Information & Communication Technology
Key Stage 3
In years 7-9 students follow the ICT National framework. Students work through modules in a variety of topics and experience a range of software including:
- PowerPoint: students in year 7 produce a presentation about themselves.
- Publisher: students select information from the Internet and other sources to create a magazine.
- Access: students take part in the Census at School project and enter information about themselves into a database.
- FrontPage: working in groups, students create websites about leisure centres.
- Flowol: students build flow charts and use simulations to model scenarios such as traffic light controls.
- Excel: students use spreadsheets to create a model of finance to enable them to feed animals in a zoo.
Year 7 Topics Overview
Key Stage 4
In years 10-11 students can opt to study GCSE ICT. This course comprises 60% coursework and 40% examinations. The coursework includes a project looking at the whole of the system lifecycle - from the conception of an IT project to the implementation of a finished product. Students will also sit two examinations. The examinations look at both technical aspects of ICT and the role of ICT in business and wider society.
Sixth Form
In the sixth form the department offers two A Level courses: ICT and Computing.
- ICT
- The ICT qualification is aimed at students who wish to study the role of ICT in society. At AS level students will take two theory modules and complete one piece of coursework.
- See the full Sixth Form ICT Course Guide.
- Computing
- The Computing qualification is suitable for students who may wish to study Computing or Software Engineering at university. The course is more technical in nature than ICT and includes a programming aspect.
- See the full Sixth Form Computing Course Guide.