At the chalk face: Cambridge OCR at the Festival of Computing 2026

At the chalk face: Cambridge OCR at the Festival of Computing 2026

We’re delighted to have Cambridge OCR as one of this year’s sponsors for the Craig’n’Dave Festival of Computing 2026!

In this interview, we catch up with Ceredig, Subject Advisor for Computing at Cambridge OCR, to discuss the future of Computing education, curriculum developments, classroom challenges, how teachers can help shape what comes next and what they will be up to at this year's festival.

With a long-standing role in UK Computing education, Cambridge OCR has supported teachers and students since 2012 through qualifications including GCSE Computer Science, A Level Computer Science, Cambridge Nationals and Cambridge Technicals. Their focus on fair, accessible and straightforward assessment continues to make a real impact in classrooms across the UK.

Find out more about Cambridge OCR: 
www.ocr.org.uk
ComputerScience@ocr.org.uk

If you’re a secondary Computing teacher, this is a must-watch conversation packed with insight, ideas and discussion around the future of the subject.

📍 Join us at the Festival of Computing 2026
📅 Wednesday 1st July 2026
📍 Bromsgrove School

Expect a full day of inspiration, innovation and collaboration for secondary Computing teachers, including:
✅ High-quality CPD
✅ Inspiring speakers and exhibitors
✅ Networking with like-minded educators
✅ The chance to meet Cambridge OCR face-to-face
✅ Discussions shaping the future of Computing education

🎟️ Grab your Festival tickets here: Festivalofcomputing.com

A huge thank you to Ceredig and the team at Cambridge OCR for supporting the Festival of Computing 2026 and taking the time to chat with us.

👉 Don’t forget to like, comment and subscribe for more Computing education content from Craig’n’Dave!


#FestivalOfComputing #CraigAndDave #ocr  #ComputerScience #GCSEComputerScience #ALevelComputerScience #TeacherCPD #EducationUK #ComputingEducation #EdTech #TeachingResources #DigitalExams #atthechalkface

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hi, I'm Karedig, Subject Advisor for Computing at OCR, one of the main sponsors for this year's Craig and Dave's Festival of Computing at Bromsgrove School.

SPEAKER_02 0:13

Hello, welcome back to another At the Chalk face with Craig and Dave. And today we are joined by the subject advisor from Cambridge OCR. It's Keradig. So this, as you know, is the largest exam board in terms of the uh the current cohort for computer science, GCC and A Level. And uh I think I'm right in saying as well, the first ever exam board to bravely step out there and do the GCSE. That feels like a lifetime ago now, that sort of a pilot, and they are one of the main sponsors for this year's Festival of Computing. So ever so uh grateful for that, and thank you for coming on. Uh, really, this is uh your opportunity, Cody, to tell everyone a bit about you, what you do, what you're doing at the festival. But maybe for those people who are living under a rock, uh start off by just telling us a little bit about sort of Cambridge OCR and uh and what they do.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

So, Cambridge OCR, um we used to be known just OCR, but we just rebranded. So Cambridge OCR provide uh GQ and technical qualifications. Uh so we have a suite of GCSEs, A levels, Cambridge Nationals, Cambridge Technicals, and currently the new AAQs. Uh, we've been market leads in computer science since 2020 twelve when we launched the pilot and also market leads at A level for several years now, and hopefully we'll continue to provide that experience and reassurance uh to schools for years to come.

SPEAKER_01 1:38

And I think it's fair to say uh for everybody out there that the support that you in particular and your team have offered computing teachers has really been exceptional uh over the years. And uh it certainly uh helped me when I was teaching GCSE and A-level computing to know that if I had any questions about anything, I could go to you directly, I could find out the answers quickly, and I could make sure that I was advising my students correctly. So the support from OCR for teachers really has been quite exceptional um over the years. Um I want to just personally thank you really for that um initially. The thing that I really liked about OCR was that uh uh not only was the specification at GCSE, you know, really clean and accessible and easy to teach from my perspective, uh, but also at A level, critically for me, the students could do any type of project that they wanted to. Yeah. And OCR's Mart schemes were flexible enough to enable any type of project. So back in the early days, I think we were all probably doing databases one way or the other. And of course that uh that changed a little bit. But OCR were one of those that were the only exam board at the time that really embraced games and video games. And so I was able to really inspire my students and increase my cohort quite dramatically because the students could see that they could actually create computer games as part of their education, and it was something that OCR was supporting quite deeply. And so for me, that was revolutionary, and it really enabled me to infuse my learners. So OCR for me has been absolutely uh fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 3:37

It's no secret either. I mean, we obviously we don't teach now because we have to run this company full-time, but we were both OCR schools as well. So, you know, this is the first uh exam board that we supported when we kind of spun up the company. And yeah, we we've you you've taught all the exam boards over over your lustrous career, Dave. But I have, yeah. OCR is my uh only one that I actually taught at uh GCT and A level and thoroughly loved it. Go on, Dave. Sorry, I jumped in.

SPEAKER_01 4:03

No, I was just going off track myself, and I was just gonna bring it back to the festival and uh and just ask uh you know, what are Cambridge OCR most excited about for this year's festival?

SPEAKER_00 4:14

Um wow, big question. Um I think the the big question that that that that has obviously you know landed quite recently is curriculum change. Um the car review and the outcomes of government response to that. Obviously, you know, we're we're in the middle of that now. So we're really excited to talk about that curriculum change uh with delegates and teachers and really look at the the impact of that. We're all aware that obviously that there's a significant reform point coming. Um the new computing curriculum is being drafted and presume will be out for consultation at some point. We've got the change to V levels um and that potential impact on the level two vocational qualifications. So for us, our IT and Creative i Media. So because of all of this change and direction sort of shift, um, we really want to hear firsthand from teachers about their thoughts and how they see the future of qualifications and the computing landscape developing and that impact on the students themselves as well.

SPEAKER_01 5:13

Yeah, I'm I'm really interested to see how that landscape shifts because um I was a bit confused myself what the positioning of the VQs was going to be, but it kind of makes sense now that uh, for example, you've got um A level, which is A for academic. I know I know it doesn't stand for academic, it stands for advanced, but we could think of it as academic, T as being technical, and then V as being vocational. And so, therefore, as a trio, you can kind of begin to understand the landscape a little bit better. But I'm really interested, particularly at the level twos, um, what's going to happen to things like um iMedia and some of the other sort of vocational qualifications in the level two space. I know you haven't got anything that you can announce today because it's still all being discussed at the moment and no decisions have been made. But it'd be interesting for teachers to understand um how that is uh that's going to shift. Because I, as I understand it, and I have taught this as well, the creative iMedia is really popular.

SPEAKER_02 6:11

It will be lovely, won't it? And uh I'm sure I'm not speaking out of turn here because it's not the exam board's fault, they have to follow the government guidance. But I mean, won't it be lovely to get some kind of clarity at Key Stage 5 on that landscape? We've been really happy. We've got key stage three, you've got your GCSEs, and and the keys the key stage five must be a nightmare for exam boards over the last two decades. So I I like the fact we seem to be coalescing down this ATV, and they all serve a purpose, they're all equal. It's got if we get there, it will be great because that's been an ever confusing and changing landscape at post uh 16.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

I think from a personal perspective, sort of having been in the classroom and then you know being on the other sides that were working through Cambridge OCR, I think what excites me most is a real drive for the sequencing of curriculum and making sure that everything flows forwards now. Um there's always a focus on GCSEs, they're they're quite big um in the political landscape, obviously, and and that's the main qualification we're expecting students to go through and deliver. So this broader outlook of you know aligning the key stage through to flow into key stage four and then eventually into key stage five is is always pleasing to see because it might help remove what might feel sometimes as a slightly disjointed um curriculum. But you know, I think this is going to have real impact. Um, it's exciting. Um, you know, vocationals will personally, I think, always exist, but it'll be interesting to see how the computing curriculum from the government's um sort of angle will change. And then based on that, um we're looking at you know that that opportunity for where that crossover may or may not exist, how much crossover will or won't be allowed between vocational and general qualifications, which still exists, and therefore I think that will shape how vocationals at level two will look in the future, and definitely when the V-levels are in, you know, how we sequence those level two vocational qualifications to feed into the V level so that students are well prepared for whichever route they choose through in 16 to 18.

SPEAKER_02 8:15

Oh, perfect. I mean, and and how refreshing, by the way, to when we saw the the DFE's response to the car report obviously came out on that same day, how nice to see that it's like right, key stage three, first teaching September 28, then the GCSEs will come after that phase one, phase two. And I think we know for sure, don't we? Computer science is in the phase one now with a with a I I think that's known. Uh and then two years later, the A level is like, you're right, we've got some progression. Because in the past, just through the way reforms happened piecemeal, bits and pieces, we've you know, exam boards have had to reform the A levels and then the GCSEs. It's all felt a bit backwards. So this this is this is nice, right? This always happens when we talk of coding. We we go off, we go, we go off the point, but we do have a whole bunch of questions we want to ask you, so let's let's get back to them. You kind of partly answered this one already, but what expired uh what inspired Cambridge OCR to get involved with this festival? Because we're not the only one. I mean, there's there's plenty of festivals uh over the course of the year. So what why did you want to sort of get involved with this one?

SPEAKER_00 9:17

Yeah, I you you mentioned it earlier, you know. I I think between us we we go go back a few years, dare I say it. Um, and I I guess that's probably approaching a decade now, if you care to think back uh back that far. But I'd rather not. I think what motivated us is you know me personally, and I think you know, from from a Cambridge OCR sort of market leader, we we've always been and and have that drive and passion to be at the forefront of computer science education in the UK. Um me personally, I've always wanted to see a large-scale computing festival take place to celebrate teaching of computer science and the qualifications. And yeah, there are other festivals around. Um CAS used to run some very big national festivals, but sort of COVID, post-COVID, those sort of dropped down a little bit. But I think you know, the the commitment that that you have both shown for open and accessible teaching and support, a free festival as well, is always really important. And I think between us, you know, we as a community share that massive sort of passion for great teaching, um, supporting students to get involved in in some form of computing education, and you know, the opportunity to, you know, from last year being the main sponsor, headline sponsor to this year still being able to continue to sponsor, you know, it's really important for us to meet those teachers, support them with with free um engagement, um, opportunities to meet stakeholders. And basically this was just the one to not miss.

SPEAKER_01 10:46

Yeah, and you really did help us get um our uh inaugural event uh off the ground um as well. And I know you were involved in um you know helping us to plan that. So um, you know, kind of nurtured us in the nest to enable us to be able to then you know fly off and um and make it bigger and big bigger. So uh again, thank you for your support in enabling us to do this. You're absolutely right. Uh we wanted to create something that was for computing teachers, by computing teachers, because we'd seen how some of the other events had drifted away. And we're very passionate about supporting secondary school teachers in the delivery of key stage three, key stage four, and um key stage five. So it was really important to us that we had our own event, not a Craig and Dave event per se, but an event for the teaching community. Because as we know, a lot of teachers they're sort of one-man bands uh or one-woman bands, right? They spend all their time uh just in their own department of one. And they don't get the opportunity really to have that cross-fertilization of ideas that you might get in science, in maths, in English, and some of those bigger departments. And so it can be quite isolating for a computing teacher on a day-to-day basis. But we just wanted that annual opportunity to just get everybody together and share um in the delight of teaching uh computing, which we're all passionate um about. So uh yeah, so thanks, uh thanks for that. So isn't there anything else that um that that sort of resonates with uh the values uh at OCR? For us, the values of the festival were inspiration, innovation, and collaboration, and and I'm sort of interested in in how that sort of resonates with OCR as well.

SPEAKER_00 12:37

My drive has always been, and along with the team from Cambridge OJR, is about inspiration, innovation, collaboration with teachers, um, and and really helping teachers and students drive how our qualifications are resourced, um, the content, the structure, the specification, um, you know, how those are all set up has always been driven by our teacher engagement. And as part of our rebranding, you know, we have always been and will re-commit to trying to make assessment straightforward so that every student can thrive and especially in computing, feel inspired to shape their own future. Um year on year, you know, we we we focus as much as we possibly can on delivering fair, accessible, and consistent assessments that truly work for learners. And that only comes from close collaboration with teachers, um, with educational experts, uh, our insight advisory panels, and turning that real classroom experience into meaningful change in how we do stuff at Cambridge OCR. So the option to support the Festival of Education really just helps us give you know that continuing and ongoing commitment to teachers, and also then helps teachers and stakeholders provide that direct feedback to us so that we can then influence how we design and deliver our qualifications and keeping us you know innovative, future focused, and at the forefront of what teachers want for computer science.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

And from a teacher's perspective, um, I can say that for me anyway, looking um outwardly at Cambridge OCR, that I think one of the unique selling points there is that it is genuinely accessible. You're not tying learners down to particular programming languages and particular uh ways of assessment and um frameworks for assessment. And so it is genuinely accessible for all students. I I believe that anyway.

SPEAKER_00 14:32

This year, um, again, we're offering CPD sessions. Um I think one of the biggest challenges that A-level teachers have posed to us is the the challenge of delivering an NEA in uh not only the time, but also in the volume of the marking load and also the volume of work that candidates do produce when creating A-level NEAs. It has been a massive demand, and as part of that, we've responded to and pushed an online learning course, which you can access through Teach Cambridge, and that goes through exemplification on how to write shorter NEAs for A-level. Um, you know, I think even if we can support candidates and teachers to shave half an hour metaphorically off marking an assessment, you know, we're saving tens of hours across a department and across nationwide. That that shaves off a lot of of teaching time and you know, marking time, workload. And I think that's really, really important. So I think that might one may have already sold out by now, which uh shows that they're always popular.

SPEAKER_02 15:41

So you are correct, Code D. That was one of the first CPD sessions to sell out, and I wasn't surprised. If I stayed in the classroom, I would have signed up for it.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

Yeah. So, you know, unfortunately, if you're watching this video and you're like, oh, that would be great. Well, don't worry, you can always either talk to us um in and around the festival. Um, but we do through Teach Cambridge have that as a free online um course as well. And then we are also doing a CPD around talking about the curriculum change to get feedback on where the concerns are, the positives of it, and I think most importantly, that potential impact for teachers in the classroom, whether it's from resourcing to upskilling, you know, just generally what what are the potential positives, the pinch points, and how we can help as Cambridge OCR. And then finally, um I would say possibly the more exciting part of this, but these CPDs are mind-blowing, so this bit will be even better. Um, but we are sponsoring the fringe event this year. Um so that's the opportunity where sort of lots of people can come up and talk about and promote their ideas and their companies and so on. And I I do believe there might be a post-drink or two. So I think the real benefit for us of that, because I know it was great last year, is you know, we often communicate with teachers through formal communication, through um our support and telephone calls and at you know, CPD sessions and networks. But this is really an opportunity to talk, talk shop directly, get stuck into those conversations on a much deeper level with that sort of you know, a slightly sort of feel of freedom and a bit more sort of you know direct interaction, um, which is really, really valuable. Um, do ask us, you know, we want to we want to see challenging questions from the classroom and you know, really pose those core nuggets of this is a pain point, this is what we want to see, or this has been great, develop it by doing this, because that gives us the insight into really what happens within schools and classrooms, and that then gives us that that drive within um the organization to to really change, especially with this reform point coming, to change these qualifications to really hit home, be as simple, straightforward, clear, and and you know, continue that reputation of being market leaders as well for us. So it'll be good to see you there. And and hopefully when the CPD events are finished, you will have that time to stay with us for that fringe event and you know, come and meet us, say hi and and get those those questions that you've always wanted to ask a subject advisor and just put them out there.

SPEAKER_02 18:14

Yeah, and it's worth saying, stay for the fringe event, all those people that disappear after lunchtime, you don't get in the prize draw because it's as part of um Cambridge OTR's fringe event where we're doing the prize draw, and we've got already got way more prizes this year, you know, from CPD sessions of departments to robots from VET, so all sorts of stuff. So uh yeah, we deliberately put that in the end. Or if I get drawn for a prize, will you send it to my school? No, you have to stay to the end of the event. So please stay for the fringe. Yeah, in it to win it. Have a drink, have a chat, and win some prizes.

SPEAKER_00 18:47

I think it's been confirmed. If not, please edit this out. I think we are uh we have committed to an entire classroom set of textbooks again this year, and also a free CPD um for your department, so not just in Drill, but for a department. So, you know, those are two really valuable, um, especially as you mentioned earlier, if if you're a single person in the department, um I was chatting to somebody today, or just a couple of days ago, who's early careers teacher, but they are the only person in the department, so these resources and the support you get from these events are are really key. Um so do stay, have a drink, and then yeah, hopefully be in there for the chance of free prizes.

SPEAKER_02 19:24

Yeah, that's it. Now, both of those are on the prize draw website. So again, thank you very much. Um, okay, well, we're getting towards the end, but I I want to give you an opportunity really. Are there any any new sort of products, elements, exciting news, upcoming releases, basically anything you're allowed to share and want to share with our audience while you're here? We're not asking you obviously to break NDA any NDAs and tell us about things you can't. But is anything exciting coming down the pipeline uh from Cambridge OCR?

SPEAKER_00 19:52

Yeah, our biggest message at the moment is you know, why did we rebrand Cambridge OCR from just OCR? Um, and I think for us it's an opportunity to build those links with the university on on you know that esteem reputation of Cambridge. It has impact. Um so you know, it has been it's just might people might think it's a small shift just putting Cambridge in front, but actually it is a big shift. It is a yeah, it's a way of thinking. And for us, it's an opportunity to reinforce and demonstrate our commitment to helping students progress through those fair, accessible, straightforward assessments that we want to put out year on year without fail, so that that confidence in us as a brand is really there that you know we are the ones for your students. Um, and we're looking forward to sharing that message and and talking it through. Um, and again, part of that feedback is we want to make things straightforward. So, how can we? Yeah, we want to excel in every area of our assessment qualifications, be that the feedback you get from moderated reports if you're doing our nationals, through to how you know your results are analysed and supporting you in understanding what those results mean, through to confidence in marking, the quality of resources, and as you mentioned there, you know, the clarity and openness of our spec so that teachers really know what to deliver and students can look at the spec and know exactly what they're gonna be assessed on. So that's that's our our big thing. Um obviously NDAs can't always talk about everything, um, but we do know you know new products as such. We we know that there's going to be a new GCSE coming, so we need that feedback. Um we're we're we know there's potentially a new level three in data science and AI. You know, what does that mean for centers? It is that something which you know is exciting. Um how can we help shape that? Um you know, what would the impact be with that versus A level? So, you know, there's there's probably not much sort of new new product as in we're about to launch. Um, but you know, the the exciting news, these upcoming releases and developments, it it's all geared into you know this curriculum reform. It it's the big thing that is happening. So yeah, we're seeing that change with AAQs and and the V levels being transitioned quite quickly. Um But we've got that time to really look at this new computing curriculum, that impact, and going back to what I've said earlier, making sure that teacher and student voices also heard in that feedback that we provide for DFE and then in how that qualification is built.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

So if you are a new teacher out there at the moment and you're not aware that uh in addition to exams, Cambridge OCR also offer another uh a number of products and services to support you. How can they find out more?

SPEAKER_00 22:31

So um yeah, obviously the website is your your first portal call, which is ocr.org.uk. Um, if you are a current teacher, um then you should be able to get access to what we call Teach Cambridge, which is our all-in-one portal. Um it has everything from past assessments to dates of CPD and networks through to additional teaching resources to support you, deliver that. So if you don't have a Teach Cambridge account and you are an active teacher, your exams officer has the power, um, don't they always? So go and have a word with them and they will be able to set you up with a login. But if you'd like to speak to us directly, um, you know, out and about, obviously, network events are great, but if you've got specific questions, um we are always got a team of three. There's there's myself, um, there's Vinay, uh Thhoite, who's been here, I think, probably now one year longer than I am, so I think coming up to 12 years. And we've got Conor Toms as well, um, who is the the fresh-faced inspiration in our team. Um so you can reach all three of us at computerscience at ocr.org.uk, and that will be forwarded through to us, and we're happy to arrange one-to-one meetings through Teams, um, answer specific questions, and you know, if you've got stuff that you'd like to feed back to us again, put it through to that email address. It will reach one of us at the team, and we make sure that that insight and information from yourselves gets passed back to our product teams and throughout the business.

SPEAKER_02 23:57

Yeah, and it's worth just saying, you know, some people see these generic emails like computer science at and think, oh, I'll never actually get through to someone. I use that direct email address throughout my years of teaching, and you know, don't expect a response instantaneously. They're servicing the needs of all computer science teachers and out delivering CPD, but I would typically get a response easily within sort of 24 hours, directly answering sometimes very specific questions I had about specification clarification. Use your subject advisors, they're not nameless, faceless people. Um, I guess the la very last thing, then really, is um for any teachers watching, what is the one message? Well, I'm putting you on the spot now. What is the one message you'd like them to take away about Cambridge OCR?

SPEAKER_00 24:39

I think it just draws together everything we've been we've been talking about. Um, you know, we we have since I've been here, we've done tours across the country, we sponsor and go out and speak at festivals, we we talk to teachers. So the one key takeaway is that we listen. Your engagement really does help us shape those future developments, um, qualifications, resources. Yeah, you ask for an NEA short, writing short or NEA CPD, we put it out there. So we always want to hear what's happening in the classroom because that really does have a massive impact on what we do and how we shape those qualifications moving forward. So the one key message is always talk to us. Good points, bad points, anything. Just keep talking to us, and that has a direct impact on the things that we do for you, and therefore comes loops back to the impact that it has in the classroom.

SPEAKER_02 25:36

Perfect. Well, thank you so much for joining us, Codig. And again, thank you more widely to Cambridge OCR for being one of our main sponsors. It it means uh an awful lot to us personally, and also it really wouldn't be a festival of computing without Cambridge OCR, there to be honest. So that thank you very much. And uh again, for anyone watching, it's on the 1st of July. Over 75% of the tickets have now gone. And as Kurdig alluded to, some of the most popular CPD sessions have now sold out. There's still many. So if you want to grab yourself a ticket, please head over to our festival website, which will be popping up on the screen now, and grab yourself a ticket. Although it says it's£20, that is fully refundable if you arrive. This is a free CPD event for teachers. So take care, everyone, and we'll see you there. Bye bye for now.