ICT Department

Aims

1. To develop, maintain and stimulate students' curiosity, interest and enjoyment in ICT.

2.a) To develop students with appropriate ICT skills, concepts, principles, methods and vocabulary - thus enabling staff across the Curriculum to assume correctly that students have a basic level of competence.

2.b) To convey upon students a wide and flexible capability in the use of ICT.

2.c) Progression must feature in the acquisition of ICT skills.

3. To encourage students to develop personal qualities such as politeness, perseverance, initiative, empathy, self confidence, independence and an ability to work effectively in a group.

4. To enable all students to have equal access to ICT and to experience success in their work.

5. To allow students to develop transferable skills and informed opinions about  their ICT and to be able to support them by reasonable arguments.

6. To encourage as many subject teachers as possible to see how ICT and their subject expertise fit together to enable the use and delivery of ICT as well as the teaching of their own discipline.

7. To support all staff in their need to develop confidence and strategies in using ICT within their teaching. To recognise that INSET and support for staff are vital if students are to progress in ICT capability.

8. To accept that ICT is a necessary part of the overall Development Plan for the School and not a separate aspect.

9. To consider the continuing learning skills for ICT and that the skills base is an ever increasing one.

Key Stage 3

The following topics are covered:

• Database - To gather details of people who have indicated they would like to attend the trip.
• Spreadsheet - To consider costs involved in organising the trip, and various pricing options.
• Desk Top Publising - To advertise the trip
• PowerPoint - To inform potential customers of trip details, and inspire people to pay.
• Email - to communicate finer details of the trip to students going to Alton Towers Park.
• Flowol - Continuing with Alton Towers theme, students design their own theme park.

Key Stage 4

GCSE is offered through ICCA and is certificated by CCEA.  This specification is very flexible and allows us to structure an individual student’s ICT experience for success. By taking this course all students can obtain a GCSE and a Key Skills award, with complete coverage of IT Key Skills.  Details of the course can be viewed on the intranet via school or on the website

Key Stage 5

Applied A level at AS and A2 through OCR is offered. 

The aims of these specifications in Applied ICT are to encourage candidates to:

• develop a broad range of ICT skills and knowledge of the uses of ICT in vocational contexts, as a basis for progression into further learning in ICT-related fields, including progression from AS to A2;
• develop knowledge and understanding of the components, functions and applications of information systems within a range of organisations;
• develop an understanding of the main principles of solving problems using ICT and develop the skills necessary to apply this understanding.
• In addition, the aims of the Advanced GCE specification in Applied ICT is to encourage candidates to:
• apply their knowledge and understanding of ICT and use skills (e.g. planning, research, evaluation, problem solving) in vocational contexts;
• develop an understanding of the impact of information systems on organisations’ personnel, policies and practices;

Details of the course can be viewed on the intranet via school or on the website.

General