For 18 years, I worked across four different schools, primarily as a primary ICT coordinator and later as a headteacher. Now, at the University of Roehampton, I train the next generation of outstanding teachers. One of my recent projects has been working with the British Computer Society and Microsoft to develop QuickStart guides, aimed at equipping teachers with the knowledge they need to deliver high-quality computing education.

The Importance of High-Quality Computing Teachers

A quality education system depends on the calibre of its teachers. If we want excellent computing education in our schools, we need excellent computing teachers. The challenge with computing is that it was introduced to the English curriculum without many teachers having a background in it. Unlike other subjects, where teachers usually have prior experience, computing required many educators to learn on the job. This problem is not unique to England—similar concerns exist in the US, where the CS4All initiative recognises that the hardest part of getting computing into every school is training great computing teachers.

Research supports this. John Hattie’s analysis of educational research highlights that the biggest impact on learning happens when teachers become learners of their own teaching. To improve computing education, we must ensure that teachers have a deep understanding of the subject.

What Makes an Outstanding Computing Teacher?

To teach computing well, teachers need three key components:

• Pedagogical Knowledge – Understanding how to teach effectively.
• Technical Skills – Knowing how to use technology in the classroom.
• Computer Science Knowledge – Understanding the subject itself.

Teachers already have pedagogical knowledge, and most can use technology effectively. However, the biggest gap has been in computer science subject knowledge. Many computing teachers do not have a background in software engineering or programming. Our focus, therefore, has been on improving their subject knowledge so they can confidently teach computing.

Addressing the Subject Knowledge Gap

Rob Coe’s research emphasises that teachers with deep subject knowledge are the most effective. The Teaching Agency in England asked us to define what a new computing teacher should know. This led to a set of recommendations guiding professional development projects.

When assessing new students at Roehampton, we found that while they were confident using email and social software, only 20% were proficient in working with video. Even fewer had experience with data logging or databases. The biggest challenge, however, was programming—about 50% of students had no knowledge of it. Yet, within a year, they needed to be able to teach programming to primary school children.

Professional Development Through QuickStart Guides

To tackle this, we created QuickStart guides, designed as structured professional development materials. These guides help teachers confidently plan, teach, and assess computing. Funded by Microsoft and run in partnership with industry and teacher networks, these materials have been adopted widely, including in Northern Ireland.

Computational Thinking in the Classroom

Computational thinking is at the heart of computing education. Jeanette Wing defines it as the thought processes involved in formulating problems so they can be solved by an information-processing agent. In simpler terms, it’s about looking at problems in a systematic way that can lead to automation.

Key concepts include:

• Logic – Understanding why things work and debugging errors.
• Algorithms – Creating step-by-step instructions to solve problems.
• Patterns – Identifying similarities to solve problems more efficiently.
• Decomposition – Breaking problems into smaller, manageable parts.
• Abstraction – Managing complexity by focusing on essential details.

These concepts are useful not just in computing but across many disciplines. For example, directing a school play involves breaking a complex task into smaller parts, much like programming.

Teaching Programming Effectively

Programming is a two-step process:

1. Solving the problem (algorithm design)
2. Writing the code (implementation)

One challenge is choosing the right programming language. While exposing students to multiple languages can be beneficial, focusing on one or two (such as Python and Scratch) provides deeper understanding. The QuickStart guides present examples in both block-based and text-based languages to cater to different learning levels.

Debugging: Learning Through Mistakes

Debugging is a crucial part of programming. Encouraging students to anticipate and fix errors helps them develop logical reasoning skills. Instead of running code and waiting for errors, they should predict possible mistakes and think critically about solutions. This approach fosters resilience and deeper learning.

Beyond Coding: The Broader Curriculum

Computing is more than just programming. The QuickStart guides cover:

• Computer Networks – Understanding how the internet works.
• Cybersecurity – Teaching students about online safety and encryption.
• Data Representation – Explaining binary, ASCII, and image compression.
• Creative Digital Skills – Encouraging productivity and innovation.

One key aspect is online identity and security. Many students don’t grasp the importance of strong passwords. A simple tip: use four random words rather than a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. This method is both secure and easy to remember.

The Future of Computing Education

We have made significant progress in computing education. Before the introduction of the computing curriculum, only 33% of teachers felt confident teaching computing. Now, that figure has risen dramatically. While the accuracy of these self-reported confidence levels can be debated, the trend is positive.

Computing education continues to evolve, and our role as educators is to support teachers in developing their knowledge and confidence. By working together—government, industry, and the teaching community—we can ensure that students receive the high-quality computing education they deserve.

Based on my talk to CAS Northern Ireland, Stranmillis University College, Belfast. Priamry Quickstart is available here, and the Key Stage 3 Secondary guide here.