Computer Science
Head of Department : Mr Butler - PBUTLER@LARKMEAD.VALE-ACADEMY.ORG
Key Stage 3
At Key Stage 3 students develop their skills on how to use IT effectively in a place of work. Students are introduced to the school network and wider school learning gateways including:
- The school email system
- RM Unify the school learning portal
- Show My Homework which allows students and parents to access homework
- Microsoft Teams allowing students and parents to participate in distance collaborative learning
Students learn how to be effective users and managers of IT and how to organise effectively their digital work. Students will build skills in software necessary for them to work across the curriculum. For example, understanding effective use of email for submitting work.
Students will also develop their understanding of Computer Science and i-Media as subjects at Key Stage 4. In Computer Science students develop their understanding through computational thinking. They will also have the opportunity to learn the basics of a high-level programming language such as Python. i-Media offers a more hands-on creative approach to computing. Through the basic theory of production in a design studio and hands-on production techniques, students will experience some of the skills necessary to be successful following the i-Media pathway.
Key Stage 4
What will my child learn in Computer Science
GCSE in Computer Science is engaging and practical, encouraging creativity and problem solving. It encourages students to develop their understanding and application of the core concepts in computer science. Students also analyse problems in computational terms and devise creative solutions by designing, writing, testing and evaluating programs.
Component 01: Computer systems
Introduces students to the central processing unit (CPU), computer memory and storage, data representation, wired and wireless networks, network topologies, system security and system software. It also looks at ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns associated with computer science.
Component 02: Computational thinking, algorithms and programming
Students apply knowledge and understanding gained in component 01. They develop skills and understanding in computational thinking: algorithms, programming techniques, producing robust programs, computational logic and translators.
Practical programming
Students are to be given the opportunity to undertake a programming task(s) during their course of study which allows them to develop their skills to design, write, test and refine programs using a high-level programming language. Students will be assessed on these skills during the written examinations, in particular component 02.