ICT

IT systems form a huge part of modern life, we aim to give all students a thorough understanding of the hardware and software systems that they will come across in their daily life, now and in the future. We aim to equip them with the skills they will need to decide what to use and how to use it. The skills developed will prove vital in future college courses and nearly all jobs.

We follow the National Curriculum at KS3, with students learning a wide range of skills: word processing, using spreadsheets, using databases, researching effectively, using the internet safely, creating appropriate presentations, editing images, creating and editing video. Students do a variety of projects which are assessed, along with regular tests to check understanding.

At KS4, we now offer two different courses. The most sets take the OCR GCSE in Computing, which has links with Maths and focuses on IT hardware, systems and programming. This course includes a mixture of coursework (controlled assessment) and exam. The other course is the Edexcel BTEC Level 2 Certificate

in Information Technology. This vocational course is assessed through various coursework assignments over the two years, there is no exam.

At KS5 we now offer a traditional A Level / AS Level route and the Edexcel BTEC Level 3 Certificate or BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in Information Technology. These courses aim to build the students from KS4, to give them broader knowledge and a deeper understanding of the key concepts in IT. Both courses should give students a strong progression route into College or University.