Curriculum Lead

Miss G Spencer - Curriculum Lead Business, Computer Science

Curriculum Principles & Intent

Key Stage 3

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Key Stage 4

Digital Information Technology draws on skills acquired through KS3 Computer Science as well as key skills acquired from subjects including maths and science where relevant, giving student the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge to everyday and work contexts.

This qualification gives students the opportunity to develop secretary-specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment.. They are encouraged to develop key skills that prove aptitude in digital information technology, such as project planning, designing and creating user interfaces, creating dashboards to present and interpret data.

Students are required to cover the process that underpins effective ways of working in digital information technology, such as interactive design process, cyber security, virtual teams, legal and ethical codes of conduct whilst addressing attitudes that are considered most important in digital information technology, including personal management and communication.

Their knowledge is grown so that they can effectively use their skills, processes and attitudes within the sector such as how different user interfaces meet user needs, how organisations collect and use data to make decisions. This KS4 qualification also ensures that it compliments the learning programme delivered in KS3.

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BTEC Specifications

Cambridge National in Information Technologies

Exam Board:   OCR

This course is for the IT user and as such concentrates on the practical side of IT. It suits a student who prefers being an active learner and producing work to be assessed rather than learning theory. It works well with a range of other subjects as it develops a variety of skills in a number of software packages.

Course Content:

This qualification will teach students what different technologies could be used, why they should use them and how to make best use of them, to gather, store, manipulate and present data; this is known as data management. They will learn about tools and techniques for use in different digital hardware and software technologies, and how these can be integrated to create digital solutions to manage and communicate data and information.  They will also learn how to use the project life cycle to plan and manage workload. There are two units of study:

• Understanding tools, techniques, methods and processes for technological solutions (Exam Unit)
• Developing technological solutions (Coursework unit)