Curriculum Aims
It is the aim of the Department to enable students to develop skills and knowledge in computer science and digital technologies to prepare them for a future in a world where the use of this technology is fully embodied. We wish to enthuse students to have an understanding far deeper than the interface that they currently operate.
We aim to enable students to develop a love of learning for the subject and an understanding that there are no limits to their own development in programming and IT. Using the strands of computational thinking will aid them with their Computer Science studies and, as it is embedded within everyday life activities, they will understand that they cannot run before they can walk. Students will be given guidance on how to work safely online so that it will be second nature to carry out all the necessary steps for their own safety as well as those around them.
At KS3 students will be given the opportunity to develop their computer coding and digital technology skills. Learning the language of code is an important added bonus as students who develop their coding skills will be able to grasp the magic behind the computers. This will allow them to take their studies onto KS4 and to Further and Higher education if they desire and ultimately secure a career within a large range of industries.
KS3 Curriculum Summary
| Computing | Autumn | Spring | Summer |
| Year 7 | E-Safety Personal Social mediaHardware Inputs Outputs StorageSoftware Applications |
Algorithms Pseudocode (step by step) Flowcharts (basic and symbols)Text-Based & Block Programming Patterns iteration (repeats/loops) Commands Sequencing Procedures and embedded procedures Variables |
Data representation Binary Converting Denary to Binary Binary addition ASCII Conversion ASCII/DenaryData Modelling/Spreadsheets Functions (SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX) Formulae (+-*/) Basic Charts/Graphs |
| Assessment | E-Safety Quiz – Doddle Hardware- Identify Quiz Networks – Doddle worksheet (look-up table used to convert % to grade) |
Snowflake with correct coding, procedures and sub procedures (holistic approach) Levels on Code.org used to translate to grade (department agreed levels). |
Conversions binary to denary to binary – completed tasks ASCII to Denary – coding and decoding exercises Data Modelling/Spreadsheets Doddle quiz |
| Year 8 | E-Safety Data Security Issues and preventative methodsControl and Monitoring Sensors Algorithms – Flowcharts |
Block Programming Algorithms for a Maze gameData Handling Sorting and Searching Filtering Data Modelling Formulae and Functions If Statements |
HTML and CSS Basic tags Text and Images Navigation and links Tables and lists Style sheet design and applicationNetwork and Security Types of Network – LAN/WAN Advantages/Disadvantages Networks and the Internet Topologies and Protocols Packet Switching |
| Assessment | Data-Safety Quiz on Doddle Password worksheet Doddle Control Super Quiz Flowchart worksheet (PA) |
Completion of block coding – teacher assessed, holistic approach Data handling task to complete |
HTML Doddle quiz and worksheet CSS worksheet and Interactive Activity Network Doddle quiz Algorithms and Flowcharts mini Quiz |
| Year 9 | E-Safety Wider Issues Digital footprints Sexting Consequences Health and SafetyCybersafety DoS Attack Shoulder surfing KeyloggerCyber Crime Main legal Acts CoveredText based programming (Python) Variables Sequence Selection If Statement |
All year 9 students Databases and GUI Spreadsheets and Graphs Website Development (Expression Web) |
Computer Science Students Sorting and Searching Algorithms Computer Systems Programming Constructs iMedia Students and all others not taking an option Digital Information Technology |
| Assessment | Doddle Health and Safety Quiz Python task (against solution) – Teacher assessed |
Variety of skilled based tasks – teacher assessed – holistic view Several Doddle knowledge quizzes on topics |
GCSE Computing
Year 10- Algorithms, iteration, data types and structures, inputs and outputs, problem solving, binary and hexadecimal, computer systems, hardware and software.
Year 11- Boolean logic, programming languages leading to project, computer networks, cyber security, legal, ethical and environmental impacts or digital technology.
Level 2
Digital Technologies – Exploring User Interface Designs and project planning techniques, Collecting, presenting and interpreting data, Effective digital working practices
Creative iMedia – Pre-production skills, creating digital graphics, multi-page website and interactive multimedia products
A Level Computing/ Level 3 IT
Year 12- Component 1, structure and function of the processor, types of processor, input, output and storage, operating systems, applications generation, introduction to programming, types of programming language, compression, encryption and hashing, databases, networking, web technologies, data types, data structures and algorithms, legal, moral, cultural and ethical issues.
Year 13- Component 2, elements of computational thinking, problem solving and programming, algorithms to solve problems and standard algorithms.
Level 3 in Information Technology- information technology systems, creating systems to manage information, using social media in business and website development.
