The sessions will offer support to help tackle the coding and computer science elements of the new curriculum.
Funded by a £334,000 investment from Microsoft, the aim is to hold 2,500 local events using the existing CAS network of best practice hubs.
The programme has been dubbed “Countdown to Computing” and will offer both primary and secondary courses as well as supporting classroom resources designed to help teachers during the first term of the new curriculum.
The target is to deliver training and resources for around one in every five primary school teachers and for at least three specialist teachers in every secondary school.
The training sessions will be delivered by CAS master teachers, who are practitioners who have been through 120 hours of CPD with their local university and already act as regional computer science teachers on behalf of CAS. Elsewhere, Skype sessions will also be offered to those unable to make the face-to-face events.
Part of the British Computer Society, CAS is a grassroots organisation supporting computing teachers and operating a network of 103 regional hubs designed to facilitate the sharing of best practice. CAS is the government’s partner for teacher training towards the new computing curriculum.
Simon Peyton Jones, chairman of CAS, said: “We know from talking to teachers that the new computing curriculum is pretty daunting if you’ve never taught it before, and September seems very close.
“But, if we can help them to hit the ground running in the first week, capture kids’ natural enthusiasm for technology in that first lesson and allow them to grow at their own pace, it’s amazing what they can create.”
To register to receive more information or to be advised about training dates and locations, visit www.computingatschool.org.uk/countdown