Year 7

After a warm welcome and induction into school systems students will begin by developing their knowledge of Microsoft Office programs such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. Through project work students will create Posters, Interactive stories and budgeting documents which demonstrate a range of skills and techniques needed for use in other curriculum areas.? 

In the second half of the year students will be introduced to scratch programming and will complete two units which build learners confidence and knowledge of key programming constructs. In unit one students will cover, sequencing, variables, selection and count controlled iteration. In the summer term student will take a break from their programming to learn about Computer networks including the World Wide Web and how data is transferred across great distances.? 

Student will finish the year off with Programming 2 which will develop students’ ability to problem solve using the concepts learnt in Programming 1, learn how to write subroutines and create/append lists. 

Running parallel to the in-class curriculum students will complete homework based on Digital literacy themes. For Year 7 digital literacy covers awareness of self-protection, their online perception and their relationships with social media and information online. 

Year 8

During Year 8 students will begin by developing their understanding of a Computer System and how each part has a vital role to play in the execution of programable instructions. Students will also learn about two contemporary topics, Artificial intelligence and Open-source software. Following on from this unit student will spend time reminding themselves of basic block programs and use on event blocks to create two interactive mobile phone games.  

During the spring term students will spend a large period being introduced to their first High-level programming language Python. During this unit students will learn how to produce simple input and outputs before looking are arithmetic and comparison operators, selection, iteration and listing. Students will be immersed in the PRIMM algorithm to resiliently alter and make programs of their own.  

To start off the summer term students will learn about how computers represent data such as numbers and text as binary digits by linking their ideas to practical applications and problems. Finally, to round off the year student will learn a second High-Level programming language called HTML and CSS. Over the series of lesson students will understand the purpose of tags and elements within HTML that will allow them to create a fully functioning webpage.  

Running parallel to the in-class curriculum students will complete homework based on Digital literacy themes. Year 8 digital literacy covers taking risks online, body image and idealised projections and sharing and removing online materials. 

Year 9

During Year 9 students will begin by taking on the role of cyber criminals to learn about techniques used to steal data, disrupt systems, and infiltrate networks. Student will learn about laws governing computer misuse and their rights around freedom of information and the right to be forgotten. In the second half of this term student will experience a taste of a Cambridge nationals qualification offered at KS4 – Enterprise and Marketing. Student will take on the role of an entrepreneur to design and financially evaluate an original brand idea ensuring it appeals to their target demographic and a unique selling point. 

During the spring term students will start by learning the components of a Micro:bit and how to program them using Python. Once they have gotten to grips with its capabilities, they must dream up a project related to a real-world scenario before trying to create it using materials they have collected. I the second half of this term students will experience a second Cambridge nationals qualification offered at KS4 – Creative iMedia. Student will take on the role of a graphics designer plan and create a digital comic strip to raise awareness of online safety issues how students aged 10 to 16 should go about resolving them. 

To start off the summer term students will focus on how images and audio must be translated into binary digits before it can be processed by a computer. Students will understand how perceived quality of these files can be affected by resolution, colour depth and sample rate. To finish off the year students will have the opportunity to use Photoshop and learn about a wide range of tool that can be used to design anything from logos and icons to posters, board games, and complex illustrations. 

Throughout the year students will be completing the Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA, to help develop and demonstrate their digital, enterprise and employability skills. 

Year 10

Students taking this course will spend the next two years working towards a GCSE (9-1) qualification in Computer Science. 

The course content examined by Pearson Edexcel is assessed through two terminal examinations.  

Paper 1: Principles of Computer Science - 1 hour 30 min written examination 

Paper 2: Application of Computational Thinking - 2-hour practical on-screen examination. 

Lessons have been sequenced following the Teach Computing Curriculum designed National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE). This ambitious and inclusive curriculum is planned so that students will spend the majority of Year 10 working their way through an extensive programming unit which takes learners from being complete novices to having the confidence to tackle any GCSE level programming challenge. Essential programming theory is interleaved into the practical elements of programming to provide tangible links between required knowledge and skills.  

When taking a break from programming students will be introduced to Paper 1 topics such as Computer Systems, Data Representation and Algorithms. 

Data Representation 

This unit allows learners to gain the understanding and skills required for the data representation sections of the GCSE computer science exam. First, learners look at binary and hexadecimal numbering systems, how they work, and how to convert between bases. Then, learners explore different coding systems and find out how text, images, and sound are represented in computers. 

Computer Systems  

In this unit, learners will gain an understanding and knowledge of how computer systems work. Starting with the building blocks of the microprocessor - logic gates - learners will discover how a computer system works and executes instructions. 

Algorithms 

The focus of this unit is on searching and sorting algorithms, though other topics are covered, such as computational thinking, flow charts, and tracing algorithms. Students will have opportunities to analyse, interpret, modify, and implement a range of algorithms. 

Year 11

In Year 11 students will start the year by completing the remainder of their programming theory and practice before moving on to the remaining of the Paper 1 topics. These are Impacts of Technology, Computer networks and Network security. 

Impacts of Technology 

Through a range of real-world examples, students will learn how to identify the specific type of impact, i.e. legal, cultural, privacy, environmental, and ethical. They will then progress to identifying stakeholders who are impacted by technology, and learn how these impacts are experienced, negated, or adapted to. 

Computer Networks 

Computer networks have become an integral part of our daily lives. This unit allows learners to explore how a computer network works from the hardware required to the protocols used for communication. It also allows them to explore simulations of networks using Packet Tracer software. 

Network Security 

This unit enables students to gain knowledge and understanding of the range of cybersecurity threats impacting the world, our organisations, as well as us as individuals. Learners will explore security measures that can be put in place to protect networks and your data against different forms of automated and non-automated forms of attack. Once they have understood the impact of cybercrime, they will be inspired to be part of the solution, when they learn about the potential for lucrative and fulfilling careers in cybersecurity. 

Due to the nature and challenge within this course students are expected to attend regular revision sessions and complete programming challenges out of school hours. 

If you would like any more information about our Computing and Business curriculum, please contact Mr R Farooq Head of Computing and Business, by emailing rfarooq@colneprimet.co.uk, filling in the form on our contact us page or phoning the main office to arrange a call back.