Computer Science
Staffing of the department
Ms Remy – Head of Department
Educational philosophy/Aims of the curriculum
At St Ursula’s we offer a high-quality computing education that meets new statutory guidance for the subject. Computer Science has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computer Science also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
KS3 curriculum
The curriculum for computer science aims to ensure that all pupils:
- can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
KS3 Programme of study
- Year 7
- Unit 1: E-Safety
- Unit 2: Coding with scratch
- Unit 3: Small Basics
- Unit 4: Computer Systems
- Unit 5: Data representation
- Unit 6 Databases
- Year 8
- Unit 1: Python
- Unit 2: Web Awareness
- Unit 3: Networks
- Unit 4: Hardware and Software
- Year 9
- Unit 1: Python 2
- Unit 2: Algorithms
- Unit 3: Data Representation 2
- Unit 4: Computational Logic
Links to useful sites for KS3 students, parents and members of the public
BBC Bitesize KS3
scratch
w3schools
khanacademy
thinkuknow