The ICT faculty is based within a suite of five fully refurbished air-conditioned rooms. Each contains 30 personal computers and interactive whiteboards. Five full time specialist ICT teachers staff the department, along with a dedicated network technician.
Aims
The ICT faculty strive to promote respect and opportunity for the pupils within the school. The teachers combine specialist knowledge, enthusiasm, dedication and high expectations of the pupils to achieve the highest standards across the whole ability range from Year 7 to 11.
What will I study?
New resources, hardware and software, are constantly being purchased and developed to match the requirements of the National Curriculum. At Key Stage Three Level, the pupils are taught and develop their knowledge and skills on presentation, word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, databases and web page design. They are taught the National Strategy in Key Stage Three to prepare them for the SATs test, which came online in ICT in 2008.
At KS4, pupils will study the OCR National Certificate in ICT, which is equivalent to 4 GCSEs. The course enables pupils to develop knowledge and understanding in specialist areas of Information and Communication Technology, and demonstrate the skills needed to work in the operation and development of ICT specific or ICT non-specific business organisations.
Furthermore, pupils are given the opportunity to select GCSE Applied Business Studies, which is equivalent to 2 GCSEs. The Applied Business course introduces the pupils to the world of businesses. This course allows pupils to keep open their opinions for future employment or training.
How will I study?
The ICT Staff promote and develop excellent teacher/pupil as well as pupil/pupil relationships in the faculty. These are created by an open friendly environment on which we have built active and participative learning. Pupils will be encouraged through open discussions and demonstrations to develop their ICT skills and knowledge.
How will I be monitored and assessed?
Pupils are regularly monitored throughout the school and have their targets reviewed for every completed unit every half term. The students are made aware of their targets, their current performance level and how to move to the next level. Peer and self-assessment is promoted within the faculty to help pupils share and gain ideas. In Year 9, the scheme of work has been tailored to the SATs, which will take place in 2008. At various times throughout the year, folders and teacher assessments are carefully monitored and reviewed to ensure all pupils are in the correct ability class and working to their full potential.
What will happen in KS4?
In Key Stage 4, the work continues from the foundations that have been put into place at Key Stage 3. All pupils follow the OCR National Certificate in ICT leading to 4 GCSEs. A greater emphasis is placed on integrated work combining text, graphics, scanned images and so on to improve the presentation of their coursework.
The school continues to invest heavily in ICT to provide learning opportunities that will allow your child face to the world of work in the 21st century with confidence.