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ICT

Staff

B Choudry

Overview / Curriculum statement

Learners at Braidwood have 2 lessons of Computing a week at KS3 and 3 lesson a week at KS4.

Computers are now part of everyday life and, for most of us, technology is essential to our lives, at home and at work. ‘Computational thinking’ is a skill that all learners must acquire if they are to be ready for the workplace and able to participate effectively in the digital world.

The new national curriculum for computing has been developed to equip young people  with the foundational skills, knowledge and understanding of computing they will need for the rest of their lives.

At Braidwood learners cover the three main elements of the new curriculum; Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology. The majority of the teaching will focus on the Computer Science element exploring key concepts such as abstraction, pattern recognition, decomposition, pattern generalization and algorithm design.

 

Key Stage 3

Year 7

Staying Safe

Learners will look at how to stay safe when using their computers and electronic devices.

Introduction to Scratch

Students will be introduced to Scratch and how this can be used to create programs.

Introduction to modelling

In this unit students will look at spreadsheets, what they are, what they are used for.

Data representation

In this unit learners will look at different types of data as well as adding, sorting and finding data from a flat file database.

Communications and Networks

In this unit learners will understand the difference between the internet and the WWW.

Year 8

Computers and control       

In this unit learners look at creating a waterpark ride and looking at the control systems involved.

Developing Scratch

Develops the use of Scratch to look at more complex applications.

Searching the Web

Within this unit learners will understand how to effectively use search engines and how results are selected.

Hardware and processing

Recognises and understands the function of the main internal parts of basic computer architecture.

Year 9

Python Programming          

During this unit learners will look at a textual programming language and look at the basics of computer programming. Work will include creating basic programs with input values, variables, selettion, iteration and modular procedures.          

Data Representation           

Here students will look at how data is represented in a computer.  

How search engines work

In this unit learners will look at how search engines rank results.

Hardware and processing/Computer Networks

Learners will understand  how data is stored in a computer's memory. Learners will also understand the basic function and operation of location addressable memory. Will also look at different types of computer network.

Key Stage 4/5

Students are currently undertaking the Cambridge National Level 2 Award in ICT. Work for this qualification includes the following:

 

Understanding Computer Systems

  • How ICT can be used to meet business needs
  • How to work with information and data to meet specific business needs
  •  How ICT can be used to support business working practices
  • How legal, ethical, safety and security issues affect how computers should be used
  •  

 Using ICT to create business solutions

  •  Sorting electronic data and information
  • Searching for data and information: research skills
  •  Sense of audience
  •  Types of business documents
  • Types of business software spreadsheets
  • Types of business software databases
  •  Design considerations

An alternative qualification offered at KS4 is the Welsh Board Entry Level Pathways Qualification in ICT. The following units are covered:

  • Improving productivity using ICT
  • Using Word Processing Software
  • Using Presentation Software
  • IT User fundamentals
  • Spreadsheet software

Exam board websites

 

Other useful websites

 

Possible future careers