ICT
ICT
Head of Department: Mr Farmery
Key Stage 3
Year 7
This is studied by all students in year 7 in form groups. The students are taught the skills necessary to handle a range of software packages and the lessons follow the programmes of study set out in the Computing National Curriculum. During the course of the year students have become more confident and independent in their use of IT, and have started to explore the wide range of opportunities ICT offers in the way people work. ICT will be used to present ideas and adapt work for different audiences. Students will undertake projects using the BBC Microbits, looking at the components of a computer, using programming languages like Python to decompose problems and E-Safety work. The three strands are covered through Computer Science, IT and Digital Literacy over the Key Stage 3 course.
Year 8
This course is designed to enable students to work with computers in a confident way. They are taught to be aware of the ways in which ICT tools and information sources can help them in their work and to understand the limitations of such tools. Students will create mobile apps to solve problems, understanding of the internet and networks, creating 3D designs and models, develop a website and develop an understanding of AI. Through a variety of software packages students are shown how to communicate and handle information in an effective way. They are taught how to select appropriate equipment to tackle a range of tasks and they are shown how to be systematic in their use of appropriate search methods to obtain accurate and relevant information from a range of sources. Students will have used a number of different programming languages at this stage to support the Computer Science element of the course.
Year 9
This course enables students to work with computers in a confident way. They are taught to be aware of the ways in which ICT tools and information sources can help them in their work and to understand the limitations of such tools. Through a variety of software packages students are shown how to communicate and handle information in an effective way. They are taught how to select appropriate equipment to tackle a range of tasks and they are shown how to be systematic in their use of appropriate search methods to obtain accurate and relevant information from a range of sources. They are also taught to use ICT equipment for measuring and recording physical variables and for controlling external systems using sensors and feedback. They will look at the ethical side of IT and how to interrogate a database. Students will be guided through projects that mimic tasks that could be completed in GCSE Computer Science or Creative iMedia. This will help them to make appropriate choices when they select their GCSE options.
Key Stage 4
Year 10 & 11 Creative iMedia
Creative iMedia is delivered through 3 units of work spread over a two-year period. The examination constitutes 40% of the total marks, with one exam paper. The examination is based on a single tier exam, with questions to test all ability ranges.
Students also complete Controlled Assessment tasks in 2 units throughout Year 10 and 11, in which they create webpages, animations and digital graphics products for a given topic.
Year 10 & 11 Computer Science
GCSE Computer Science delivers the 8 strands of computing, including algorithms, programming, data representation, computer systems, networks, cyber security, ethical and legal considerations and software development. There are two exams, one based around code tracing and problem solving and the second based on theoretical knowledge. 50% is allocated to each exam.
