Computer Science

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. 

We intend to provide:

  • a Computer Science curriculum that is ambitious for all pupils
  • a Computer Science curriculum that is coherently planned and sequenced
  • a Computer Science curriculum that is successfully adapted, designed and developed for pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities
  • a Computer Science curriculum that is broad and balanced for all pupils

We teach a curriculum that enables Students to become effective users of technology who can:

  • Understand and apply the essential principles and concepts of Computer Science, including logic, algorithms and data representation;
  • Analyse problems in computational term, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems;
  • Evaluate and apply information technology analytically to solve problems;
  • Communicate ideas well by utilising appliances and devices throughout all areas of the curriculum.

KS3

Our aim at KS3 is to provide students with a challenging curriculum which addresses the needs of the modern economy. This is centred on three core activities:


  1. Programming as a discipline itself and as an ‘underpinning’ subject across science and engineering is growing rapidly. Computer technology continues to advance rapidly and the way that technology is consumed has also been changing at a fast pace over recent years. The growth in the use of mobile devices and web-related technologies has exploded, resulting in new challenges for employers and employees. We aim to provide an exciting yet accessible curriculum that will enable students to start to understand the concepts behind computer programming as well as providing opportunities for them to plan, create and test their own programs.
  2. Creative Media refers to the increasing use of technology to produce any number of digital media from animation and film to radio shows and computer art. Through a wide range of exciting and stimulating opportunities students get to explore their interests in ways that are personally relevant, developmental in nature and allow them to acquire the specialist software skills demanded by the modern economy.
  3. Core ICT skills are still relevant and students are expected to be able to use computers to perform the essential day to day tasks of creating business documents (letters, memos, presentations etc…); using spreadsheets to model finances and to use Internet and email software efficiently.

In addition, students will be assessed on their ability to plan, test, evaluate, and refine their work as well as their literacy. In Year 9 students follow a challenging curriculum based on the Computing GCSE courses. This will provide students with opportunities to gain a more in-depth appreciation of Computer Science and prepare them for the GCSE course in Year 10.

At KS3 we aim to embed skills and knowledge in a wide range of ICT and computing capabilities including digital literacy. We start in year 7 with enhancing skills in presentation software, spreadsheets, to allow students to demonstrate their understanding of audience and purpose through a wide range of project-based learning. We quickly move on to looking at programming and computing to ensure that knowledge, skills and understanding are embedded from an early age.


We endeavour to make the curriculum as fun and interesting as possible with a high level of challenge. Our aim is to ensure that they develop capabilities that are directly transferable, not only to other subjects but also to the KS4 curriculum and beyond. To that point we include programming with Lego robots and programming electronic circuits with Micro:bits to show students that computers affect things in the real world instead of just what is seen on a screen.

KS4

GCSE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE (OCR)

 

We study Computer Science to help us think in a more logical way and become better at making decisions and solve problems. We learn about how the different parts of a computer work together and why they work like that. In addition, we develop skills in programming systems and start to understand how computers communicate via networks. We then look at how important Technology is in today’s society and the impact and issues that can arise from using computer systems and how to improve them.

 

Computing is of enormous importance to the economy, and the role of Computer Science as a discipline itself and as an ‘underpinning’ subject across science and engineering is growing rapidly. The course will develop critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills through the study of computer programming, giving students a fun and interesting way to develop these skills.

 

The OCR GCSE in Computing course gives students a real, in-depth understanding of how computer technology works. Students will no doubt be familiar with the use of computers and other related technology from their other subjects and elsewhere. However, this course will give them an insight into what goes on ‘behind the scenes’, including computer programming, which many students find absorbing.

 
Term 1
Term 2
Term 3
Term 4
Term 5
Term 6
Year 7

Baseline tests
PowerPoint

PowerPoint
Lego Robots

Testing
Lego Robots

Spreadsheets
e-Safety

e-Safety

e-Safety
Binary

Year 8

Baseline tests
Binary

Binary
Algorithm Design

Algorithm Design

Small Basic

Electronics

Video

Year 9

Algorithm Design

Small Basic

Turtle

Visual Programming

Binary
Pseudo-code

Web Design

Year 10
(OCR)

Systems and Hardware

CPU, Memory and Storage

Computer Ethics and Basic Database Use

Wired and Wireless Networks

System Security and Software

Programming
NEA

Year 11
(OCR)

NEA

NEA
Mock exams

NEA

Data Representation

Translators and Programming Tools