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Computer Science

Key stage 3

Our vision for Computer Science at Kirk Hallam Community Academy is an inspiring, rigorous curriculum centred around the teaching and learning of knowledge and practical competencies.​

By the end of Key Stage 3 students will understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. Students will also be able to analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems.​

Students will be able evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems and be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

Year 7

Unit 1: E-safety

This unit is designed to support students understanding of e-safety and using then internet appropriately. The students learn and understand how to stay safe online and how to report inappropriate content. They become aware of the threats from the internet as well as well as how to monitor their use of online services to make sure they achieve a realistic life balance.

Unit 2: File and folder management and working in the cloud

This unit supports the students’ understanding of file and folder management. The students understand the difference between file and folder management and how and why it is used. They also learn how to work in the cloud, using cloud-services to access, edit and share documents and work collaboratively on a document or project.

Unit 3: Clear messaging in digital media

This unit is designed to build upon learners' experience in key stage 2. It requires learners to use a range of different skills across several pieces of software. Learners will work between different applications to create a poster and slides on a given theme. The unit is designed so that learners can concentrate on applying skills that they may have previously learnt as well as those learnt in the unit.

Unit 4: Networks

This unit begins by defining a network and addressing the benefits of networking, before covering how data is transmitted across networks using protocols. The types of hardware required are explained, as is wired and wireless data transmission. Learners will develop an understanding of the terms ‘internet’ and ‘World Wide Web’, and of the key services and protocols used. Practical exercises are included throughout to help strengthen understanding.

Unit 5: Programming

This unit is the first programming unit of KS3. The aim of this unit and the following unit is to build learners’ confidence and knowledge of the key programming constructs. Importantly, this unit does not assume any previous programming experience, but it does offer learners the opportunity to expand on their knowledge throughout the unit. The main programming concepts covered in this unit are sequencing, variables, selection, and count-controlled iteration.

Unit 6: Modelling using spreadsheets

The spreadsheet unit for Year 7 takes learners from having very little knowledge of spreadsheets to being able to confidently model data with a spreadsheet. The unit uses engaging activities to progress learners from using basic formulas to writing their own COUNTIF statements. This unit will give learners a good set of skills that they can use in computing lessons and in other subject areas.

Unit 7: Programming

Unit 8: Gaining support for a cause

During this unit, learners develop their understanding of information technology and digital literacy skills. They will use the skills learnt across the unit to create a blog post about a real-world cause that they would like to gain support for. Learners will develop software formatting skills and explore concerns surrounding the use of other people’s work, including licensing and legal issues. 

Year 8

Unit 1: E-safety

This unit is designed to support students understanding of e-safety and using then internet appropriately. The students learn and understand how to stay safe online and how to report inappropriate content.

Unit 2: File and folder management

This unit supports the students understanding of file and folder management. The students understand the difference between file and folder management and how and why it is used.

Unit 3: Media – Vector graphics

This unit offers learners the opportunity to design graphics using vector graphic editing software. By the end of the unit learners will have produced an illustration, a logo, or some icons using vector graphics.

Unit 4: Layers of computing systems

This unit takes learners on a tour through the different layers of computing systems: from programs and the operating system, to the physical components that store and execute these programs, to the fundamental binary building blocks that these components consist of.

Unit 5: Developing for the web

In this unit, learners will explore the technologies that make up the internet and World Wide Web. Starting with an exploration of the building blocks of the World Wide Web, HTML, and CSS, learners will investigate how websites are catalogued and organised for effective retrieval using search engines. By the end of the unit, learners will have a functioning website. 

Unit 6: Representations

This unit conveys essential knowledge relating to binary representations. The activities gradually introduce learners to binary digits and how they can be used to represent text and numbers. The concepts are linked to practical applications and problems that the learners are familiar with.

Unit 7: Mobile app development

In a world where there’s an app for every possible need, this unit aims to take the learners from designer to project manager to developer in order to create their own mobile app. Using App Lab from code.org, learners will familiarise themselves with the coding environment and have an opportunity to build on the programming concepts they used in previous units before undertaking their project. Learners will work in pairs to consider the needs of the user; decompose the project into smaller, more manageable parts; use the pair programming approach to develop their app together; and finish off by evaluating the success of the project against the needs of the user.

Unit 8: Introduction to Python programming

This unit introduces learners to text-based programming with Python. The lessons form a journey that starts with simple programs involving input and output, and gradually moves on through arithmetic operations, randomness, selection, and iteration. Emphasis is placed on tackling common misconceptions and elucidating the mechanics of program execution.

A range of pedagogical tools is employed throughout the unit, with the most prominent being pair programming, live coding, and worked examples.  

Year 9

Unit 1: E-safety

Unit 2: File and folder management

This unit supports the students understanding of file and folder management. The students understand the difference between file and folder management and how and why it is used.

Unit 3: Python programming

This unit introduces learners to how data can be represented and processed in sequences, such as lists and strings. The lessons cover a spectrum of operations on sequences of data, that range from accessing an individual element to manipulating the entire sequence. Great care has been taken so that the selection of problems used in the programming tasks are realistic and engaging: learners will process solar system planets, book texts, capital cities, leaked passwords, word dictionaries, ECG data, and more.

Unit 4: Media – animations

Films, television, computer games, advertising, and architecture have been revolutionised by computer-based 3D modelling and animation. In this unit learners will discover how professionals create 3D animations using the industry-standard software package, Blender. By completing this unit learners will gain a greater understanding of how this important creative field is used to make the media products that we consume. Sessions will take learners through the basics of modelling, texturing, and animating; outputs will include 3D models, short videos, and VR. Links are made throughout to computer science, computational thinking, and the world of work. Tools and techniques learnt in this unit can also be used for 3D printing.

Unit 5: Data science

In this unit, learners will be introduced to data science, and by the end of the unit they will be empowered by knowing how to use data to investigate problems and make changes to the world around them. Learners will be exposed to both global and local data sets and gain an understanding of how visualising data can help with the process of identifying patterns and trends. Towards the end of the unit, the learners will go through the steps of the investigative cycle to try to solve a problem in the school using data.

Unit 6: Representations

In this unit, learners will focus on digital media such as images and sounds, and discover the binary digits that lie beneath these types of media.

Just like in the previous unit, where learners examined characters and numbers, the ideas that learners need to understand are not really new to them. You will draw on familiar examples of composing images out of individual elements, mixing elementary colours to produce new ones, and taking samples of analogue signals, to illustrate these ideas and bring them together in a coherent narrative.

Unit 7: Cybersecurity

This unit takes the learners on an eye-opening journey of discovery about techniques used by cybercriminals to steal data, disrupt systems, and infiltrate networks. The learners will start by considering the value of their data to organisations and what they might use it for. They will then look at social engineering techniques used by cybercriminals to try to trick users into giving away their personal data. The unit will look at the more common cybercrimes such as hacking, DDoS attacks, and malware, as well as looking at methods to protect ourselves and our networks against these attacks.

Unit 8: Applying programming skills

This unit applies and enhances the learners’ programming skills in a new engaging context: physical computing, using the BBC micro:bit.

In the first half of the unit, learners will get acquainted with the host of components built into the micro:bit, and write simple programs that use these components to interact with the physical world. In the process, they will refresh their Python programming skills and encounter a range of programming patterns that arise frequently in physical computing applications.

In the second half, learners will work in pairs to build a physical computing project. They will be required to select and design their project purposefully, apply what they have learnt by building a prototype, and keep a structured diary throughout the process.

Key stage 4

In years 10 and 11 students learn to work both independently and in small groups. All students are encouraged to be motivated and confident learners and able to solve simple and complex problems. Our academic curriculum is designed to ensure that students develop resilience and creativity through a range of scenarios and build upon previous knowledge and skills.​

By the end of Key Stage 4 students will be able to read, write and develop algorithms that include the constructs of sequence, selection, iteration and procedures.​

Students will also be able to solve problems using computational thinking to program code in a structured way to write, test and debug programs using logical reasoning and approaches to refine problems across an array of contexts. Students will develop a rich understanding of the technology that underpins computers through the fundamentals of binary representation, systems architecture, software and networking technologies.​

Students will also understand how changes in technology effect safety, security of systems and the ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology and understand and apply the fundamental principles of IT to use concepts and applications effectively for audience and purpose.

OCR Computer Science (J277 specification)

GCSE Computer Science is engaging and practical, encouraging creativity and problem solving. It encourages students to develop their understanding and application of the core concepts in computer science. Students also analyse problems in computational terms and devise creative solutions by designing, writing, testing and evaluating programs.

The course consists of two examinations:

Paper 1 (Computer systems) This component will assess:

• 1.1 Systems architecture

• 1.2 Memory and storage

• 1.3 Computer networks, connections and protocols

• 1.4 Network security

• 1.5 Systems software

• 1.6 Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology

Paper 2 (Computational thinking, algorithms and programming) This component will assess:

• 2.1 Algorithms

• 2.2 Programming fundamentals

• 2.3 Producing robust programs

• 2.4 Boolean logic

• 2.5 Programming languages and Integrated Development Environments