Pupil looking at a computer screen in a Computing lesson

Computing

Our expert teachers guide students through an ambitious and challenging Computing curriculum, encouraging critical thinking and independent working. Pupils develop strong problem-solving skills and are encouraged to code in a variety of languages, from the visual environments of Scratch and SNAP to the text-based languages Python and C#.

Learning is sequenced, with key elements of theory from the Key Stage above included in class work and homework; Year 8 pupils are introduced to some simplified GCSE theory and extend their programming skills, strands of work which are continued into Year 9.

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Students in Years 7 are taught for two periods a fortnight, and one period a fortnight in Year 8. In Year 9 pupils have one period a fortnight. Weekly homework is set, with three spacious computer rooms available outside of lesson times for the completion of class work or homework. Year 7 students take baseline tests at the start and end of the year to assess levels of knowledge, covering theory and programming. Year 8 and 9 pupils sit a formal Computer Science theory paper during exam week.

Year 7

Induction and intro to Office. Spreadsheets and Dream PC. Coding and Scratch. Web pages and HTML. Databases. Term 6 coding, Scratch project.

Year 8

Cyber security, esafety and number systems. Software design: Frogger. How the internet works. Coding: small basic. Representing images and sounds. Coding project: small basic text adventure.

Year 9

Cyber security. Coding: Introduction to Python. System hardware (parts of a computer). Physical computing (programming a microbit). Data science. Social and ethical aspects of computing.

Pupils taking Computer Science in Years 10 and 11 follow the AQA GCSE Computer Science course and are taught for five periods a fortnight. Weekly homework is set and includes theory questions, research and practical coding tasks. The course is assessed through two written examinations which each comprise 50% of the final marks.

Year 10

Programming using Visual Studio. Aspects of software development. Fundamentals of algorithms. Programming. Fundamentals of data representation. Computer systems.

Year 11

Relational databases and SQL. Fundamentals of computer networks. Fundamentals of cybersecurity.

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Students follow the AQA A Level Computer Science syllabus and are taught for nine periods a fortnight in Year 12 and 10 in Year 13. Weekly homework tasks are set and pupils are expected to practise coding in at least two languages on a regular basis. Public examinations are sat at the end of Year 13. Paper 1, 40% of the marks, includes practical coding and questions related to a given ‘skeleton’ program. Paper 2, 40% of the marks, is a written paper with short and long answer questions. The programming project requires students to analyse a problem, design a solution, and then code and test it. The project takes place throughout the course and students are expected to complete some of this work outside of lessons.

Entry requirement

Grade 7 Computer Science GCSE (or Grade 7 Maths GCSE if Computer Science was not taken at GCSE).

Year 12 & 13

Programming. Data structures. Algorithms. Theory of computation. Data representation. Computer systems. Computer organisation and architecture. Consequences of uses of computing. Communications and networks. Databases. Big data. Functional programming. Systematic approach to problem solving. Computing practical project.

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Our three large computer classrooms are available for quiet work outside of lessons to support all students who wish to continue classwork or to undertake further independent study, whether in Computer Science or other subjects. There is a popular weekly lunchtime Coding Club, which is open to students of all ages who enjoy creating their own games and building websites.

Head of Computing

Peter Johnson [email protected]