ICT and Computing Department

The department consists of a number of excellent staff with a variety of skill portfolios, and the strength of the department’s results rests on high expectations, passion, shared pedagogy and good practice.

The department has established several popular and well-taught courses over the past few years, including A Level Computing, BTEC Creative Media Production (Level 3), GCSE Computing and we are looking to switch from BTEC to a GCSE ICT course from September.

All courses aim to ensure that students develop the general skills, knowledge and understanding that underpins a wide range of occupations and professions in the ICT and Computing industry.

The facilities in the school are all industry standard PC-based using Adobe CS5 Creative Suite programs, Microsoft Office suite, Scratch and Visual Basic, amongst other software.

Current Provision

Currently running National Curriculum at Key Stage 3 (including the introduction of the Computing changes to Key Stage 3 and Year 9s having the option to choose Computing and/or ICT lessons from September).

BTEC First ICT at Key Stage 4 as an option (to change to WJEC GCSE ICT from Sept.)

WJEC GCSE Computer Science at Key Stage 4 as an option.

A-Level AQA Computing and BTEC Level 3 Creative Media Production at Key Stage 5.

Level 2 BTEC First Award ICT from 2012 (currently optional at Key Stage 4)

Unit 1 - Technology Systems – Key computer concepts such as hardware, programming and binary

(Online Exam, 25%)

Unit 3 – A Digital Portfolio - Practical production of a website from set briefs using Adobe Dreamweaver

(Coursework, 25%)

Unit 4 – Creating Digital Animation – Practical production of an animation from set briefs using Adobe Flash

(Coursework, 25%)

Unit 6 – Creating Digital Graphics – Practical production of graphics from set briefs using Adobe suite software

(Coursework, 25%)

For further specification details please see the Edexcel website.


GCSE Computer Science (WJEC)

Unit 1 – Written exam

Based on programming, computer hardware and software

Unit 2 – Online exam

Based on programming tasks and HTML

Unit 3 – Controlled assessment

Programming based task using Visual Basic

For further specification details please see the WJEC website.

AS Computing (AQA) (current spec.)

Comp1 – Programming (using Visual Basic) to respond to exam board set task

(Computer based Exam, 60%)

Comp2 – Includes computer hardware, boolean algebra, the Internet

(Written Exam, 40%)

A2 Computing (AQA)

Comp3 – Algorithmic problems, operating systems, databases and networking

(Written Exam, 60%)

Comp4 – Independent programming project for real end user

(Coursework, 40%)

For further specification details please see the AQA website.

Level 3 BTEC National in Creative Media Production

100% coursework based

Unit 1 – Pre-Production Techniques – Planning skills

Unit 2 – Communication Skills

Unit 3 – Research Techniques

Unit 19 – Digital Graphics - Practical production of graphics from set briefs using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator

Unit 59 – Web Authoring - Practical production of a website from set briefs using Adobe Dreamweaver

Unit 65 – Web Animation – Practical production of an animation from set briefs using Adobe Flash

Unit 70 – Computer Game Engines – Practical production of 2D and 3D games from set briefs using Unreal Engine and Gamemaker software

For further specification details please see the Edexcel website.

Jan 2015