SECONDARY NEWS
UK sees sharp decline in number of girls studying GCSE IT
The number of girls in England taking a GCSE in computing has more than halved since 2015 which could lead to continued male-dominance of the digital space and harm the UK’s aim to be a technology ‘superpower’, researchers have warned.
A new report from King’s College London highlights how fewer girls in England are studying computing at secondary school since the curriculum became narrower in scope and the authors call on the incoming government to take action to address the problem.
The report finds girls are more likely than boys to say they do not enjoy computer science GCSE, it does not align with their career plans, or it seems more difficult than other subjects. The authors also warn some can be deterred by pervasive stereotypes about the jobs that use computing or digital skills.
Principal investigator Dr Peter Kemp, Senior Lecturer in Computing Education at King’s College London, said: “It is imperative that we see action to encourage more girls to take computing at school so they can develop the digital skills they will need to be able to participate in and shape our world.
“The current GCSE is focused on computer science and developing programming skills, and this seems to deter some young people, in particular girls, from taking up the subject. We need to ensure computing is a subject that is appealing to all pupils and meets the needs
of young people and society.”
The report explores the impact of a 2014 curriculum change in England from Information and Communications Technology (ICT) to a greater focus on Computer Science that elevated computer theory and programming skills. It highlights how 43% of those who took the GCSE in ICT were girls in 2015 compared to just 21% taking GCSE Computer Science in 2023.
To encourage more girls to take computing and to give all young people access to better digital skills, the report recommends:
• Reforming the computing curriculum with a focus on broader digital skills
• Promoting and enhancing teaching training and professional development
• Supporting inclusive computing education in schools • Reframing the computing narrative • Showcasing diverse digital opportunities • Increasing access to out of school digital making
The authors call for a concerted commitment from policymakers, educators, business and other relevant parties. Otherwise, they warn: “The lack of women in computing may lead to heightened vulnerabilities and the dominance of men in shaping the modern world.”
New initiative launched to tackle food teaching crisis
to pursue a career in food teaching. In addition, a questionnaire will also be shared with those who engaged with the platform, with questions to help indicate the likelihood of users entering the food teaching profession following the campaign.
The news of the project follows the recent ‘Teachers Labour Market’ report from the National Foundation for Educational Research, highlighting that 10 out of 17 secondary subjects are likely to under-recruit in 2024/25, with overall secondary recruitment forecast to be around only 61 percent of target.
Angela Maher, Chief Executive at The Savoy Educational Trust, said: “We’ve seen in recent years that although the number of students studying hospitality and food-related courses at secondary schools has increased there are not enough food teachers to deliver in the classroom, which is very worrying.”
The Savoy Educational Trust has announced a new grant for the Food Teachers Centre, a UK-based support group for secondary teachers, to fund a new digital initiative aimed at increasing applications for food teaching roles to address the current teaching crisis in UK secondary schools. Due to launch in September, the new scheme, TeachFood, will see the creation of a nine-month campaign featuring a variety of tools, resources and support networks designed to educate and attract aspiring food teachers. Resources include the TeachFood toolkit, an online platform delivering videos, graphics and case studies from food teachers, as well as information on how
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www.education-today.co.uk
The TeachFood project will be led by Louise T Davies, Founder of the Food Teachers Centre, as well as Roy Ballam, Education Consultant. Louise said: “Alongside helping increase interest and applications for food teacher roles, TeachFood also aims to tackle the many misconceptions and stereotypes around food teaching in schools and interest in it from secondary school pupils.
“Data from Ofqual shows that 52,520 pupils studied GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition courses in the 2022-23 academic year – an increase of 3% compared to 2021-22 and a 16% increase when compared to 2018- 19 records. This increase shows there is a growing interest in the field among young people, yet the government data shows that there are simply not enough food teachers in the field to facilitate the teaching required.”
July/August 2024
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