Computing at Millom School
The Computing Department at Millom School has gone through great change, enthusiastically reacting to seismic changes in the subject curriculum. The crucial change being where once we concerned ourselves with training our students to use software, we now also require them to be able to create their own.
Our scheme of work (SOW) has been under-going transformation, so as to devise a programme of learning that not only secures the basic Information and Communication Technology (ICT) skills of word processing, desktop publishing etc., and continues to develop work related skills such as financial modelling and data handling, but that now meets the new requirements for our students to become comfortable users of both graphic and text based programming languages.
An important part of this internal review is to explore ways in which we can facilitate external involvement in the day to day workings of our department. We have begun to introduce OneNote as a teaching and learning facility, and SharePoint will soon follow it. Your child may have missed a day of school and may well be concerned about the lessons they have missed. No problem – pop your child in front of the computer and they can catch-up on that lesson through OneNote/SharePoint. Your child is asking you for help with their homework but you aren’t quite sure how to help. No problem – pop yourself in front of the computer and brush up on your skills through OneNote/SharePoint. Want to see what work your child is producing in a digital portfolio? No problem – OneNote/SharePoint. Our intention, over the coming weeks and months is to ensure the services required to facilitate the kind of engagement outlined above are fully embedded.
Taught by:
Mr L Higgins
Mr P Rawlinson
KS3
At KS3, key themes include e-safety, producing business-style documents, financial modelling, data handling, and programming.
We are finding that the new programming thread is kindling huge enthusiasm in some of our young students, and please be aware that the Python language we have decided to use is freely available for your child to download and experiment with at home. You might even want to have a go yourself! If you want to encourage this enthusiasm the following list is a great and affordable range of literature:
• Cambridge Press: Coding Club, Python Series
• Python for Kids, Jason R. Briggs
Additionally, the Code Academy Website is a great place to extend learning – www.codeacademy.com
KS4
At KS4 we currently offer two pathways to success – through ICT, and through Computing.
The more traditional ICT route (and the one all current Year 11 students follow) comes in the form of the Level 2 ITQ, and is divided up as follows:
• 70% written test at end of course.
• 30% controlled assignment.
You can access information and resources for the course from the exam board website, which is as follows:
https://theingots.org/community/ICT_qualification_info_units
The current Year 10 curriculum is a little more diverse than that followed by the current Year 11 cohort, as although there remains a number of Year 10 students who are following the ICT route (that continues to run as specified above), it is from within this group that our first optional entry to the OCR GCSE Computer Science course will come.
The structure of the Computing course is divided up as follows:
• 80% written test at end of course.
• 20% controlled assessment.
You can access information and resources for the course from the exam board website, which is as follows:
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/gcse-computer-science-j276-from-2016/
The small size of this group has made it possible for the department to supply these students with all the literature they require. However, you may also wish to purchase the books featured under the KS3 heading.
KS5
We currently offer our 6th Form students AS and A2 levels in ICT, following the WJEC specification.
Each level comprises of two sections – a written test worth 60% of their final mark, and a controlled assessment making up the other 40%.
This course builds nicely on the previous learning of the students from the Cambridge Nationals at KS4, and prepares them for a wide range of computer based courses at degree level. They could even follow my path into teaching!
In terms of a reading list, the smaller numbers involved at this level allows us to provide the students with the books they need.
I would guide you to the exam board website, at:
http://www.wjec.co.uk/qualifications/ict/information-and-communication-technology-gce-a-as/
Looking to the future, we will soon begin to cast our eye on Computer Science (as opposed to ICT) options at KS5, to ensure that when our current Year 10 Computer Science students come through, they will have the best option waiting for them to facilitate their continued study of the emerging subject.
We are also examining options for a Level 3 ICT qualification, to replace the WJEC A Level as the latter reaches the end of its life cycle.