Computer Science Education Bill

A bill to promote a good understanding of Programming and Computer Science so that they may achieve success in today’s technology driven economy.

BE IT ENACTED by The Queen's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Commons in this present Parliament assembled, in accordance with the provisions of the Parliament Acts 1911 and 1949, and by the authority of the same, as follows:-

1. Teaching Method Stipulations

A. Computer Science will be taught as a practical subject and will be compulsory until the end of Year 9.

B. Computer Science will be taught in a goal-based fashion with children solving specific problems.

C. Solving problems will be incremental with each problem teaching children a new principle.

D. Children will be taught principles alongside this so that they are technologically literate.

E. Focus will not be put on using specific consumer software like Microsoft Word® because of the rate of change in the industry; instead, schools will be free to choose any appropriate software to accomplish a given teaching goal.

F. Teacher training will be fully funded to ensure students are properly taught.

G. Textbooks will be recommended for every level.

H. Computer Science will replace ICT as the main method of teaching computer literacy.

I. All teaching will take into account the student's age when content is taught.

2. Attainment requirements

A. From the commencement of this bill (academic year 2017-8):

(i) In Key Stage 1 children will be taught the basics of computer operation so that by the end of year 2 they are competent at using the internet for basic using some fine motor skills.

(ii) By the end of Key stage 2 children will have been taught the basic functioning of a computer (CPU, memory, etc…), ability to use a word processor competently, the internet.

(iii) Children will also be taught to touch type on a “QWERTY” keyboard by the age of 13

(iv) Children commencing year 5 will learn a programming language from Level 1 (See Appendix I) to accompany their understanding of the basic principles of Computer Science

(v) Children commencing year 7 will be taught a the basics of a Level 1 language (See Appendix I) as well as the basics of relational databases until the end of year 9.

B. 2 years after the commencement of this bill, the required standards shall be the same except (academic year 2019-20):

(i) In Key Stage 1 children will be taught the basics of computer operation so that by the end of year 2 they are competent at using the internet for basic using some fine motor skills.

(ii) By the end of Key stage 2 children will have been taught the basic functioning of a computer (CPU, memory, etc…),ability to use a word processor competently ,the internet and basic programming skills in a level 1 language.

(iii) Children will also be taught to touch type on a “QWERTY” keyboard by the age of 11

(iv) Children commencing year 5 will learn a programming language from Level 1 (See Appendix I) to accompany their understanding of the basic principles of Computer Science

(v) Children entering year 7 will be taught a the basics of a Level 2 language (See Appendix I) as well as the basics of relational databases through to the end of year 9.

C. 5 years after the commencement of the bill (academic year 2022-3):

(i) In Key Stage 1 children will be taught the basics of computer operation so that by the end of year 2 they are competent at using the internet for basic using some fine motor skills.

(ii) By the end of Key stage 2 children will have been taught the basic functioning of a computer (CPU, memory, etc…),ability to use a word processor competently ,the internet and basic programming skills in a level 1 language.

(iii) Children will also be taught to touch type on a “QWERTY” keyboard by the age of 11

(iv) Children commencing year 5 will learn a programming language from Level 1 (See Appendix I) to accompany their understanding of the basic principles of Computer Science

(v) Children entering year 7 will be taught a the basics of a Level 2 language (See Appendix I) as well as the basics of relational databases through to the end of year 9.

D. Level 2 qualifications in Computer science.

(i) The following GCSE/Standards syllabus outlined below shall be taught from Academic year 2017-8 and examined from 2019 to 2023 in which a pass would require demonstrating a working knowledge of the following:

• One Level 2 Languages to a basic standard showing proficiency in some tasks and skills.

• Relational Databases With SQL

(ii) The following GCSE/Standards syllabus outlined below shall be taught from Academic year 2022-3 and examined from 2024 onwards in which a pass would require demonstrating a working knowledge of the following:

• One Level 2 Languages to a proficient standard with a far greater range of skills than those taught during KS3.

• Relational Databases With SQL

• Object Orientated Programming

(iii) Computer Science GCSE/Standard will be based around at least two projects making up 60% of the overall mark.

Commencement, Title, and Extent

A. This bill may be known as the Computer Science Education Act of 2015.

B. This bill will come into effect on the 1st August 2017

C. This bill applies to all state maintained schools in the United Kingdom.

D. Section 2D shall apply to all schools.

Appendix I – Programming Languages and Technologies to be Taught

These languages are to be updated to keep up to date with the programming “zeitgeist”.

Level 1

• Scratch

• MIT App Inventor

• Python using the “turtle” library

• Greenfoot

Level 2

• Python

• HTML, JS, CSS

• Java

• C#

• VB.NET

Appendix II - Essential, Non-Examined Syllabus Areas to Replace ICT

These areas must be taught to a reasonable degree by the school-year listed in brackets. These will not be examined and are designed to replace the old and ineffective ICT subject.

Computer Safety [The basics by year 3 but a focus should be kept on this for a child's entire education]

Basic Word-Processing Skills [Year 6]

Basic presentation skills (i.e. PowerPoint) [Year 7]

Basic Computer Design Principles (i.e. Publisher) [Year 7]

Basic Spreadsheet Skills [Year 8]

This bill was submitted by /u/vogon101.

The voting period for this bill will end at 10PM BST on the 18th of September.

Vote Aye, No or Abstain. Comments with anything else will be deleted. Comments that are edited will be void and not counted.

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