ICT

With Kimberley Winterbourne

ICT and computer science bring exciting opportunities for all students to experience and practice a variety of versatile skills.

Y Groups

With the Y groups, my main focus is to build their confidence, interest, and computer literacy. To achieve this, I focus on termly projects that allow students to work at their own pace and set their own expectations.

I follow a general plan for the Y groups, which I adapt for each class based on their interests. The topics sometimes switch between year groups as well, but by the end of Y3, the following topics will have been covered:

  • Y1: E-Safety, intro to coding, presentation skills/product design, introduction to computers, Microbits, and animation.

  • Y2: Interactive spreadsheets and storytelling, coding, inside a computer, binary, Photoshop, and video editing.

  • Y3: Make a magazine, cybersecurity, Python, Blender, flowcharts, final project.

O Groups

I encourage O students to attend lessons, even if they do not want to pursue a GCSE. I feel it is important to continue using skills that will benefit them in the future and to give them the opportunity to pursue personal interests.

I currently offer two GCSE options:

My lessons balance theory and practical work; I often teach through conversation and example; this allows them to see how I fix errors or mistakes that naturally arise when using technology!

The set tasks are always computer-based, which is particularly important for the ICT GCSE. The second exam is a 3-hour practical, therefore it is imperative that they are proficient with every aspect of using a computer. Homework is always provided for the GCSE students, and they are welcome to use the computer room and laptops in their spare time to catch up on work.

Beyond learning the GCSE content, students who engage in the subject develop invaluable problem-solving skills, logical thinking, and the ability to adapt quickly to an ever-changing and advancing technological landscape.