Information and Communication Technology (ICT) & Computing
Welcome to Information and Communication Technology & Computing
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Computing permeates all aspects of life, providing newer, better, and quicker ways for people to interact, network, seek help, gain access to information, and learn.
We want to ensure that all students have the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding to not only succeed in today’s modern digital world, but also have the means to continue their learning so they can successfully access the opportunities and face the challenges of the future
At Uffculme School we provide students with the opportunity to learn three distinct but inter-related ‘disciplines’:
ICT - in this area we focus on the way in which digital information is communicated
IT - here we focus on computer hardware, the way they process data and how they communicate with one another
Computer Science - this area involves the theory of computing including introducing students to programming
Our aim is for all students to lay the foundations of all three disciplines so they can confidently make use of technology now and in the future, whether they choose to pursue it in further study or as a career, or simply wish to be able to use it effectively in their everyday lives
Key Stage 3
At KS3, we focus on creating strong foundations in both the knowledge and skills for learning that students will need later on in KS4 and to equip and prepare them for later life. Delivery of KS3 ICT at Uffculme School is through both dedicated lessons and cross-curricular provision.
All students study ICT for a minimum of one hour per week in KS3 in a dedicated ICT suite. By necessity the ICT curriculum is continually evolving so that students to ensure it remains current and relevant.
In addition to this taught provision all departments contribute to the enhancement of students’ ICT experience in a wide variety of ways.
Access to computers is also provided at lunchtime with a staffed ICT room being made available for the completion of school work.
The school has invested heavily in its ICT provision with a range of desktop PCs, tablets and laptops being available to students. A ‘friendly’ wi-fi network allows students to connect to the internet in order to complete their studies when not in an ICT suite.
Key Stage 4
Students who wish to continue their studies at KS4 have a choice of pathways: either ICT or Computer Science.
ICT - Currently the ICT pathway follows the BTEC Level 2 Technical Award in Digital Information Technologies, see here for more detail. This is a two year course with 3 components being equivalent to a GCSE. Component 1 (User Interfaces) & Component 2 (Using Data) are coursework based and make up 60% of the grade with Component 3 (Digital Working Practices) being exam based and making up the remaining 40% of the overall grade. Students follow this course in Year 10 and Year 11, having two dedicated lessons a week in both years.
Computer Science - The other Key Stage 4 option is Computer Science. This course spans Years 10 and 11 with two lessons per week. The course we follow is from the OCR exam board: J277 Computer Science (9-1). More information from the exam board can be found here. The assessment for this course is entirely exam based, with two exam components: Paper 1 (Computer Systems) and Paper 2 (Computational Thinking, Algorithms and Programming). There is also a 20 hour compulsory programming coursework component that needs to be completed but is not assessed as part of the final GCSE grade.
If you require further information about the ICT and Computing curriculum at KS3 or KS4, please contact Mr Ledger, Head of Department, at LedgerA@uffculmeschool.bep.ac
Extra Curricular Opportunities
Every student has access to The Cloud where they can find details of extracurricular tasks to complete. There are badges available for the Bronze, Silver and Gold challenges.
Students also have the opportunity to attend the Raspberry Pi club which runs at lunchtime or to join the Robotics Team building and preparing their robots for competition events.
Towards the end of Year 10 students can apply to become ICT prefects taking on additional responsibilities in and around the department.