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Computing & ICT
The Computing department at St. Mary’s College provides a varied, rich and challenging curriculum throughout a pupil’s time at our school. Our clear intention is to equip pupils with the knowledge and skills to be confident in their use of technology, provide pupils with experience in a wide range of technologies, help pupils understand the way in which a wide range of technologies work, and encourage pupils to recognise that technology is a tool that can be used to aid them in solving problems.
To facilitate this, our curriculum is designed to provide pupils with a wealth of opportunities during lessons to experience a wide range of practical and theory-based topics. We recognise that within lesson time pupils may not have the opportunity to fully explore areas they find of particular interest and offer a range of extra-curricular activities to allow them to do so.
We are proud to be able to offer both GCSE ICT and Computer Science providing a solid base to those young people with aspirations to work within the computing sector, and pupils who will need to make effective use of a range of ICT based applications within other sectors of employment. The computing teachers at St. Mary’s have computing based degree qualifications coupled with relevant industry experience which help to make our curriculum content relevant and engaging for pupils.
Lower School
Pupils in years 7 to 9 study a wide ranging curriculum which incorporates topics related to both ICT and Computer Science.
ICT topics are designed to enable pupils to make informed, effective and intelligent use of the ICT facilities, both those available in and outside of school. Pupils will be introduced to the software contained in the Microsoft Office suite of programs building a bank of skills and an appreciation as to how the software is used by businesses outside the school setting.
In addition to the software provided in the Microsoft Office suite, pupils will be introduced to more creative applications allowing them to build skills in topics such as graphic and photo editing, audio and video creation and creating their own multimedia rich websites.
Computer Science topics introduce the computer system, to give an idea as to how computers work, and provide opportunities for pupils to design and create software solutions to problems, making use of computational thinking skills and introducing programming in a variety of languages, both graphical and textual.
The aim is to allow them to make an informed choice in year 9 as to whether a study of ICT or Computer Science will best suit their future study and career aspirations.
GCSE
We offer the choice of either ICT or Computer Science to pupils when they take their GCSE options in year 9.
CIE iGCSE ICT
The Cambridge International GCSE provides pupils with practical experience of applications that are commonly used within the industry for productivity and data analysis. In addition, the included theory topics provide the means for pupils to gain an understanding of how computer systems are implemented within the workplace, the ways in which technology is used within a variety of industries and the knowledge to critically analyse their use of technology to deliver solutions to common business problems.
OCR Computer Science
The GCSE in Computer Science is engaging and practical allowing pupils to develop creativity and problem-solving skills. It contains opportunities to build on programming skills taught at key stage 3. To support this pupils will analyse problems, developing computational thinking skills to help devise algorithms to allow them to provide creative solutions to problems by analysing, designing, building and testing programs. In addition, the GCSE course covers more theoretical topics including how a computer works and ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns associated with computer science.
A Level
CIE international A Level ICT
In the Sixth Form, pupils currently have the option to study A Level ICT, building on their study of ICT in Middle School. The A Level course offers a mix of theory and practical assessment considering areas such as presenting information in different forms, the way in which data is used, the impact of ICT on society and an in-depth study of the creation, use and management of relational database systems. Information Technology encompasses a wide variety of skills, preparing pupils for work in any industry. This modern, exciting course aims to improve a young person’s knowledge of computers and how to use them confidently. They will develop advanced skills in web design, database, spreadsheets, video editing, graphic and photo editing, and animation.
We will be moving toward offering A Level Computer Science in the near future and this option will be available to all pupils in year 9 in the academic year 2022/23 when they choose their A Level options in year 11. Pupils choosing either the ICT or computer science GCSE options in year 9 will be able to choose to study computer science at A Level.