Key Stage 3
Year 7
Intent
Students will begin their journey into Computer Science with an introduction to the high level skills required for the world of work, in our ever fast paced changing society. Our students will be able to evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems. They will also become responsible, competent, confident, and creative users of information and communication technology. Students will foster curiosity, preparing to learn to problem solve and finding ways a computer can assist in this process, and in turn developing logical thinkers.
Learning Journey
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Introduction to Computer Room
- Logging on and off
- Email etiquette
- OneDrive access
- Copy & pasting imagery
- Poster manufacture
- PowerPoint production
- Creation of logos
- Presentation techniques
Key Knowledge
Logging on, Outlook, CC, BBC, cyber security, network, subject, onedrive, folder, SatchelOne, Office365, audience, community, search terms, copy, paste, imagery, themes, media software, presentation software, secure, slide show
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Sequence and variables
- Selection
- Operators
- Count controlled iteration
- Problem Solving
Key Knowledge
Sequencing, subroutines, instructions, execute, Variables, commands, execute, input, process, output, storage, tracing, Expressions, evaluate, conditions, selection, If statements, variables, sequencing, subroutines
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Computer networks and protocols
- Networking and hardware
- Wired and wireless networks
- The internet
- Internet services
- The world wide web
Key Knowledge
3G, 4G, 5G, bandwidth, bit, broadband, buffering, hub HTTP, Internet of Things (IoT), Internet Protocol , mainframe, megabit, gigabit, IP address, packet header, packet payload, Transmission Control Protocol, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), WiFi
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Spreadsheet terminology and basics
- Simple mathematical calculations
- Differences between information and data
- Functions and charts
- Conditional formatting
Key Knowledge
Autofill, average, axis/axes, bar chart, cell, cell reference, chart column, conditional formatting, criterion/criteria, condition, data, drag handle, filter, formula, function, headers, information range, labels, maximum, minimum, pie chart, primary source, row, secondary source, select, series, source
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Subroutines
- Lists
- Condition controlled iteration
- Decomposing a large project
- Robotics
Key Knowledge
Condition, condition-controlled, count-controlled, decomposition, Iteration, list, repeat until, subproblems, subroutine, variable
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Features of a word processor
- Licensing appropriate images
- The credibility of sources
- Researching and planning a blog
- Promoting your cause project
Key Knowledge
Application software, appropriate, audience, blog, citation, creative commons, copyright, credibility, cropping, formatting, fonts, icons, licensing, paraphrase plagiarism, recolouring, referencing, source, text wrapping, word processor
Skill Development
During Year 7 students will develop their basic high quality ICT skills. This will include logging on and off to a computer, accessing and sending emails following standards of etiquette, accessing the OneDrive, and SatchelOne. They will then broaden this to accessing multimedia applications such as Paint and PowerPoint to create a range of slides and logos for a chosen charity assignment. This will strengthen their understanding around copy and paste, search terms, and appropriate image selection. Students will then move on to exploring and understanding the workings of a computer, and the ever fast developing world wide web. Students will also build new understanding around Excel documents, pulling on mathematical knowledge to create a highly detailed spreadsheet. Finally, students will develop their programming skills in two sections, where they will incorporate skills from maths, science, and design and technology to build and program a mini robot to drive independently around a model city. To achieve this, they will develop their algorithmic thinking, the ability to decompose problems into manageable steps and to plan for the opportunity to use the programming constructs (sequence, selection and iteration). Their programming skills will include designing, writing, testing and refining programs, using one or more high-level programming language with a textual program definition to solve a problem.
Year 8
Intent
Students will begin their journey into Computer Science with an introduction to the high level skills required for the world of work, in our ever fast paced changing society. Our students will be able to evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems. They will also become responsible, competent, confident, and creative users of information and communication technology. Students will foster curiosity, preparing to learn to problem solve and finding ways a computer can assist in this process, and in turn developing logical thinkers.
Learning Journey
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Introduction to Computer Room
- Logging on & off
- Email etiquette
- OneDrive access
- Copy & pasting imagery
- Poster manufacture
- PowerPoint production
- Creation of logos
- Presentation techniques
Key Knowledge
Logging on, Outlook, CC, BBC, cyber security, network, subject, onedrive, folder, SatchelOne, Office365, audience, community, search terms, copy, paste, imagery, themes, media software, presentation software, secure, slide show
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Sequence and variables
- Selection
- Operators
- Count controlled iteration
- Problem Solving
Key Knowledge
Sequencing, subroutines, instructions, execute, Variables, commands, execute, input, process, output, storage, tracing, Expressions, evaluate, conditions, selection, If statements, variables, sequencing, subroutines
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Computer networks and protocols
- Networking and hardware
- Wired and wireless networks
- The internet
- Internet services
- The world wide web
Key Knowledge
3G, 4G, 5G, bandwidth, bit, broadband, buffering, hub HTTP, Internet of Things (IoT), Internet Protocol , mainframe, megabit, gigabit, IP address, packet header, packet payload, Transmission Control Protocol, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), WiFi
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Spreadsheet terminology and basics
- Simple mathematical calculations
- Differences between information and data
- Functions and charts
- Conditional formatting
Key Knowledge
Autofill, average, axis/axes, bar chart, cell, cell reference, chart column, conditional formatting, criterion/criteria, condition, data, drag handle, filter, formula, function, headers, information range, labels, maximum, minimum, pie chart, primary source, row, secondary source, select, series, source
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Subroutines
- Lists
- Condition controlled iteration
- Decomposing a large project
- Robotics
Key Knowledge
Condition, condition-controlled, count-controlled, decomposition, Iteration, list, repeat until, subproblems, subroutine, variable
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Features of a word processor
- Licensing appropriate images
- The credibility of sources
- Researching and planning a blog
- Promoting your cause project
Key Knowledge
Application software, appropriate, audience, blog, citation, creative commons, copyright, credibility, cropping, formatting, fonts, icons, licensing, paraphrase plagiarism, recolouring, referencing, source, text wrapping, word processor
Skill Development
During Year 8 students will develop their basic high quality ICT skills. This will include logging on and off to a computer, accessing and sending emails following standards of etiquette, accessing the OneDrive, and SatchelOne. They will then broaden this to accessing multimedia applications such as Paint and PowerPoint to create a range of slides and logos for a chosen charity assignment. This will strengthen their understanding around copy and paste, search terms, and appropriate image selection. Students will then move on to exploring and understanding the workings of a computer, and the ever fast developing world wide web. Students will also build new understanding around Excel documents, pulling on mathematical knowledge to create a highly detailed spreadsheet. Finally, students will develop their programming skills in two sections, where they will incorporate skills from maths, science, and design and technology to build and program a mini robot to drive independently around a model city. To achieve this, they will develop their algorithmic thinking, the ability to decompose problems into manageable steps and to plan for the opportunity to use the programming constructs (sequence, selection and iteration). Their programming skills will include designing, writing, testing and refining programs, using one or more high-level programming language with a textual program definition to solve a problem.
Year 9
Intent
Students will become responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. We aim to foster curiosity and thinking skills in all our learners, preparing them to learn how to look at a problem and working out a way a computer might be able to help you solve it. We want our students to become logical thinkers and problem solvers. Pupils will foster the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to participate successfully in an increasingly technological world. We aspire to bring the technological world into the classroom allowing access to latest and most significant technological creation.
Learning Journey
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Build confidence and knowledge of the key programming constructs.
- Use Makecode
- Create using Block code
- Learn programming concepts
- Sequencing
- Variables
- Selection
- Count-controlled iteration.
Key Knowledge
Instructions, sequence, order, predict, modify, variable, data, input, output, condition, true, false
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Introduction to text-based programming with Python.
- Simple programs
- Input and output,
- Arithmetic operations
- Randomness,
- Selection
- Iteration.
- Tackle common misconceptions
- Understand program execution.
- pair programming
- Live coding
Key Knowledge
Sequencing, subroutines, execute, Variables, commands, process, storage, tracing, expressions, evaluate, conditions, selection, If statements
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- How data can be represented and processed in sequences
- Lists and strings.
- Operations on sequences of data.
- Access an element of a sequence
- Manipulating entire sequences.
- Pair programming
- live coding, and worked examples.
- Python programs that display messages
- Use simple arithmetic expressions
- Control the flow of program execution. through selection and iteration structures
Key Knowledge
Program, display, input, arithmetic, selection, if, else, expressions, flow diagrams, syntax, control, debug, errors, list, create, operations, perform,
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Introduced to data science
- Understand and investigate global and local data sets
- gain an understanding of how visualising data can help with the process of identifying patterns and trends.
- Know how to use data to investigate problems.
- Use data to make changes to the world around them.
Key Knowledge
Patterns, trends, data sets, criteria, findings, correlations, outliners, investigative cycle, problem solve, data capture, data cleansing
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Create digital media
- Manipulate images and sounds,
- Discover how media is stored as binary code
- Compose images out of individual elements
- Mix elementary colours to produce new ones
- Take samples of analogue signals to illustrate ideas
- Form one coherent narrative.
- Use design software (GIMP and Audacity in this case)
- Manipulate images and sounds.
- Understand how the underlying principles of digital representations are applied in real settings
Key Knowledge
Digital image, binary, pixel, resolution, colour depth, bits, colour intensity, ethics, copywrite, sample, sampling, frequency, attributes
Themes, Concepts and Questions
- Physical computing, using the BBC micro:bit.
- Write simple programs that use micro:bit components to interact
- Use Python programming skills
- Program patterns within physical computing applications
- Work in pairs to build a physical computing project.
- Select and design s project
- Build prototypes.
- Maintain a diary of making diary
- Use variables and data structures track of information.
- Combine sequence, selection, iteration, and function/method calls to control the flow of program execution.
Key Knowledge
Micro:bit, output device, input device, GPIO, wireless, physical computer, computing systems, decompose, implement, revise, refine ADC
GPIP - General purpose input & output
ADC - Analogue to digital converter
Skill Development
Students will build on their understanding of the control structures’ sequence, selection, and iteration (the big three), and develop their problem-solving skills. Learners will learn how to create their own subroutines, develop their understanding of decomposition, learn how to create and use lists, and build upon their problem-solving skills by working through a larger project at the end of the unit.
Python based lessons form a journey that starts with simple programs involving input and output, and gradually moves on through arithmetic operations, randomness, selection, and iteration. Emphasis is placed on tackling common misconceptions and elucidating the mechanics of program execution. A range of pedagogical tools is employed throughout the unit, with the most prominent being pair programming, live coding, and worked examples.
Students show how data can be represented and processed in sequences, such as lists and strings. lessons cover a spectrum of operations on sequences of data, that range from accessing an individual element to manipulating the entire sequence. Great care has been taken so that the selection of problems used in the programming tasks are realistic and engaging, with the most prominent being pair programming, live coding, and worked examples.
Students will be introduced to data science, and by the end of the unit they will be empowered by knowing how to use data to investigate problems and make changes to the world around them. Pupils gain an understanding of how visualising data can help with the process of identifying patterns and trends.
Creation of digital media such as images and sounds, and discover how media is stored as binary code. You will draw on familiar examples of composing images out of individual elements, mix elementary colours to produce new ones, take samples of analogue signals to illustrate these ideas, and then bring all these things together to form one coherent narrative. The unit has a significant practical aspect; you will use design software (GIMP and Audacity in this case) to manipulate images and sounds.
This unit applies and enhances the learners’ programming skills in a new engaging context: physical computing, using the BBC micro:bit. In the first half of the unit, pupils will get acquainted with the host of components built into the micro:bit, and write simple programs that use these components to interact with the physical world. In the process, they will refresh their Python programming skills and encounter a range of programming patterns that arise frequently in physical computing applications. In the second half, learners will work in pairs to build a physical computing project