ICT and Computer Science
Intent:
At Rodillian we believe students should be given the opportunity to study Computer science at Key Stage 3 & 4. It is a highly technical subject that has many skills that often need to be developed from scratch. Most students will start the computer science with limited or no previous knowledge and as such the learning curve is steep. The Key Stage 3 Computer Science course is designed to give them an insight into the Key Stage 4 GCSE computer science.
Students will learn about the science of computing and how a computer, with all its individual components, works. It looks at how components interreact to make the computer compute effectively. We look at the use of computers in the real world and the different software that sit on top of the hardware. In GCSE we also look at the rise of computers and their effect on the environment as well as legal and moral implications of the use of computers.
Students will also look at programming starting with basic graphical ‘Drag & Drop’ programming in Key Stage 3 which leads into command line if they choose it at GCSE or A-Level.
Key Stage 3
Students receive 1 lesson of ICT in Year 7 which teaches them basic software application skills. They will develop this in Year 8 with a further 1 lesson which introduces basic computer science alongside IT skills. In Year 9 there is a Pre-Option that will give them an introduction to the topics covered in the GCSE course.
Key Stage 4
Students can select to study the OCR Computer Science GCSE in either Year 10 or Year 11 and the course is completed in one academic year. Pupils will develop skill in computer systems as well as more practical skill as programming skills.
Key Stage 5
Students study the two year A Level OCR course which builds on skills taught in GCSE, however its not a requirement, it introduces new concepts on computer system and programming techniques. Pupils will also complete a project demonstrating skills that have learnt and develop a program or application to solve an identified problem.
