Upskill with STACS
We are excited to introduce the STACS Up-Skilling 2025 Programme, specifically designed for teachers delivering computing science across primary and secondary with something valuable for everyone. An addition to our experienced tutor team: this year's programme proudly includes inspirational primary school practitioners, ensuring a comprehensive approach to teaching. The programme of live-webinars will be hosted via STACS-connected, our online community platform dedicated for computing science educators in Scotland.
The content of the programme is thoughtfully crafted around topics where teachers have expressed a need for support. Our triple-series of online tutorials will cover an array of subjects, including
practical advice and support for Advanced Higher Computing Science,
the development of quality assessments for National 5 and Higher levels, and
the innovative use of micro:bits for delivering physical computing across both the primary and secondary Broad General Education (BGE) stages.
The programme kicks-off on 6th March and will complete in May with a pause for the Easter-Spring break and the early Computing Science exam date.
You can attend as many sessions, mixing and matching across the three series, as you wish, but don't worry if you can only make one or two; teachers are super busy people. While attending a live session creates a great experience for all, we will also upload session recordings, along with relevant resources, to STACS connected where everyone can catch up, stay connected and join the chat.
Find out more about sessions
-
DescriptioTake part in this series of online tutorials which will provide practical support and advice for delivering the AH course. It is presented by expert teachers with SQA marking experience. The team will commence with presenting advice on addressing learner misconceptions and improving common weaknesses related to project completion. You will have access to new revision materials to support learners in preparing for the more challenging exam questions. Later sessions will feature advice on hardware and software that can be used to achieve Advanced Higher outcomes, along with tips and techniques for effective classroom setups. The team is also prepared to address any specific challenges or queries you may have.
-
Description tJoin our series of tutorials, led by teachers with extensive SQA marking and question setting experience, to enhance your skills in creating quality assessment material that caters to the needs of both learners and teachers. Participate in our masterclass on interpreting SQA exam paper questions, where we’ll delve deep into the technical format behind these questions. Additionally, you’ll receive a set of new, unseen questions for N5 and H topics, perfect for class use or homework so that learners can apply question reading skills.
In subsequent sessions, we’ll conduct workshops to progress onto crafting high-quality questions at N5 and H levels. Collaborate with experts and receive guidance and support to start a shared bank of well-written assessment material for classroom and homework use. Participants will obviously get early-bird access!
As you progress, our tutorials will build upon your question-writing skills to address formative assessment, practical skills assessment, and scaling up an assessment bank. This fantastic opportunity allows you to work and learn alongside others, with the goal of realising that bank of assessment resources we talk about so often.
-
Description text goes hereCheck in to our series of tutorials which will bring together teachers of computer science for BGE in primary and secondary schools. Using physical computing with the BBC micro-bit, we’ll start by providing practical suggestions for integrating unplugged activities, computer science concepts, computational thinking, block-based coding, and curriculum links. In the future, we’ll explore approaches to support learner progression, including the transition from primary to secondary school. You will be able to take away new materials to use in your primary or secondary classroom. This is a unique opportunity for teachers from all stages to come together to share and develop sound shared practice that will enhance the computer science learning journey for our young people.
We are exploring the possibility of following up the BGE tutorials with the offer a limited number of on-site support visits to interested teachers.