ICT
Key themes:
Programming- Writing computer code to create a program, to solve a problem. Programs are created to implement algorithms.
Algorithms- To plan, a logical step-by-step process for solving a problem. Algorithms are normally written as a flowchart or in pseudocode.
Design- The planning and layout of elements in an image, illustration, or video with the aid of specialized software.
Research- The ability to access information using resources provided ensuring plagiarism guidelines are met.
The safe use of the internet- To ensure all students have a clear understanding of the potential risks and dangers of the internet understanding how they should be dealt with.
Office Skills- To have a clear understanding of all the pieces of software found within the office suite including Microsoft word, power point and excel.
Logic– To help promote computational thinking ensuring students understand the processes used by a computer.
KS3
Year 7
Our curriculum in ICT will help students to develop and equip them with skills to help utilise their time within education and their future chosen careers. We offer a knowledge rich curriculum that develops a number of specific software skills, developing composite knowledge such as office skills and block-based programming. As well as specific software skills our curriculum also enables students to further develop an ability to problem solve, organise, research, plan and evaluate when completing project-based research activities.
We have developed our curriculum based on the varied range of component knowledge students may already possess from KS2, offering all students an equal opportunity to succeed whether they have completed ICT at primary school or not. The curriculum has also been designed to ensure challenge to the students who have previously studied the subject making this an ambitious curriculum which not only makes links to both Computer Science and Creative imedia but offers opportunities to develops skills that will benefit them both in education and the wider world.
The first major topic students encounter at the academy is E-Safety which develops the required component skills to ensure they remain safe online. This is an important topic to ensure students can identify and appropriately deal with a wide range of potential situations both in school and at home, allowing them to think about things such as grooming, cyberbullying, online presence and accessing social iMedia.
Year 8
Our Year 8 curriculum continues to build upon the knowledge established throughout Year 7 and students will continue to explore and develop these skills as they progress with their studies. We offer a knowledge rich curriculum that further develop and introduces a wide range of specific software skills which are more challenging than those previously studied, building on the composite skills developed during year 7, an example of this would be the progression from block-based programming to text based programming which allows challenge for all students, while continuing to further develop problem solving, programming and analytical skills when completing and debugging code, this will show skills used in the real world and how programmers actual work which will provide future career opportunities.
We have developed our curriculum based on the varied range of component knowledge students may already possess from KS2 and in year 7, offering all students an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of existing prior knowledge. The curriculum offers fun and engaging projects and offer a wide range of component skills including Python, digital graphics and animation. These topics have been chosen to develop on the skills already built-in year 7 such as understanding the process for completing a project including research, plan, create and evaluate, making this an ambitious curriculum which not only makes links to both Computer Science and Creative Imedia but offers opportunities to develops skills that will benefit them both in education and the wider world.
Year 9
Our Year 9 curriculum continues to build upon the knowledge established throughout Year 7 and Year 8, students will continue to explore and develop skills as they progress with their studies. We offer a knowledge rich curriculum that further develop and introduces a wide range of specific software skills which are more challenging than those previously studied, building on the composite skills developed during year 7 and 8. Building on skills learnt from both block and text-based programming using the techniques and methods accumulated to create their own website using different website creation software as well as HTML code. The ability to use HTML and create websites provides them with future skills such as resilience, problem solving, troubleshooting and organisation all of which will be crucial for both school and the wider world. Students will be offered opportunities to use software which is used in the wider worlds and in industry including photoshop, developing key design skills and further building upon the composite knowledge established during year 7 and year 8. The project completed with photoshop will allow students to develop an understanding of the process required to successfully complete a project that simulates a client based working environment.
Our curriculum offers a number of engaging, fun and challenging projects that offers a pathway to both iMedia and computer science developing an initial understanding of the topics covered within GCSE Computer Science this will involve students learning content such as networks, binary which develop skills learnt in year 7, while also further developing programming skills taught within year 8 enabling them to successfully access the computer science content when it is implemented as part of the options changes or use in future careers or in further education. A number of external opportunities are scheduled within the Curriculum in order to offer support and links to future career opportunities and the wide range of careers within the local area including software engineer.
KS4
This course is a Cambridge National in Creative iMedia which equips students with the wide range of knowledge and skills needed to work in the creative digital media sector. They start at pre-production and develop their skills through practical assignments as they create final multimedia products. This is a practical subject which involves planning, creating, and reviewing multimedia products.
The 3 units of study will include:
R081: Pre-production skills
Students are introduced to a range of essential pre-production techniques used in the creative and digital media, including client brief, time frames, deadlines and preparation techniques
R082: Creating digital graphics
Building on the skills and understanding that they have developed in the previous unit, students explore where and why digital graphics are used and the techniques that are involved in their creation. They apply their skills and knowledge in creating digital graphics against a specific brief.
R087: Creating interactive multimedia products
Students develop their knowledge and understanding of about where and why different interactive multimedia products are used and what features are needed for a given purpose. They learn how to interpret a client brief, and how to use time frames, deadlines and preparation techniques as part of the planning and creation process.
