What’s cooler: music or computer programming? Coding by about 10 times. A trillion times. It’s the most creative space.will.i.am (1975–) American musician and director of creative innovation at chip giant Intel
Everybody in this country should learn to how to program a computer because it teaches you how to think.Steve Jobs (1955–2011) American Information Technology entrepreneur and co-founder of Apple Inc.
We are living through a new industrial revolution – an automation revolution – where fewer tasks are being completed by humans. That trend is set to increase with the Bank of England forecasting that computer automation will replace 15 million UK jobs in the near future. This increase has, conversely, created 10 million jobs in Computer Science industries, with another 3.5 million set to be created before 2020, according to their chief economist, Andy Haldane.
The teaching of Computer Science at Oakham has also undergone a revolution over the past few years; we have moved away from teaching pupils merely how to use ICT, to helping them to truly understand how computers and other digital devices work and to master computational thinking.
Our team of four dedicated computer enthusiasts believe passionately that the study of Computer Science provides pupils with a toolkit of essential thinking skills that every citizen of the 21st century should possess. Most importantly, it encourages the development of computational thinking, a useful thought process that is valued in every industry or discipline.
In Forms 1, 2 and 3 pupils have dedicated Computer Science lessons in which theory and core skills are taught in a fun and engaging way with the help of Raspberry Pis, robots, wearable computers and by using a variety of programming languages to achieve exciting results.
Our Middle School pupils are able to continue to express their creativity computationally by opting to study either IGCSEs in Computer Science or iMedia. In Forms 6 and 7 students can extend their computational thinking skills through the study of A-level Computer Science.
Head of Computer Science from January 2015 and resident tutor in Wharflands House. Having earned my stripes in industry - prior to joining the teaching profession I worked for a large household brand as a Systems Engineer - I have been particularly keen to embed the algorithmic thinking skills of the subject in our curriculum. The development of the Internet of Things and the Maker culture are of great interest, something my team and I have been keen to develop in our curriculum here. Outside of the classroom I am a keen enthusiast of the outdoors and can often be found hiking in the hills or canoeing in the nearby rivers.