BCS is proud to be asked to support England’s move to put AI and digital literacy at the heart of the curriculum.
BCS is proud to be asked to support England’s move to put AI and digital literacy at the heart of the curriculum. This is a landmark moment for computing education, ensuring every learner has the skills and confidence needed for life, learning and future work.
The appointment of BCS – which is the professional body for technology - to lead on the drafting of the new Computing curriculum, follows the Government’s response to the independent Curriculum and Assessment Review.
The review concluded that the current curriculum is too narrow for today’s digital world, with greater focus needed on digital literacy, AI and data awareness, safe technology, and critical thinking around online challenges like ‘fake news’.
The Government intends to replace the current GCSE Computer Science with a broader Computing GCSE. It will also explore a new Level 3 qualification in Data Science and AI.
BCS team appointed by the Department for Education to lead drafting
Executive Director for Education & Public Benefit, Julia Adamson MBE FBCS, along with Head of Education, Niel McLean OBE FBCS, and Subject Leads Ben Davies MBCS and Becci Peters MBCS, have been appointed by the Department for Education (DfE) as lead drafters under the ECSC Framework.
The review recommended replacing the current GCSE in Computer Science with a broader Computing GCSE that integrates computer science fundamentals with digital literacy, responsible technology use and foundational data skills.
The Government has confirmed plans to introduce this new qualification. It will also explore a new post-16 Level 3 qualification in Data Science and AI to support progression into technical pathways.
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Through this programme of work, BCS will ensure that the revised computing curriculum and qualifications deliver on the recommendations of the independent review, across key stages 1 to 5.
This includes rebalancing the curriculum to ensure all young people develop essential digital literacy, identifying opportunities for the inclusion of AI content across the curriculum and qualifications and exploring options for more frequent, light-touch updates to keep this rapidly evolving subject current.
BCS is also developing the content for the new Computing GCSE, aligned to the reformed curriculum, and considering necessary updates for the Computer Science A Level – both within the context of technological advances and ensuring alignment with a potential data science and AI qualification at Level 3.
CAS: The professional teaching community strengthening BCS’ commitment to education
BCS is the professional home of Computing at School (CAS), the UK’s vibrant community of more than 30,000 computing teachers and educators. This partnership provides BCS with unparalleled insight into real-world challenges and opportunities across curriculum, assessment and qualifications.
Through CAS, BCS remains closely connected to classroom practice and teacher expertise, ensuring that curriculum and qualification reforms are grounded in what learners and schools need most. This strategic relationship gives BCS distinctive authority in shaping national computing education policy and delivering reforms that genuinely work for schools.
Connecting this work to the wider digital profession and future talent pipeline
As the professional body for the digital and technology community, BCS’s 70,000-strong membership spans the full breadth of the UK tech profession. Our members depend on a healthy, diverse and high-quality talent pipeline to support innovation, economic growth and public trust in digital services.
Given the challenges identified by the review — including the need for clearer digital literacy content, strengthened safety and AI awareness, and modernised qualifications — BCS’s combined insight from teachers and digital professionals is uniquely valuable. It ensures that the reforms are informed by both classroom realities and the expectations of the wider digital profession.
The Government’s public consultation on the curriculum and qualifications is anticipated later in the year, and we will ensure members have their opportunity to provide feedback on the draft proposals at this stage.
Anyone interested in hearing more about or engaging with our education policy work should email policyhub@bcs.uk.
