an online, machine-readable and interactive. It will visually represent the links within and between subject areas and gives connections to prior learning, helping teachers to contextualise learning across traditional subject boundaries.

🎥 Want to hear Craig and Dave’s full breakdown?
Watch the video now for their insights, discussion, and a free downloadable summary of the CAR report – Curriculum and Assessment Review Summary

💻 Explore more resources, updates, and teacher support at craigndave.org

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When the cloud breaks: lessons for teachers from the AWS outage

24 October 2025

On a busy Monday morning, teachers across the UK found themselves staring at error messages instead of lesson plans, thanks to a major outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) on 20th October 2025. According to BBC News live reporting, over 500 companies were affected globally, with 400,000 reports in the UK alone. Platforms like Snapchat, Zoom, Duolingo, Roblox, Canva, and even HMRC were hit. Even Ring doorbells stopped working. And while not all services were down—Google and Meta platforms remained stable—the ripple effect was undeniable.

For educators, this disruption is more than a tech hiccup. It’s a reminder of just how deeply embedded cloud services are in our daily routines.

Schools and the cloud: a modern dependency

Today’s schools rely heavily on online systems to function smoothly. Email communication is essential for staff, parents, and external agencies, while cloud-based registration systems play a critical role in tracking attendance and safeguarding. Edtech platforms have become central to lesson delivery, homework submission, and student feedback. Even professional development and collaboration now depend on tools like Microsoft Teams and Google Workspace.

When these systems falter, the consequences are immediate and far-reaching. Teachers may find themselves unable to access registers, students locked out of learning platforms, and communication channels grinding to a halt.

Remembering the offline days

For many seasoned educators, today’s outage may have stirred memories of a time when digital reliability wasn’t a given. Back then, internet connections were so unpredictable that lesson resources were always saved locally—just in case. Paper registers were the norm and misplacing one could trigger a frantic search through the staffroom. Lesson plans were printed out, and interactive whiteboards were considered a luxury.

In those days, resilience was built into the system. Educators planned for failure because it was expected, and that mindset helped them adapt quickly when things went wrong.

The risk of reliability

Ironically, the very reliability of today’s systems has made us less prepared for their failure. We’ve grown accustomed to seamless access to everything—from student data to interactive quizzes—without giving much thought to what happens when the cloud goes dark.

This isn’t to suggest we should revert to outdated methods. The advantages of digital systems are undeniable. However, today’s outage serves as a wake-up call: contingency planning is not optional. It’s always useful to have a folder of printed and relevant activities for each year group.

The teacher’s challenge

When systems fail, it’s teachers who bear the brunt of the disruption. They scramble to adjust lesson plans on the fly, manage student expectations when tech-based activities suddenly become unavailable, and cope with the stress of disrupted routines and lost teaching time.

It’s not just inconvenient—it’s exhausting. The emotional and logistical toll on educators is significant and often overlooked, but with a little disaster planning it can be less of a headache. Not if, but when it does happen.

Some ideas for Computing teachers might include having a physical lever-arch folder of activities ready for those down-days:

Printing our GCSE workbooks and relevant A level micro-activities so you can photocopy them to do offline.

Unplugged activities. Getting the students to model the CPU FDE cycle, searching and sorting algorithms. Graph optimisation algorithms at A level. Networking with tennis balls and string.

Unplugged Parsons problems. Either card sorts or a physical activity where each student has one line of code from a program printed on paper. Use our Time2Code programs as stimulus for this.

Code comprehension questions. The “I” of PRIMM/TIME: ideas for six types of questions you can explore with any program: https://time2code.today/about/program-comprehension

Trace tables: trace the output from programs. Our Revision unit is also great for this.

For more insights and to get the full story and watch our podcast on our YouTube channel At the chalk face.

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Education in the shadows: Who’s running our schools?

What Angela Rayner’s resignation and the cabinet reshuffle mean for schools

12 September 2025

The resignation of Angela Rayner as Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary has sent ripples through Westminster, triggering a significant cabinet reshuffle. Rayner stepped down following revelations about underpaid stamp duty on a property purchase, a breach of the ministerial code that clashed with Labour’s pledge to uphold the highest standards in public office.

While the headlines have focused on immigration, the economy, and the NHS, education has quietly slipped from the national spotlight. Yet, for those of us working in schools, the challenges remain urgent and unresolved.

Bridget Phillipson holds her ground

Amid the latest Government reshuffle, Bridget Phillipson has retained her position as Secretary of State for Education, providing continuity and stability during a period of significant change. Her continued leadership signals a steady commitment to delivering Labour’s education manifesto.

However, the reshuffle has seen the departure of several key education ministers:

Catherine McKinnell, previously Minister for School Standards, has stepped down from her role.
Janet Daby, who served as Children’s Minister, has left the Government.
Stephen Morgan, formerly Minister for Early Education, has been reassigned as a Government Whip.

Joining Phillipson are three new junior ministers:

Georgia Gould, MP for Queen’s Park and Maida Vale and former Camden Council leader, brings valuable local government experience.
Josh MacAlister, MP for Whitehaven and Workington, a Teach First alumnus and founder of the social work charity Frontline, is expected to focus on vulnerable children.
Olivia Bailey, MP for Reading West and Mid Berkshire, has a strong background in policy and advocacy, having previously served as a senior aide to Keir Starmer and held leadership roles in the Fabian Society and Labour Women’s Network.

Their appointments come as the Department for Education faces critical reforms, particularly around SEND and school standards.

RAAC crisis: still crumbling

One of the most pressing issues—RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete)—has faded from public view. Despite initial urgency, only 30 of the 232 affected schools have had RAAC removed. That leaves over 200 schools still operating with a material known to be structurally unsound.

The government estimates it could take three to five years to fully resolve the crisis. For thousands of pupils, this means learning in temporary buildings or unsafe environments—a situation that demands far more attention than it’s currently receiving.

Labour’s education manifesto: what’s been achieved

Since taking office in July 2024, the Labour Government has made progress on several key pledges:

Ending VAT exemption for private schools. This move is expected to raise £1.5 billion annually, though the funds are not ring-fenced for education and will be distributed across public services.
Scrapping single-word Ofsted judgements. Replaced with detailed report cards, these aim to provide a fuller picture of school performance. Implementation begins this term.
RISE teams. 65 regional improvement teams are now supporting over 200,000 pupils in “stuck” schools, with plans to expand further.

Still in progress

Several initiatives are underway but not yet complete:

SEND White Paper. Due this autumn, it promises reforms to improve inclusivity and early intervention. The government is working to define “inclusive provision” and better support teaching assistants, who are central to the strategy.
Curriculum Review. An interim report has been published, with final recommendations expected later this year. Key areas include a renewed focus on preparing pupils for a rapidly changing world and bringing creative subjects back in from the cold.
Teacher recruitment. A bold pledge to recruit 6500 new teachers, especially in shortage subjects. While funding has been allocated and recruitment campaigns launched, the full number has yet to be reached with retention remaining a significant challenge.

What hasn’t been delivered

Despite these strides, several manifesto promises remain untouched:

Phonics for Maths. No progress has been made on this initiative.
Teacher Training Entitlement. Still absent from policy discussions.
Leadership Mentoring Programme. No updates or implementation.
Universal Mental Health Support. Funding has increased, but full coverage won’t be achieved until 2030.
Free Breakfast Clubs in Every Primary School. A pilot is underway, but national rollout may be years away.

Final thoughts

As educators, we know that real change takes time—but it also requires urgency, especially when the national curriculum is more than ten years old and the world is changing fast. The RAAC crisis, the slow rollout of mental health support, and the lack of progress on teacher development are reminders that education must not be sidelined.

Bridget Phillipson and her new team have a full agenda. Let’s hope they keep listening to the profession and prioritise the reforms that matter most to our pupils.

Want to know more? Watch the full video on our YouTube channel – At the chalk face.

For more educational news, check out the At the Chalk Face YouTube playlist HERE.

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GCSE Results analysis 2025

9 September 2025

As the 2025 GCSE results land in students’ hands, the data paints a picture of a system still adjusting to post-pandemic norms, evolving grading standards, and shifting student interests. While the sciences continue to shine and core subjects like English and Maths remain challenging, one subject stands out for its complex narrative: Computer Science.

The big picture: science Soars, core subjects struggle

This year’s results reaffirm the dominance of the sciences. Chemistry leads with 91.5% of students achieving grade 4 or above and 46.1% reaching grade 7+, closely followed by Physics and Biology. These subjects continue to attract high-performing students and deliver strong outcomes.

In contrast, English Language and Maths—the bedrock of the GCSE curriculum—remain among the most difficult for students:

English Language: Only 59.7% of students achieved a grade 4 or above, and just 15.5% reached grade 7+.

Maths: Slightly better, with 58.2% passing and 16.5% achieving top grades.

These figures highlight persistent challenges, raising questions about whether the curriculum really is fit for purpose, teaching strategies, and student support.

Computer Science: A subject misunderstood

Computer Science tells a more nuanced story. On the surface, its results appear modest compared to other subjects:

69.2% of students achieved a grade 4 or above.

29.6% reached grade 7+.

While these figures are below the average for many traditionally high-performing subjects, they represent a continued improvement from previous years. In 2024, following Ofqual’s decision to adjust grading standards at grades 9, 7, and 4, Computer Science saw a significant uplift—top grades rose to 28.3% and pass rates to 68.3%, both up nearly four percentage points from 2023. These gains have been sustained into 2025.

However, the perception of Computer Science as a “hard” subject persists. When students and parents compare grade distributions across subjects, Computer Science can appear more punishing—despite its growing relevance and improved outcomes. This perception risks discouraging students from choosing it at GCSE level.

Is Computer Science in decline?

Anecdotal reports from teachers suggest that interest in Computer Science is waning. Some schools are evaluating their outcomes, the difficulty in recruiting teachers and concluding that it is no longer worth offering a GCSE. Entries for the subject have been steadily rising over the last few years, but in 2025 four thousand entries have been lost and we are back to the 2023 figures, leading some to ask whether this is the beginning of a sharper decline.

Set against a backdrop Computer science graduates struggling to secure their first jobs (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cm21dvg8l1go), the challenge is now to ensure the subject remains attractive and relevant to both potential teachers and students. Computer Science is improving in terms of outcomes – yet unless the grading profile becomes more competitive with other subjects, it may continue to be seen as a risky choice by students aiming for top grades.

Conclusion: A call for balance

The 2025 GCSE results reveal a system still finding its balance. While the sciences thrive and core subjects struggle, Computer Science stands at a crossroads.

To ensure its continued success, we must celebrate its progress, support its teachers, and ensure that grading standards reflect both fairness and the subject’s unique challenges. Only then can we secure its place as a cornerstone of 21st-century education.

For more insights and to get the full story and watch our podcast on our YouTube channel At the chalk face.

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Is reading necessary?

6 September 2025

Why reading belongs in the Computer Science classroom

In a recent article, an English teacher shared how short, focused reading sessions—just five to seven minutes long—can reignite a love of reading in disengaged students. Inspired by research from Stanford University, Erin Miller trialled one-to-one reading interventions with her Key Stage 3 students and saw a noticeable shift in their attitudes toward reading. The simplicity of the approach is striking: minimal interruption, targeted support, and a consistent routine. But what does this have to do with computer science?

Quite a lot, actually.

Reading for pleasure: more than just literacy

It’s tempting to think that once students can read well enough to access the curriculum, the job is done. But reading for pleasure goes far beyond basic literacy. It’s a gateway to:

Vocabulary growth: Words like concatenate, iterate, and recursion are common in programming but rare in everyday speech. Students who read widely are more likely to encounter and internalise these terms, making it easier to grasp abstract computing concepts.
Improved comprehension: Understanding problem statements or even debugging messages requires stronger reading skills.
Higher academic performance: OECD’s PISA studies consistently show that students who read for pleasure outperform their peers—not just in literacy, but in maths and science too.
Cultural capital: Reading builds background knowledge, not only providing an opportunity to cement the curriculum in the real world but also helping students engage more meaningfully with others and with the world around them.
Is reading just for English teachers?

Absolutely not. Just as every teacher has a role in developing digital citizens for our subject, every teacher—including in Computing—should be helping students become more literate. Whether it’s understanding ethical dilemmas in AI, exploring the history of computing, or simply following a tutorial, reading is foundational.

Fitting it in: A curriculum challenge

Yes, the curriculum is crowded. But reading doesn’t have to be a separate activity. It can be woven into existing routines:

Replace a retrieval task with a short reading and reflection.
Make a main task require students to read a paragraph before the activity can be undertaken. This might sound old-school, but it helps.
Encourage students to read computing-related texts and share insights with peers.

One practical idea is to use Alan Harrison’s How to Learn Computer Science at A level. Ask students to read a chapter and prepare to discuss something they found interesting. This not only builds subject knowledge but also fosters scholarly habits.

For students with low literacy, reading can feel like a barrier rather than a gateway. So how do we support them without defaulting to overly simplified texts or assistive tools that risk becoming crutches? Scaffold don’t simplify. Pre-teach vocabulary, introducing key terms before reading. In computer science, words like algorithm or binary can be unpacked with visuals first. Chunk the text by using short, manageable passages.

Does AI Make Reading Redundant?

It’s true that AI can summarise texts instantly. But that’s not the point. Reading is about growth. AI can’t replicate the personal development that comes from wrestling with a challenging idea or discovering a new perspective. While tracking independent reading is harder in the age of AI, the benefits—confidence, curiosity, and competence—are worth the effort.

Building Habits That Last

Drawing on James Clear’s work on habit formation, we can help students make reading a regular part of their lives. Techniques like habit stacking (e.g., reading as part of homework) can make reading more automatic and enjoyable. This is where Craig’n’Dave resources help. Not only do students watch a video for homework, but the take-notes icon in the GCSE videos gives them a cue to read and write down what they see.

Ultimately, reading isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. If you read more widely around a subject it is a vehicle for synthesising many abstract concepts taught in isolation in class, making it one of the most powerful tools we can give our students.

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The biggest curriculum shake-up in a decade

From GCSE computing to AI qualifications: unpacking the curriculum and assessment review.

GCSE Computing replaces GCSE Computer Science

A new qualification in AI and data science?

Academies to follow the national curriculum

NEA changes and assessment reform

A new era for digital literacy

A modern holistic curriculum

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CPD at the Craig’n’Dave Festival of Computing 2026

Handwriting and embodied cognition

February 2026 update to Smart Revise

Significant pressure from Ofsted brings heightened expectations on schools over mobile phones

Looking for something else?

Have any questions?

Explore our full range of Study Tools

When the cloud breaks: lessons for teachers from the AWS outage

Schools and the cloud: a modern dependency

Remembering the offline days

The risk of reliability

The teacher’s challenge

Related posts

Why do we make chips out of silicon?

How do you make a transistor?

What Are Transistors?

How does MP3 compression work?

When AI plays the music: The Velvet Sundown hoax that fooled the internet

CPD at the Craig’n’Dave Festival of Computing 2026

Handwriting and embodied cognition

February 2026 update to Smart Revise

Significant pressure from Ofsted brings heightened expectations on schools over mobile phones

Looking for something else?

Have any questions?

Explore our full range of Study Tools

Education in the shadows: Who’s running our schools?

Bridget Phillipson holds her ground

RAAC crisis: still crumbling

Labour’s education manifesto: what’s been achieved

Still in progress

What hasn’t been delivered

Final thoughts

Related posts

Why do we make chips out of silicon?

How do you make a transistor?

What Are Transistors?

How does MP3 compression work?

When AI plays the music: The Velvet Sundown hoax that fooled the internet

CPD at the Craig’n’Dave Festival of Computing 2026

Handwriting and embodied cognition

February 2026 update to Smart Revise

Significant pressure from Ofsted brings heightened expectations on schools over mobile phones

Looking for something else?

Have any questions?

Explore our full range of Study Tools

GCSE Results analysis 2025

The big picture: science Soars, core subjects struggle

Computer Science: A subject misunderstood

Is Computer Science in decline?

Conclusion: A call for balance

Related posts

Why do we make chips out of silicon?

How do you make a transistor?

What Are Transistors?

How does MP3 compression work?

When AI plays the music: The Velvet Sundown hoax that fooled the internet

CPD at the Craig’n’Dave Festival of Computing 2026

Handwriting and embodied cognition

February 2026 update to Smart Revise

Significant pressure from Ofsted brings heightened expectations on schools over mobile phones

Looking for something else?

Have any questions?

Explore our full range of Study Tools

Is reading necessary?

Why reading belongs in the Computer Science classroom

Reading for pleasure: more than just literacy