United Kingdom - Scotland Listing
Within the United Kingdom, there are different educational systems. While there are strong similarities between the systems in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Scottish system is different. In England there are three unofficial strands in the curriculum, which were adopted from the recommendations of the royal society report: Computer Science (Informatics), Information Technology and Digital Literacy. Underpinning all of those three strands in the UK, there is Computational Thinking. In the UK, Digital Literacy means social and digital responsibility, kind of ethics, the ethos of using computers in addition to the European definition, which is kind of alike driving the computer and the functionality in the use of the computers.
| Data Mode | Data Value | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| Data Availability | Data available | |
| Informatics: First Contact | Primary |
For children between the age of 5 and 15 it is a core subject if the school is following the national curriculum, because it’s state maintained. |
| Informatics: Availability of Courses | Yes |
It is also the case that by the end of second in high school it is expected that all pupils will have developed certain basic skills in informatics. |
| Informatics: Curriculum Consistency | Country |
We now have a national curriculum, which was publishes in September 2014. That national curriculum also includes computer science. However, a fee paying or independent school does not need to follow the national curriculum. |
| Informatics: Enrolment | all students |
The expectation is that all (100%) pupils will have developed certain skills during the first two years of secondary education. Choices about continued study happen at the end of second year. In primary school they tend to learn Digital Literacy though some schools are teaching programming |
| Digital Literacy: First Contact | Primary |
In their first year at school, so they would be five or six years old. They kind of use the internet to navigate some pages. |
| Digital Literacy: A Separate Subject? | Separate subject |
We now have a computing curriculum that includes computer science alongside what was ICT. |
| Digital Literacy: Curriculum Consistency | Country |
We now have a national curriculum, which was publishes in September 2014. That national curriculum does have elements of digital literacy, which is focused on the ethical issues and digital responsibilities. However, a free school or an academy does not need to follow the national curriculum. |
| Digital Literacy: Enrolment | all students |
Digital Literacy is compulsory. |
| Teacher Training: Special Qualifications | Special qualifications |
To teach Informatics, teachers do require a postgraduate qualification that will specifically address computing. |
| Teacher Training: Number of Subjects | 1.5 | |
| Teacher Training: Entry Requirement | B.Ed. / B.Sc. + pgc. | |
| Teacher Training: In-Service Length | 7-12 months | |
| Teacher Training: Stand-alone Digital Literacy Curriculum | Yes | |
| Teacher Training: Stand-alone Informatics Curriculum | Yes |
Yes, such a curriculum forms part of the postgraduate qualification. |
| Teacher Training: Typical Path Availability | Yes | |
| Teacher Training: Professionals as Teachers | (Yes) | |
| Teacher Training: Professional Experience | No | |
| Teacher Training: Mathematics Teachers | Yes | |
| Teacher Training: Physics Teachers | Yes | |
| Teacher Training: Business Teachers | Yes | |
| Teacher Training: Engineering Teachers | Yes | |
| Teacher Training: Teachers from other Disciplines | Yes |
Not any other discipline, but certain ones. |
| Teacher Training: Security of Employment | De facto SoE | |
| Educational Policies | Country | |
| Learning Objectives | Country |