Computing

In Year 7 the computing curriculum is planned so that all students, irrespective of previous education before joining The King’s (The Cathedral) School, are all at the same starting point where they will be taught the ICT skills necessary for accessing the school network such as logging on to the school system, how to use email and signing into Microsoft Teams. 

After embedding the basic skills to allow the students to use the school network successfully, we move onto E-safety and combine this with how to use ICT applications such as PowerPoint effectively. Students then move onto the history of computers which is designed to give students an understanding of how computers have changed over time. This leads seamlessly into a unit of work where the students consider the question ‘what is a computer’ (working with the input-process-output model and investigating input and output devices) and ‘how do computers work’ (introducing binary and important computer components). 

Once the students understand how a computer works, they then progress onto elements of programming with Scratch (of which some but not all students will have had an introduction to in Year 5/6). Scratch is a block programming coding language that has a simple visual interface which allows the students to become creative in their programs. Scratch promotes computational thinking skills and builds on their problem-solving skills.

By this point Year 7 will be confident in their use of block programming so it is at this point that they are introduced to their second programming language. They get to use the BBC micro:bit, a pocket-sized computer. This shows the students how software and hardware work together. Although this is their second block coding language, in this one they are introduced to how they use the blocks to code a simple program, compile it and download it onto the micro:bit. This will develop their understanding of creating programs (using selection, sequencing and iteration) and build on their understanding of problem-solving.

After using 2 block programming applications there is a natural progression to textual programming using Python. Students will use their knowledge on sequencing and iteration in conjunction with their problem-solving skills to program inputs/outputs/variables, and finally they will be introduced to the selection construct. Therefore, by the end of this unit the students will have been introduced to all 3 of the basic building blocks in programming (sequence, selection and iteration).

Finally, the end of Year 7 comes full circle, and we look at how computers are used in modern day society with a particular focus on robots and humanoids. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using robots in different settings and this will then lead into a discussion on the impact robots have had on jobs in the present day.

The Year 8 curriculum is designed to build on knowledge gained in Year 7 and give students opportunity to learn more than one programming language, so they start with HTML. This unit is completed over whole term as it requires students to use their digital literacy skills to research material on a given topic, then repurpose this information to create a prototype webpage/website and then all this planning will feed into the creation of a webpage/website.  Year 8 then move onto using Edublocks which enables the revisiting of computing concepts introduced in Year 7 (sequence, selection & iteration).  By this point in Year 8 students should have a sound understanding of the computing concepts of sequence, selection & iteration so they are given an opportunity to apply these to everyday situations to see if the concepts can be transferred successfully. It is at this point we familiarise students with the flowcharting ‘tool’ (Microsoft Visio) which is designed to help students to showcase their understanding of sequence, selection & iteration and also introduces them to a skill that is required at KS4. The last term in Year 8 is given over to Boolean Logic and Python programming. Even though students will not have realised it they will have used the principles of Boolean Logic in their last unit. Therefore, we use this time to formalise their understanding of the concept of using simple comparisons to help make decisions (Boolean Logic). Once this concept is understood students then revisit their programming knowledge from Year 7 and incorporate the use of Boolean Logic to write simple programs in Python.

The Year 9 curriculum is designed to build upon knowledge gained in Year 7 and 8 and allow students to explore computing concepts in greater depth to prepare them for KS4 should they wish to carry on studying the subject. 

Python is revisited at the start of Year 9 where students concentrate on the concepts of sequence, selection & iteration within the use of functions which is an essential feature of the KS4 curriculum. This programming unit is used to bring together all the programming concepts that have been learnt in Years 7, 8 & 9. 

At this point students are taken away from the concepts of algorithm and programming, and revisit ‘what is a computer’ and ‘how do computers work’ from Year 7 and use this knowledge to look at how networks and the Internet work (to include how data is transferred from one computer to the next safely and securely). 

After revisiting binary from earlier on in the Key Stage students then begin investigating more complex algorithms such as searching and sorting data and look at why encryption and compression are needed in modern day communication – this will help them to be able to understand how data in transferred using their digital devices. 

Students then get the opportunity to undertake a creative project that involves selecting, using, and combining multiple applications across a range of devices. They look at how a computer control system works in the form of a water-based ride understanding the health and safety aspects that need to be considered when designing a new water-based ride. They will have to work collaboratively (using Office 365) to plan / design their own water-based ride, work out finances by interrogating a spreadsheet model, set up a marketing campaign aimed at the 21st century and finishing off with presenting their ideas to the class.

To end the KS3 curriculum Year 9 embark upon an independent task which challenges them to develop and demonstrate their digital, enterprise and employability skills.  Students will complete badges (from the following topics: Citizen, Worker, Maker, Entrepreneur and Gamer) and as they complete each badge they collect points. iDEA badges have been mapped against several inputs including National Curricula and the Skills Builder Framework. This helps support life, employability and soft skills, as well as a range of specialist subjects such as enterprise and formal computing (digital literacy, computer science and IT). We end with this unit as it reinforces the work covered at KS3 and is designed to sustain interest for those who may not wish to study Computer Science at KS4; whilst challenging all students to work towards collecting 250 points to claim a Bronze Award and some students will move on and complete the Silver Award (400 points).