ICT and Computing

 

The ICT and Computing department is at the forefront of new and emerging technologies. From Key Stage 3 to Sixth Form, pupils are taught how to use various pieces of software which will not only foster an interest in the subject but will be beneficial to their overall academic experience and allow them to be efficient in whichever profession they decide to pursue.

The department encourages pupils of all abilities and works hard to prove that ICT is one of the most beneficial subjects they will experience. It is important that while the subject should be fun, that pupils understand that ICT is so much more than simply web browsing and playing games.

 

Curriculum

 

Key Stage 3

During Key Stage 3 all pupils will develop their ICT skills using a wide range of software packages, from the common office suites such as Microsoft Office, to more specilised programs such as web development using Dreamweaver and animation using Flash. All pupils will also be introduced to basic programming concepts using these fundamentals to create simple computer programs.

In Upper 3, the primary focus is on digital technologies. Pupils follow the Digital Creator Award, a nationally recognised qualification in which pupils investigate and use various digital media, from creating movies to recording and manipulating movies. This award is equivalent to a GCSE and will stretch pupils of all abilities whilst remaining entertaining and energetic.

The Lower 4 scheme of work builds upon the confidence pupils have gained during the previous year. More challenging software is introduced, which allows pupils to investigate programming, graphics and computer control. During Upper 4 the pupils will be on a carousel with technology and spend two periods a week in ICT lessons for half the year. During this limited period of time the pupils will work on two projects: creating a flash animation and how to efficiently and professionally create web sites. 

During Upper 4 pupils will be on a carousel with technology and spend two periods a week in ICT lessons for half the year. During this time pupils will work on three different packages: Basic/advanced animation using the Adobe Flash package, Programming using the MIT Scratch program and Web Development (including CSS and JavaScript) using Adobe Dreamweaver.  

Examples of Key Stage 3 Work

 

View our Full Gallery of Key Stage 3 Animations

GCSE

As of September 2010, the department has used the AQA board as this board was identified as the best with regard to the up and coming changes in the ICT specification. The new specification has been updated in line with the pace at which new developments in ICT become main stream, making the subject more adaptable and relevant. Areas of learning in ICT will include emerging technologies of recent years (social networking, online shopping), using software to solve relevant practical tasks and computer game/web site design.

The department is also excited to announce that as of September 2010 we are one of the pilot schools for the new GCSE Computing specification. This specification allows pupils to investigate how computer technology works and what goes on behind the scenes of many of the applications we use in our society. The course will help learners develop critical thinking, analysis and problem solving skills. For many, it will be a fun and interesting way to develop these skills, which can be transferred to other subjects and even applied in day-to-day life.

A Level Computing

In the Sixth Form the department offers Computing A Level for pupils interested in taking the subject further. While the Computing A Level does investigate some aspects of ICT, it should not be confused with this qualification. While ICT looks at technology from a business point of view and allows pupils to manipulate existing programs, Computing's focus is more on how computers work and programming them to overcome a very specific task. The Computing A Level is recognised by universities as a highly academic subject due to its requirement that pupils be able to analyse and overcome problems in a logical fashion. Through this logical approach pupils will learn the art of algorithms, how to approach a problem and identify a suitable solution and how to logically think about all aspects of their work. Those pupils considering taking Physics and Mathematics in the sixth form would benefit greatly from taking Computing as an A Level as it is seen as being highly complimentary to these topics due to its emphasis on problem solving. The department is currently using the OCR specification for this qualification.

 

Specialist Facilities

The ICT and Computing department has two dedicated ICT suites with over 20 computers in each. These machines run a variety of software including the Adobe design suite,  programming environments and CAD packages such as Google Sketchup. The department also has a range of extra hardware such as high quality digital cameras and Lego Mindstorm packages.  

 

Extra-Curricular Activities

Clubs

The ICT department runs an advanced web design club after school on Wednesdays. This club will allow pupils to investigate and use technologies which underpin some of the most popular sites on the Internet. Areas which will be taught will be HTML, interaction with databases and running dynamic content on a webpage.

 

Latest News

The i's have it!

The department is excited to announce that in May 2011 the FSA has kindly agreed to the purchase of two Apple iMac machines and two iPads. This powerful hardware will be used to allow pupils to investigate and create programs for the burgeoning computing discipline of mobile platform application development.

The department is flying

We are excited to announce that as of September 2010 we will be one of the pilot schools for the new GCSE Computing specification. This specification allows pupils to investigate how computer technology works and what goes on behind the scenes of many of the applications we use in our society. The course will help learners develop critical thinking, analysis and problem solving skills. For many, it will be a fun and interesting way to develop these skills, which can be transferred to other subjects and even applied in day-to-day life.

Learning to be safe online

On 9th February 2010 we hosted a web seminar for parents on how to ensure children are using the internet safely. The seminar was hosted by Mr Flook, Head of Department, in conjunction with Microsoft. Parents were informed of the areas in which their children may be at risk and had opportunities to discuss the presentation with Mr Flook afterwards. The evening was a great sucess with many parents announcing that they felt more comfortable about their children using technology now that they could recongise the danger areas and how to overcome any issues that may arise.

 

Academic Results

In 2011:

For AS Level Computing, six candidates were entered, one got an A, one got a B, two got a C, one got a D and one got an E.

For GCSE ICT, six candidates were entered, one got an A* grade, and five got a grade A.

In 2010:

For A Level ICT, three candidates were entered, one got an A*, one got a B, and one got a C.

At GCSE Level 25 candidates were entered, three got an A*, and 15 got an A, and seven got a B.

 

Staff within the Department

Mr Robert Flook, Head of Department

Mr Flook joined the school as head of department in September 2009 from Brentwood School, Essex. During his time at Brentwood Mr Flook was responsible for developing the Key Stage 3 curriculum and running after school clubs to promote the subject further. Prior to his time at Brentwood, Mr Flook was a university lecturer and has worked for a multimedia company where he created games for Rangers and Celtic football clubs.

Miss Helen Crow

Miss Crow joined the school as a teacher of ICT/Computing in September 2001 from Glyn Technology School. She has a MA in Education (specialising in ICT) and PGCE both from Brunel University and a BSc from Open University. Miss Crow is currently Head of Year 11 and was also the Senior Coordinator for the Duke of Edinburgh scheme for seven years until July 2009. She has just taken up the role of helping to set up a school Equestrian Team. She has helped to set up Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level ICT curriculum.

Whilst at Glyn Miss Crow helped to set up a community based project which saw her go out to both Primary and Secondary schools to help with a variety of ICT issues, including teaching lesson, setting up a new ICT suite, creating a school website and general technical issues.

Prior to her time at Glyn she worked for the Paper Industry as a Senior Scientist conducting research and development into recycling.

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