Computing
Subject intent
Computing is at the heart of today’s world. During their time at KS3, students will have an opportunity to develop their cultural capital as they are exposed to the significance of the subject and its impact upon the present and their future use of technology.
The journey will take students through the significant changes computing has brought to the world and the, the first computer scientist Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing’s code breaker during WW2 as an introduction to encryption to the birth of the internet, and how these will change lives today and tomorrow.
The curriculum will develop students’ understanding of computational thinking, providing necessary problem solving through abstraction, decomposition, and pattern recognition. Computer Science is a subject which develops transferable life skills preparing students for a successful career, including that in a rapidly growing digital industry.
This is a scientific curriculum, allowing students to make informed decisions about current and future use of technology they are using, through the enjoyment of discovery and exploration.
We understand that students bring a varied experience from KS2. Our aim is to provide and deliver a curriculum that provides rigour and depth that prepares for KS4 and helps develop the whole student.
Numeracy, literacy, oracy, and core ICT skills are fundamental and underpin our pedagogy and what we choose to teach.
We aim to provide outstanding delivery through a consistent and collaborative approach which will benefit learners across the CLF to be competitive in the world of tomorrow.
Link to KS4 specification
OCR Specification for Computer Science
Curriculum plan
| Year 7 | ||||
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3+4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
| Computer Systems How do we use computers responsibly in the real world? In class assessments demonstrating skills and knowledge. | Hardware (DOYA AP1) What makes our computers function? In class assessments (Unit 2) demonstrating skills and knowledge (Unit 2) Written paper test DOYA descriptors – holistic judgement | Computational Thinking How do we begin to solve problems using a computer? In class assessments (Unit 3) demonstrating skills and knowledge. (Unit 3) | Data representation (DOYA AP2) How and why do computers understand data differently to us? In class assessments (Unit 4) demonstrating skills and knowledge (Unit 4) Written paper test DOYA descriptors – holistic judgement | Digital literacy project Creative ICT – Project Interactive PowerPoint: Basic PPT skills recap (open, create slides, add content etc) Hyperlinking Non-linear planning/branching (link to CS flowcharts) User requirements In class assessment |
| Year 8 | ||||
| Hardware How does hardware effect the performance of a system? In class assessments demonstrating skills and knowledge.
| Networking (DOYA AP1) What is a computer network? In class assessments (Unit 2) demonstrating skills and knowledge (Unit 2) Written paper test DOYA descriptors – holistic judgement | Computational Thinking How do we begin to solve problems using a computer? In class assessments (Unit 3) demonstrating skills and knowledge. (Unit 3) | Data representation (DOYA AP2) How and why do computers understand data differently to us? demonstrating skills and knowledge (Unit 4) Written paper test DOYA descriptors – holistic judgement | Digital literacy project Spreadsheet modelling Cell references Basic functions (sum etc) Formatting What if analysis? In class assessment |
| Year 9 | |||||
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | Term 4 | Term 5 | Term 6 |
| Algorithms and programming techniques How does hardware effect the performance of a system? In class assessments demonstrating skills and knowledge.
| Practical application of algorithms and programming techniques (DOYA AP1) What is a computer network? In class assessments (Unit 2) demonstrating skills and knowledge (Unit 2) Written paper test DOYA descriptors – holistic judgement | Networking Computer networks and internet services In class assessments (Unit 3) demonstrating skills and knowledge. (Unit 3) | System security Threats and solutions to network security In class assessments (Unit 4) demonstrating skills and knowledge. (Unit 4) | Data representation (DOYA AP2) How and why do computers understand data differently to us? demonstrating skills and knowledge (Unit 4) Written paper test DOYA descriptors – holistic judgement | Digital Literacy Research and presentation Meeting the needs of a customer Profile of target audience Research skills Reliability and Bias Itinerary Risk assessment Presentation skills
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