Computing Curriculum Guides

Staffing

  • Mr V Ting
  • Mr P Hepworth
  • Mr D Tinkorang
  • Mr N Gulley

Why Study Computing?

Our Computing programme helps open the doors to a rewarding profession that emphasizes multiple skill sets, problem solving, logical thinking and allows the student to pursue various options in traditional IT, traditional communications, or in new combined careers.

Computing professionals support the emerging goals and cultures of the people and organizations they serve. The demand for ICT and computing skills is growing. As an emerging field, ICT and computing jobs generally pay well and provide leadership challenges and opportunities that contribute to a satisfying career. Computing can lead to technical jobs and technology consultation.

KS3 Computing curriculum (One lesson a week)

Description
Year 7 / Year 7
Students are introduced to Esafety and the basics of computing which includes Health and Safety, Inputs and Outputs, basic networks and computer components.
They move on to Kodu, an event driven graphical games development environment where they can plan, design and create 3D games.
Spreadsheets are followed by essential programming elements using the Scratch interface and the year ends with an introduction to databases and the importance of information.
Both Kodu and scratch are free programs that can be downloaded at home, if you need any help with this please contact the Computing Department.
Year 8 / Our year 8 students will first look in detail at the different parts of a computer, their function and importance. This is followed by Flowol which gives the students a chance to appreciate program flow and programming instructions to a machine. A small programming project is undertaken in Python and is followed by online gaming creation using Stencyl.
Website design and structuring together with ICT skills round the year off.
Both Stencyl and Python are free programs that can be downloaded at home, if you need any help with this please contact the Computing Department.
Year 9 / In year 9, the importance of Esafety is reiterated before 3D planning and design using Sketchup. Before Christmas students turn their attention to creating a theme park project combining planning, financial, design and DTP advertising elements. Spreadsheets are covered in more detail using a specific theme and the year is rounded off with a brief unit on databases.
Sketchup is a free programs that can be downloaded at home, if you need any help with this please contact the Computing Department.

With Significant changes happening in the curriculum linked to Computing, we have taken the opportunity to launch a new GCSE in computing, which is part of the English baccalaureates. This focus heavily on programing, hardware and software which supports the functions of computing. This gives students an opportunity to develop a good foundation in all areas of computing and learn and develop skills in programming languages. Setting them up for both a levels and work.

KS4 curriculum (OCR)

GCSE Computing Science (Y10/11)
Unit 451 / Computer systems and programming
This unit covers the body of knowledge aboutcomputer systems on which the examination willbe based.
Unit 452 / Practical investigation
An investigative computing task, chosen from a list provided by OCR, Controlled assessment
which assesses the following: research, technical understanding, analysis of problem, historical
perspective, use of technical writing skills, recommendations/evaluation.
Unit 453 / Programming Project to include:
Understand standard programming techniques
Be able to design a coded solution to a problem
Create a coded solution fully annotating the developed code to explain its function
Test their solution

KS5 curriculum (BTEC): Year 12/13

The BTEC First Award in ICT is offered as a one year course to Y12 students as part of the level 2 sixth form offering, this helps develop skills in ICT, giving them a range of options after completion, ranging from a L3 ICT/Computing qualification, work or college and other L3 courses.

This covers a range of areas including, animation, image editing, web development and hardware and software of ICT systems. The course is made up of 3 parts coursework and one part exam.

BTEC first award in IT (Y12)
Unit 1 / In this unit you will:
investigate online services and online communication
investigate components of the internet and how digital devices exchange and
store information
investigate issues with operating online.
Unit 2 / In this unit you will:
Design a digital portfolio
Create and test a digital portfolio
Review the digital portfolio.
Unit 3 / In this unit you will:
Understand the applications and features of digital animation products
Design a digital animation product
Create, test and review a digital animation product.
Unit 6 / In this unit you will:
Understand the applications and features of digital graphic products
Design digital graphic products
Create, test and review digital graphic products.

At L3 we offer a BTEC subsidiary diploma in IT and a Diploma in IT which is the double qualification. Students taking the double cover the same units as the Subsidiary diploma but then complete an extra six units. Both the courses give the students an opportunity to look at key areas of ICT/Computing and skills that will support them in further studies at university in ICT/Computing or most other fields. Skills are also taught that support students going in to work.

Description(D = extra units for Diploma)
Unit 1 / The aim of this unit is to ensure that learners understand both the personal attributes valued by employers and the principles of communicating effectively whist developing effective communication skills and addressing their own personal development needs.
Unit 2 / The aim of this unit is to enable learners to understand the components of computer systems and develop the skills needed to recommend appropriate systems for business purposes and set up and maintain computer systems.
Unit 3 (D) / The aim of this unit is to ensure learners understand how organisations use information and the surrounding use of information, know about information systems and develop the skills necessary to produce management information.
Unit 4 / The aim of this unit is to ensure learners understand the effects developments in IT have on organisations and how organisations respond to these developments, and enable learners to propose IT-enabled improvements to business systems.
Unit 7 / The aim of this unit is to enable learners to understand potential threats to IT systems and the organisational issues related to IT security, and know how to keep systems and data secure from these threats.
Unit 9(D) / The aim of this unit is to ensure learners understand the key components of networked systems, know about network protocols and the services provided by network systems and develop the skills required to ensure network security.
Unit 28 / The aim of this unit is to enable a learner to understand web architecture and the factors that affect its performance and to be able to design and create interactive websites.
Unit 30 / This unit aims to enable learners to understand different types of digital graphics images and file formats and to be able to create, edit, modify and manipulate digital images of various types and complexity.
Unit 31 / The aim of this unit is to ensure learners understand types of animation and their uses and develop the knowledge and skills required to use software techniques to design and implement different types of animation.
Unit 42 (D) / This unit aims to enable learners to use complex spreadsheet modelling in order to support organisational activities such as credit control, sales forecasting and stock analysis.
CISCO CCNA 1(D) + additional qualification / This unit teaches students the skills needed to obtain entry-level home network installer jobs. It also helps students develop some of the skills needed to become network technicians, computer technicians, cable installers, and help desk technicians. It provides a hands-on introduction to networking and the internet using tools and hardware commonly found in home and small business environments.

Enrichment

What can you do to support your child?

Your child should keep up to date with the latest technological developments by using websites such as and To be updated with the latest developments in Computer Science, visit and

In a number of cases the software we use with in the school is free to download, if you are unsure how to do this or if it is freely available then please contact the Computing department for further support.

Having the software at home will give students a great opportunity to practice and demonstrate the topics they are learning in Computing, if however if this is not possible, the school library and ICT rooms (pre booked through class teacher) can be made available.