Computing

Computer science is focused on creating new applications for computers. This means that computer scientists must have a deeper understanding of computers, algorithms, programming languages, theory and so on.

Information and communications technology focuses on how to best use the programs out there. This means that information and communication technology professionals need to know about existing applications, how they interact, how they are best used and how to troubleshoot problems between them.

Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.

Rationale

The rationale is to provide a progressive, knowledge rich KS3 and KS4 curriculum which flows across the years and is underpinned by the four Computational Thinking Skills (Algorithmic Thinking; Problem Solving; Abstraction and Decomposition). This will be achieved through a comprehensive 5 year curriculum model where we will be establishing key knowledge and skills that include effective practical and analytical approaches with Literacy and numeracy embedded throughout. This curriculum model will enable learners to gain access to higher GCSE content in earlier years to support accelerated learning and the transition between the two key stages will be bridged effectively. The computational knowledge and skills developed by learners will provide them with a secure foundation to access computing at post 16 and consequently STEM related career aspirations.

Objectives

Students will be learning different applications of these combined skills and applications of knowledge relating to six broad strands of assessment theme. The themes are:

• Algorithms
• Programming & Development
• Data & Data Representation
• Communications & Networks
• Hardware & Processing
• Information Technology

These strands are taken from the National Curriculum for Computing and all content taught is mapped back to aspects for these six strands.