Introduction
The Computing department aims to equip students with the digital literacy and technical competencies needed to use technology creatively, efficiently, safely, and confidently in an ever-changing world. Students develop practical ICT skills, ensuring safe and effective use, and they learn to apply these abilities to solve meaningful, real-world problems. Additionally, they build computing skills by applying core principles and concepts, including abstraction, logic, algorithms, and data representation.
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3, we offer a diverse curriculum designed to equip students with essential transferable skills relevant to the digital world and workplace. Each academic year allows students to build upon previously acquired skills.
Students engage with a range of fundamental concepts, including binary systems, data analysis, algorithms, and computer networks. They also develop proficiency in the use of office applications, particularly in data interrogation through databases and date manipulation through spreadsheets. Additionally, students have the opportunity to code in various environments, including Python.
Students are taught in one 60-minute lesson each week, with a project-based approach that combines both group and independent tasks. The department also hosts daily lunchtime clubs, providing students with additional opportunities to deepen their interest in the subject and enhance their skill development.
In November, Key Stage 3 students will have the opportunity to participate in the Bebras Challenge, an international computational thinking competition. Furthermore, all Year 9 students will engage in a Cyber Skills workshop, organised by the Smallpeice Trust, in March. This workshop aims to provide students with practical, hands-on experiences and engaging challenges to explore the theoretical foundations of cybersecurity.
Key Stage 4
Students in Years 10 and 11 undertake the Pearson BTEC Tech Award in Digital Information Technology. This course consists of three components of study.
In the first component, students will learn various project planning techniques to effectively plan and deliver projects that meet specific user requirements. They will explore design principles applicable to creating effective user interfaces and will apply appropriate project planning methods to develop user interfaces that align with user needs.
The second component focuses on data manipulation tools that alter the presentation of data. Students will produce clear summaries and present this information through dashboards, enabling organisations to make informed decisions. They will also study various presentation features to ensure that information is conveyed objectively, reducing the risk of misinterpretation, and will enhance their understanding of how to represent information in diverse ways to increase its significance.
The third component provides students with the opportunity to examine how recent technological advancements have enabled modern organisations to communicate and collaborate more effectively. This component encourages exploration of the digital systems utilised by organisations and their features, emphasising their impact on operational processes. Students will investigate how technological developments have fostered more inclusive and flexible working environments, as well as how regulatory, ethical, and security concerns influence organisational practices. Through analysis of information in various vocational contexts, students will gain a deeper understanding of digital systems within organisations and will be equipped to make informed judgments regarding these systems.
Component 1 will be assessed through coursework, which accounts for 30% of the final grade in Year 10. Component 2 will also be assessed through coursework, contributing 30% to the final grade in Year 11. Component 3 will then be assessed by an exam at the end of Year 11.