Subject Leader:
Mr D Hesketh
Subject supports the whole school curriculum intent statement by ensuring:
Using computer science to develop a way of living that improves the quality of life for all. To prepare students for jobs and careers that don’t yet exist and to do that developing a safe, effective and responsible attitude to using computers in the community
Computing and IT has created a digital divide and our mission is to close that gap and come up with solutions that make society fair, create opportunities for all, respect the environment and have a greater understanding of our moral and ethical obligations. Using computers and IT can make the world a better place, we just need to learn how to do that effectively.
We pride ourselves in developing students that are competent in all aspects of digital literacy so that they have transferable skills in to not only specialist areas but also other subjects and industries where IT can enhance them.
Students in KS3:
Students are taught how to be safe, effective, and responsible computer scientists by completing our key skills computing licence. They will learn how to protect and organise their passwords, files, and folder. Learn how to stay safe using social media, how to browse and search the internet responsibly, how to send and receive email and spot any threats, how to be sustainable and explore e-waste, and the basic components of a computer system.
Students in KS4:
Students that have opted for computer science will study EdExcel Computer Science 1 – 9. Amongst the mandatory units they have to study they will learn Topic 1 – Computational Thinking in order to be able to think like a computer scientist, and Topic 5 – Issues and impacts to learn about the impact of computing on social and environmental issues.
Students in KS5:
Students that have opted for Computer Science will study OCR Computer Science H446. Amongst the mandatory units they will learn Computational Thinking, Legislation and Ethics, and web technologies with accessibility.
Curriculum Journey:
Extra-curricular Information:
We use the online platform Moodle for students to access their work, links to our extra-curricular activities and the Computer Science Learning Hub. We recommend students explore Scratch, Kodu, Codecademy, and Hour of Code. Activities and clubs are invitation only and will be frequently advertised across school. We will notify students about any upcoming trips and opportunities to learn outside of the classroom.
Possible areas of future study:
You may choose to continue your studies at postgraduate level, studying a computer science subject in greater detail through an MSc or PhD. Further study is essential for a career in academia and can be useful for a range of other careers, for example, developing new technologies and products. You can also combine work with further study through Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP).
You could also complete a teaching qualification in order to teach IT in secondary schools. Find out more about teacher training options.
For information on further study and to find a course that interests you, see Masters degrees and search postgraduate courses in computer sciences.
Computing degrees combine theoretical study and practical projects, teaching you subject-specific skills including:
programming languages
hardware architecture and construction
network design and engineering
software engineering
multimedia design
software tools and packages.
You’ll learn how to specify, design and construct computer-based systems, evaluate and recognise potential risks and design creative solutions.
You’ll also get more generic skills from your computing degree including:
• teamwork and leadership
• communication
• problem solving
• negotiation
• time management and organisation
• report writing
• numeracy
• commercial awareness.
Possible future careers:
• Application analyst
• Applications developer
• Cyber security analyst
• Data analyst
• Forensic computer analyst
• Game designer
• Games developer
• Machine learning engineer
• Penetration tester
• Software engineer
• Systems analyst
• UX designer
• Web designer
• Web developer
• Business analyst
• IT sales professional
• IT trainer
• Nanotechnologist
• Network engineer
• Telecommunications researcher