Computing & ICT

The Computing and ICT Department is staffed by two full-time ICT teachers and a number of non-ICT specialists. We all teach in three well equipped suites in the main School and two suites in the Heard Sixth Form building.

The department is supported by a dedicated technical support team. ICT staff work in a supportive teaching environment where the sharing of ideas and materials, continued professional development and interest in new technology are all encouraged.

We promote the take-up and use of ICT in other subjects. The department supports the provision of interactive white boards in classrooms and access to the curriculum network, both from internal wireless connections and through the internet.

As part of the department's commitment to an interest in new technology, we enhance the ICT curriculum by giving boys experience of using new hardware technology and software packages to create web pages, podcasts and games.

Pupils learning at Key Stage 3 have a 70-minute lesson per week where they develop skills and confidence in ICT, following the National Curriculum. Pupils learning at Key Stage 4 extend their ICT abilities through the OCR examination board's GCSE ICT. There is no setting for ICT. The two routes of study offered in the Sixth Form are the AQA board's A/AS Computing and the OCR's A/AS Applied ICT courses.

Pupils wanting to take the Sixth Form courses must have acceptable profile comments for all subjects, including ICT, regarding their coursework and level of industry. In addition, students wishing to take Applied ICT must have a keen interest in ICT or computing. For the Computing course, students must have a recommendation to study Mathematics or Physics at A Level, as the subject requires high-order mathematical thinking.

The department offers clinics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 pupils. Pupils have the opportunity to be appointed to monitor computer rooms at lunch break, which builds their skills in dealing with people and monitoring responsibly. This is a voluntary activity, but is nevertheless essential as the rooms would not be open for all unless the monitors were there.

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