First Year
The first year of the ICT and Computing course in key stage 3 aims to enforce good working practise in pupils regarding the use of ICT and Computing. General skills in navigation, file handling, use of internet, as well as copyright and health and safety legislation go on to form the basis of much of the work later in the curriculum.
The first year is split into three main sections:
1. Researching and presenting information, in the form of:
a. Text
b. Printed publications
c. Recorded and spoken audio
d. Multimedia videos and presentations
2. Data handling:
a. Introduction to spreadsheet
b. Storing and querying data in databases
c. Practical spreadsheet projects
3. IT Systems:
a. Simple command and control systems
b. Representation of logic and flow diagrams
c. Practical programming project
With a basic set of these general skills, pupils will go on to research and work independently on open-ended projects by applying the skills where they see an opportunity and need.
Second Year
The second year aims to bring together many of the ICT and Computing skills developed last year as they are used in an extended practical project. Pupils will find that the objectives they are asked to meet can be achieved with varying degrees of efficiency with the skills that they have. Once a solution to a set problem in implemented, pupils will learn to build on their skills and expand the scope of their solution.
The project sees pupils take on the role of a band manager for an up-and-coming group. Pupils are given the following aims which they must meet:
• Design an identity for the artist
• Finance the artists and keep track of expenses, income, and profit
• Advertise and promote the artist
• Write, record, mix, and master some music for the artist
• Manage the public image and communications with the artists
• Create a website for the artist
Each of these points can be fulfilled with some of the tools introduced last year, but all of these will be heavily expanded upon to show pupils what is possible. Additionally, the project is made relevant to the real world with the use of current business and design applications, including Photoshop for graphics editing and Dreamweaver for HTML/CSS web pages.