Head of Department:

Ms J Wainwright

Teachers:

Mr D Butler, Mr A Davies, Mrs C Lock, Mrs M Pearson

Key Stage 3

Topics in Year 7 Computing

• Using computers safely and efficiently
• Spreadsheet modelling
• Control systems with Flowol
• First steps in Small Basic
• Sound editing in Audacity
• Games programming in Scratch

Topics in Year 8 Computing

• Computer crime and cyber security
• Understanding computers
• Introduction to Python
• Database development
• Python - next steps
• HTML and website development

Topics in Year 9 Computing

• Creating an app using App Inventor
  • Inputs, outputs and processing
  • Success criteria
  • Algorithm solution
  • Implementation
  • Testing
  • Evaluation
• Creating a video
  • Planning, scripting and storyboarding
  • Shooting scenes
  • Editing the movie
  • Presenting the movie

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Year 10 & 11 Core Computing

Cambridge Nationals Short Course Award in ICT which is equivalent to ½ GCSE grade A* to C. Specification.

Students study Unit ROO1 – Understanding Computer Systems and Unit ROO2 – Using ICT to create business solutions.

Year 10 and 11 Optional Computing

Cambridge Nationals Diploma in ICT which will be combined with the core ICT and be equivalent to 2 GCSE’s grade A* to C. Specification.

Over the two years students will study the following six units, all weighted equally to their final grade. Unit ROO3 – Handling Data Using Spreadsheets, Unit ROO4 – Handling Data Using Databases, Unit ROO5 – Creating an Interactive Product Using Multimedia Components, Unit ROO6 – Creating Digital Images, Unit ROO7 – Creating Dynamic Products Using Sound and Vision and Unit RO11 – Understanding Technology - a project approach.

Year 10 and 11 GCSE Computing

OCR specification J275

We will cover three modules over the two years:

• Module 1 – unit A451 – Computer Systems and Programming (Written Paper 40%)
• Module 2 – unit A452 – Practical Investigations (Controlled Assessment 30%)
• Module 3 – unit A453 – Programming Project (Controlled Assessment 30%).

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Sixth Form Courses

Level 3 BTEC Subsidiary Diploma in Information Technology - from September 2014

Edexcel course specification

This is a two year course (broadly equivalent to 1 A Level). The Subsidiary Diploma consists of 2 mandatory Units and 4 optional Units. Assessment is 100% coursework.

Mandatory Units:

• Computer systems
  
• Communication and Employability Skills in IT

Optional Units

• Developing Computer Games
  
• Computer Animation
  
• Human Computer Interface
  
• Website Production

AS/A2 ICT

OCR course specification

AS – 2 mandatory units:

Information, Systems and Applications

• Data, information, knowledge and processing
• Software and hardware components of an information system
• Characteristics of standard applications software and application areas
• Spreadsheet concepts
• Relational database concepts
• Application software used for presentation and communication of data
• The role and impact of ICT – legal, moral and social issues

Structured ICT Tasks

• Design
• Software development
• Testing
• Documentation

A2 – 2 mandatory units:

ICT Systems, Applications and Implications

• The system cycle
• Designing computer-based information systems
• Networks and communications
• Application of ICT
• Implementing computer-based information systems
• Implications of ICT 

ICT Project

• Definition, investigation and analysis
• Design
• Software development, testing and installation
• Documentation
• Evaluation

AS/A2 Computer Science (first study September 2015)

OCR course specification

AS - 2 mandatory units:

Unit 01: Computing Principles

• The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
• Software and software development
• Programming
• Exchanging data
• Data types, data structures and algorithms
• Legal, moral, ethical and cultural issues.

Unit 02: Algorithms and Problem Solving

There will be a short scenario/task contained in the paper, which could be an algorithm or a text page-based task, which will involve problem solving. Other areas covered include the following:

• Elements of computational thinking
• Problem solving and programming
• Algorithms.

A2 - 3 mandatory units:

Unit 01: Computer Systems

• The characteristics of contemporary processors, input, output and storage devices
• Software and software development
• Exchanging data
• Data types, data structures and algorithms
• Legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues.

Unit 02: Algorithms and Programming

Section A - traditional questions concerning computational thinking:

• Elements of computational thinking
• Programming and problem solving
• Pattern recognition, abstraction and decomposition
• Algorithm design and efficiency
• Standard algorithms.

Section B - there will be a scenario/task contained in the paper, which could be an algorithm or a text page-based task, which will involve problem solving.

Unit 03: Programming Project

Students and/or centres select their own user-driven problem of an appropriate size and complexity to solve. This will enable them to demonstrate the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the Assessment Objectives. Students will need to analyse the problem, design a solution and give a thorough evaluation.