How it works

Workshops are hosted by Digital Schoolhouses (usually secondary schools) and taught by their appointed Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) Lead teacher.

Workshops are taught to visiting primary schools and use play-based learning (learning through play!) to engage pupils, whilst upskilling and inspiring visiting teachers to deliver the new computing curriculum.

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Our workshops

• Workshops are based on one theme and split into three lessons
• DSH Lead Teachers use workshops specifically developed by Digital Schoolhouse
• Workshops use playful-computing activities which have been specifically developed by Digital Schoolhouse to compliment workshop themes
• Computing concepts are taught without the use of computers (unplugged) and related to pupils existing ‘real world’ understanding
• DSH Lead Teachers encourage visiting teachers to take an active role in the workshop at the start of the day
• Visiting teachers can select the direction of learning

Meeting curriculum needs

All aspects of DSH have been developed based on research into the curriculum challenges facing both primary and secondary schools:

• Lessons have been carefully mapped onto the curriculum programmes of study
• Lesson objectives for each workshop reflect the programmes of study for the additional subjects
• Lesson materials are mapped onto the CAS Progression Pathways and the Computational Thinking Framework

Who's invited?

Workshops are targeted at all Year 5 & 6 classes at local primary schools. Different year groups will be considered, with sufficient notice to the local Digital Schoolhouse. This is to allow time for the adaption of workshop materials, according to the class’s needs.

DSH is passionate about presenting all students an opportunity to gain the digital skills they need for their future. 

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What are the benefits?

For pupils:

• Pupils learn about additional subjects; lessons are cross-curricular
• Pupils (KS2) learn secondary (KS3 & KS4) school concepts
• Pupils develop their reflective and critical thinking skills together, by addressing issues such as safety, security, privacy, equity of access and licensing together
• Pupils acknowledge the Philosophy of Computing by reflecting on how technology works, its uses for themselves and for others as a tool for learning and for life!

For visiting teachers:

• Teachers can use workshop resources freely 
• Teachers are provided with continued professional development opportunities 
• Teachers gain confidence through team teaching
• Teachers can combine workshops with their own creative curriculum topic e.g. using Macbeth or The Boy in Striped Pyjamas to develop an interactive storybook or Scratch game
• Teachers feel more confident about delivering similar lessons in their school
• Teachers can opt to use their next DSH booking to experience a different workshop theme

What are the logistics?

• Workshops are taught 1-2 days per week during term time
• Each Digital Schoolhouse selects these days according to their own timetable and capabilities
• A typical workshop is deliberately matched with the Digital Schoolhouse’s timetable to give pupils the opportunity to experience secondary school life. However, timings can be flexible and Digital Schoolhouses will endeavour to accommodate requests from visiting schools.

View example workshop schedule

How is pupil progress measured?

Digital Schoolhouse is passionate about continually developing the quality and range of services offered by its schools. To achieve this, the programme uses feedback questionnaires, online pupil voice and information from the network of primary schools to inform the process of setting priorities for new and existing objectives.

Although pupils remain anonymous, through using our nickname system, the visiting teacher(s) will be able to identify individual pupil responses. Visiting teachers are able to request the raw data from questionnaires for their own purpose.