ICT & Computing
Computing is concerned with how computers and computer systems work, how they are designed and programmed, how to apply computational thinking, and how to make best use of information technology. It aims to give pupils a broad education that encourages creativity and equips them with the knowledge and skills to understand and change the world. There are 3 strands:
Accommodation and Resources
The department currently uses 2 dedicated IT rooms that run along the corridor from the dining room, each room can accommodate up to 32 students. The computer network utilises the latest virtualisation and cloud computing technology with all computers running Microsoft Windows 10 together with Office 365, Adobe Creative Cloud Suite and other specialist software. Each room has its dedicated multi-function device capable of printing, scanning and copying which is accessible to students using their individual PaperCut accounts.
Teaching and Learning
All students in Years 7, 8 and 9 receive one lesson per week of discrete Computing.
At Key Stage 4 students have 5 lessons over the 2 week timetable if they opt to study Computer Science as their GCSE option. This follows the 9-1 Curriculum. The course follows the OCR examination board specification, and is assessed in a linear fashion at the end of year 11. Students study Computational thinking and Algorithms, Computer Systems and submit a controlled assessment based upon a programming solution.
All Students at Key stage 4 also have the opportunity to complete the ECDL computer Literacy course at level 2. This is equivalent to a GCSE grade and proves valuable for many students as a method to display their ICT competency. The use of Microsoft office skills is assessed in discrete units and a final combined module
A-Level Computer Science is available in Years 12 and 13. This course is also offered through the OCT exam board and provides a smooth transition from GCSE to A Level. This is a developing area in the school and the opportunity to follow a Computer Science pathway in to further education or employment is becoming increasing popular. The course covers Computer Systems, Algorithms and Programming and a Programming Project
The school is a member of the Computing at Schools – Network of Excellence and is developing links with other member schools in the area and the University of Bath.