The department strives for all students to enjoy their Computing experience at Marshland. We want everyone to develop their digital literacy and Computing skills whilst having fun and gaining transferable skills that are relevant to students’ own lives and experiences. Computing is a dynamic and ever-changing subject that opens up many different future paths and will stay with students and affect future decisions.

Staff

We are an enthusiastic and dedicated department that works hard to ensure pupils enjoy learning all the different aspects of Computing. We are forward thinking, supportive and committed to sharing ideas and resources.

The Computing Curriculum

The curriculum equips our students to use computational thinking and creativity and to understand the computer laws that protect us. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science and design and technology and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems.

The core of computing is computer science, in which students are taught the principle of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.

Building on this knowledge and understanding, students are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.

Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Key Stage 3

In Year 7 pupils begin with an introduction to the network, systems that they will use. They learn about Health and Safety involved with computing with a particular emphasis on E-Safety. Pupils also learn about spreadsheets to develop their knowledge of formulas and if statements. An understanding is then developed about flow diagrams which leads into pupil’s introduction to programming using ‘Scratch’ to create computer games.  Pupils first introduction to programming using text happens at the end of year 7 where they use ‘Python’ and learn the basics ready for further use in other years.

In Year 8 pupils learn to program a website using HTML code. They further develop their web skills using Serif to create a website about the History of Computing. Pupils then build upon knowledge in Year 7 to develop their programming skill using ‘Python’. Other topics that pupils study in Year 8 include Animation and Video Editing, Spreadsheets, building upon knowledge in Year 7 and an introduction to Databases.

In Year 9 pupils start by looking at photo editing.  They then look at how binary is used to represent text, images and sound.  Pupils then build upon their knowledge of databases from Year 8 to create a relational database.  Still building on previous knowledge, pupils learn more advanced techniques and code using ‘Python’.  To complete KS3, pupils then undertake an integrated project utilising skills learnt throughout KS3.

Key Stage 4

We offer OCR GCSE Computer Science:

OCR GCSE Computer Science is a single tiered academic qualification. Unit 1 is Computer Systems and Unit 2 is Computational Thinking.  There are two exams, each 1 hour 30 minutes long.  There is also a practical programming aspect to this course where pupils develop their skills to design, write, test and refine programmes using ‘Python’ programming language.

Accommodation

The department has two dedicated IT suites for use within the department. Each suite is equipped with a projector and an additional Large TV Screen, 31 modern computers all with network access, broadband internet, numerous software applications that are all used within industry and colour printers.