Computer Science
Our intention is that Computing is a relevant, challenging and enjoyable subject for all students. We aim to prepare our students for their future by providing opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for an ever-changing digital world. Students will be confident, responsible and competent users of information technology. Our computing curriculum underpins the principles and concepts of the computer science national curriculum which are regularly revisited to embed learning. Students will develop computational thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills. Programming is fundamental to our curriculum design; students will have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs to solve problems and provide solutions.
Our curriculum will:
Develop the character of all students
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Students are encouraged to strive for excellence, challenging themselves to think critically and to achieve their very best.
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Students will be respectful, honest and caring. They will develop essential team working and collaborative skills.
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Students will show resilience, developing skills to enable them to manage challenging activities.
Ensure all students are literate and numerate
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Students will develop their English skills and take pride in the presentation of their work.
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They will use technical terms confidently in written work and also develop oracy skills through teamwork and group presentations.
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Students will apply numeracy skills to calculate data capacity requirements and perform binary, denary and hexadecimal conversions.
Build knowledge and aspirations of all students
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Learning episodes build on prior learning, specific topics are taught to connect learning.
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Students develop their programming skills with regular lessons from year 9.
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Learning is frequently revisited to embed understanding.
Ensure all students have the secure foundations to progress into further education and employment
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The curriculum builds on learning from KS3 and prepares students with future pathways in mind.
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Students will experience taster lessons to promote and learn about careers within computer science.
Develop cultural capital of all students
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Students will a develop curiosity for learning and build skills to explore the world around them.
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All students, regardless of circumstance or background, will have access to opportunities within computer science, including extra-curricular programming clubs
Mrs S Lake
KS4
GCSE Computer Science
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Exam Board: OCR Qualification: GCSE Computing Assessment: Computer systems (written examination, 50%) Computational thinking (written examination, 50%) Programming project (20 hours) |
Outline of course content: This is a course that has real relevance in our modern world. It will give you an in-depth understanding of how computer technology works, and a look at what goes on behind the scenes. You will investigate computer programming, and develop critical thinking, analysis, and problem-solving skills. |
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Outline of course structure:
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Careers using Computer ScienceIT is used in almost every work place you can think of; offices, schools, call centres, factories, warehouses, hospitals, the Armed Forces. The list is endless!
Skills and how the subject relates to work:To work in the area of IT, you’ll need to be a good problem solver. IT work is usually about sorting out things which have gone wrong, working out how something can be done more effectively, or planning how a task is to be carried out.
IT work often involves being part of a team, so team work skills are important. Communications skills are also essential. You may be dealing with lots of people in an organisation who are not IT specialists, and it’s important you can explain things clearly to them and understand the help they need.
Potential jobs:Development jobs: The IT industry is always looking to improve aspects such as hardware, software, and operating systems; everything about it really. Consider how phones, tablets, and laptops have changed in the last five years. If you’ve got the right skills this would be a great job for you.
IT managers: Think about huge organisations such as the NHS, the Armed Forces, Government departments, Local Government, Universities; they all need to make sure they have up to date systems, systems which may need to be upgraded, systems which are virus free, and all managed within a set cost. Is this interesting to you?
‘Tech’ support: Think about any organisation; who makes sure the staff have an IT system they’re able to use? Who helps the staff if things go wrong? Answer: ‘Tech’ support. Some companies employ people on-site to do this, and others use specialist companies (often overseas and it’s all done by phone or ‘remote access’). All the big UK media companies (Virgin, Sky, Plusnet) have call centre support for people using their products.
Websites, multi-media, and interactive systems: What about websites and the internet? Designing, developing, adding graphics, and moving images all require people with IT skills. Most companies now have social media (Facebook and Twitter); who keeps these up to date? Many design and marketing agencies employ people with IT skills to develop websites, produce adverts, and so on.
Print media: IT skills are needed in the magazine and newspaper world. How about setting out the pages of a magazine, or promotional material?
Games, animation, and ‘special effects’: Have you seen the film ‘Gravity’ (set in space)? No-one actually went into space to film it; the main actors didn’t leave the USA but all the images were created in London and the actors superimposed on to them. The people doing this have excellent creative skills but are also IT experts.
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