Computing and iMedia

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Curriculum Rationale: Computing and iMedia

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.  Computing is an umbrella term to encompass three different strands that we offer to learners of our subject: Computer Science, Digital Media & Digital Literacy.

  • Computer science is the scientific and practical study of computation: what can be computed, how to compute it, and how computation may be applied to the solution of problems.

  • Digital Media is the creative and hands-on approach to researching, planning and developing media products to communicate in the digital world.

  • Digital Literacy is the discrete ability to effectively, responsibly, safely and critically navigate, evaluate and create digital artefacts using a range of digital technologies.

Pupils will develop their evaluation skills in looking at whether solutions are good and fit for purpose and have an appreciation of how their skills can apply to other areas of school life and also outside school.

We aim to ensure that all our pupils who are disadvantaged or have any special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) have access to a carefully planned curriculum. Our curriculum aims to provide pupils with SEND with explicit systematic teaching and rehearsal of knowledge. We also ensure that these pupils have the time they need to study important subject content in computing and imedia.

Curriculum Intent: Computing

By the end of KS3 a Great School’s Trust Computer Scientist / iMedia Student will have developed the skills to:

  • Be aware of the opportunities and limitations of living in a digital world

  • Understand the core principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming or product creation.

  • Be equipped to use technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.

  • Become digitally literate – able to use computers to express themselves and develop their ideas at a level suitable in order to become active participants in a digital world.

By the end of KS4 a Great School’s Trust Computer Scientist / Creative iMedia Student will have explored, in greater depth, the core skills pertaining to their desired discipline, with the ‘Big Idea’ in mind i.e. how their current studies relates to their next steps and how to bridge that gap successfully.

Year 7 curriculum overview

Year 8 curriculum overview

Year 9 curriculum overview

For each curriculum overview, additional documentation is available upon request. This documentation outlines more precisely the exact subject knowledge that your child must know and remember. These documents also include the types of teaching activities that subject staff have chosen to help your son/daughter learn the curriculum here at King’s Leadership Academy Hawthornes.

Assessment

In order to check how well our pupils are learning the curriculum, teachers use a full range of assessment techniques. These include diagnostic questions to reveal your child’s computing preconceptions and common misunderstandings, questioning and end of topic/learning cycle assessments.