ICT

Staff

Subject Leader: Mel Adams Mel.Adams@harrisbermondsey.org.uk

ICT teacher: Trishton McKenzie Trishton.McKenzie@harrisbermondsey.org.uk

ICT teacher: Victoria Lynch Victoria.Lynch@harrisbermondsey.org.uk

Hello and welcome to ICT at Harris Academy Bermondsey. This is a dynamic and fast paced subject area that firmly believes Every Child Matters. We teach ICT that is not just for the ‘Internet’ and chat rooms but which prepares students for life in the workplace and everyday issues in the 21^st Century. We teach students industry standard packages such as Microsoft Word and Adobe Photoshop, as well as introducing them to Web Design and Programming. We have the highest of standards and our aim is to facilitate students’ learning to a level where they are able to participate in and adapt to the technology-driven world they will face. The subject area has 3 full-time staff and we currently deliver 1 session per week of ICT throughout KS3 and deliver the New OCR National Qualification to students in KS4. These National certificates allow the students to gain up to 4 GCSE’s at A* to C grade.

KS3 Curriculum

Students in Years 7 and 8 cover a wide range of topics such as Healthy Eating, Managing a Budget, Controlling Robots and Using the Internet Safely. Students also spend time looking at how they learn best and how ICT can help them with all their subjects. In Year 8 students have the opportunity to gain their first Functional Skill Qualification and in Year 9 students begin their ICT GCSE’s.

All students learn word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, graphics programs, using the Internet, web design, video making, animation and control software. Every year we improve our ICT network’s hardware and software (equipment and programs). Students will learn about the ever-increasing numbers of programs available to them when they leave school. Some pupils will learn more skills than taught in class especially if they come to after-school clubs. We help our students develop as critical, self-aware, independent users of ICT to solve problems.

A booklet or set of worksheets is given out once every half term for homework. From time to time students may get an extra sheet of information or extension work.

Topics covered in Year 7

Students follow the National Curriculum for ICT. They learn:

· to investigate their own learning styles

· how ICT helps with other subjects

· how ICT helps them function in the real world

· how to search and select from the Internet effectively and use social networking safely

· how to make effective publications and presentations

· how to use spreadsheet/database models and use models to understand and analyse data

· how to use control software and computer simulations

· what the main legal problems are with computer and Internet use

Topics covered in Year 8

Students follow the National Curriculum for ICT. They learn:

· how to analyse viewpoints and build effective web pages

· how to understand the systems approach to solving problems

· how to create e-portfolios

· how to build effective databases and to use control software

· how to use models to understand and analyse data

· how to use ICT for marketing, finance and enterprise

· how to understand the systems approach to solving problems and projects

How the work is assessed

All work is assessed to National Curriculum levels by teacher observation and also by looking at the end product. An important element in the final levelling of each unit of work is the student’s self-assessment of their own progress. We also use an online assessment program where students will be able to take tests on the Internet during a period of time set by the teacher. These tests can also be taken at home for homework from time to time and prepare your daughter for the new KS4 curriculum. Students who do really well in KS3 Functional Skills Tests will be fast tracked when they start their GCSE in Year 9.

KS4 Curriculum

OCR Level 2 Nationals in ICT

OCR Level 2 Nationals provide the skills, knowledge and understanding needed to start work, or progress to further study. This course will make sure that students know how to use ICT effectively - in their studies, their personal lives and later on in their careers. All OCR Nationals also help students develop their personal skills in areas applicable to any workplace, such as team working, communication and problem solving. The courses have been designed to accredit learners' achievements and ability to carry out tasks in a way that is relevant to the workplace.

Students take one of the four qualifications in the suite of OCR Nationals. This qualification will be worth one, two, three or four GCSEs depending on which one they choose at the end of Year 9.

Units Each qualification is made up of a number of units - some will take 60 hours – and others will take 30 hours. For each GCSE equivalent that students take they need to study 90 hours worth of units.

Mandatory unit Whichever qualification they take students must study Unit 1, ICT Skills for Business. After that they can take one 30 hr unit for each GCSE equivalent qualification – up to a maximum of four 30 hour units for the National Certificate qualification.

KS3&4 Homework

How often is it set? A booklet or set of worksheets is given out once every half term for homework. From time to time students may get an extra sheet of information or extension work.
What sorts of activities are set? Learning of keywords, evaluations of tasks and software used, preparation of work, collection of data, research into how ICT is used in the real world and worksheets to reinforce understanding. In each book there will always be exercises which help literacy, numeracy and thinking skills.
How can parents help? Ensure homework is completed and handed in every half term or tracking period. (Even if the work is incomplete it is important that it is handed in. We cannot tell if the work set is too difficult if we have nothing to mark!) Encourage your child to attend homework club if work is too difficult. Also encourage your child to ask the teacher for extension work if it is too easy!

Other ways parents can help

A computer with Internet access is ideal and students should be encouraged to use it for their work as often as possible. Where this is not possible encourage students to attend computer clubs before and after the Academy. * Public Libraries, Starbucks and Mc Donald’s often have free Internet access for children. Advice on buying computers is available from the ICT teachers.

Provision of good software for use on home computers. Some is available from the Academy, where licences permit. Other software that is good is often available free. Advice on software is available from the Academy. We tend to use Microsoft Windows and Microsoft programs but most software is compatible. Make sure your daughter knows the name of the software on your home computer so teachers can advise them how to convert and save their work.

Take your child to work! It is really important that your daughter can link her use of ICT in the Academy to the real world! By the time they leave the Academy there will be very few jobs that don’t require ICT skills.

Buying a USB flash drive for transporting work to and from the Academy. Typing and touch typing software is useful but not essential. The benefits of your child learning this at home are immeasurable.

There are many books that can aid your daughters’ studies throughout KS3 each year we search for the best on the market and can usually get them at a discount price. Details will be made known each September.

Take a look at what your child is doing on the computer at home. Many children surf the web easily but hardly ever practice their ICT work! Try encouraging them to go on educational gaming sites such as www.Millsberry.Com or www.SamLearning.com. The BBC has several educational programs KS3 students will benefit most from BBC Bitesize. www.teach-ict.com is a specialist site for ICT in the Academy. We have a dedicated website for KS4 studies. www.ttsonline.net your daughter will know the username and password.