In the first two years at the school, students will cover all aspects of the Key Stage 3 programme of study. The Scheme of Work is designed to cater for pupils working between levels 4 to 7. It is also designed to be challenging and to raise expectations whilst also preparing students for further study at Key Stage 4.
In Year 7, opportunities are provided for work on information retrieval and its presentation, spreadsheet modelling, data management, multimedia and sequencing instructions. Modules of work in Year 7 are small (generally 3 to 4 hours each) and are skills based, giving students the opportunity to build upon their experience at Key Stage 2. In the first year of school we hope to give pupils experience and confidence in the use of a wide range of hardware and software.
In Year 8, students have the opportunity to become more autonomous users of ICT and to independently use the hardware and software available to them. Modules of work become larger and more project-based, often requiring students to use multiple applications to solve a particular problem. Project management skills are explicitly covered and expanded upon. Students in Year 8 are encouraged to peer review each other’s solutions and to focus on the demands of the end-user rather than simply if a solution “works”.
