ICT & COMPUTER SCIENCE - Vision & Intent

The aim of the department is to enable pupils to become confident users of technology by providing a broad foundation in the subject. At KS3 the pupils develop skills to support their work across the curriculum and in their personal lives. They learn a variety of applications in Office 365 to be able to produce a range of documents. Such as, spreadsheets, graphs, word documents, presentations. Pupils are encouraged to use their critical thinking skills to identify bias when researching for information, the impact of technology and safer internet use. They use problem-solving and computational thinking to carry out database queries, write algorithms and learn techniques to produce code using text-based languages (small basic and python).They develop knowledge on how computers are connected, the WWW, legislations related to the use of computers, and gain a foundation on data representation. The department develops creativity skills to make use of software to produce usable code, digital products using photoshop and write web pages using html/css. Students should be able to come away with having the confidence in using computer technology and be inspired to pursue progressing their skills in the field of ICT and Computing.

At Darrick Wood School, we believe that computer science is an essential subject that empowers our students to thrive in a digital world. Our vision for computer science is to provide a dynamic and innovative curriculum that challenges and inspires our students to become confident and competent digital citizens. We understand that computer science is not just about programming, but also about problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity. Through our curriculum, we aim to foster these skills in our students by providing a range of engaging and interactive activities that enable them to explore different aspects of computer science. Our computer science curriculum will provide our students with a strong foundation in programming languages, web development, and data analysis. Our students will learn to use a range of programming languages, from Python to Java, and will gain an understanding of how to develop applications and websites. They will also explore the power of data analysis, learning how to collect, analyse and visualise data. Ultimately, our vision for computer science is to equip our students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a rapidly changing digital world, enabling them to pursue their passions and achieve their dreams.

Click on the Key Stages below to see what our students are learning.