IT (Computing)
| As the rate at which technology is increasingly integrated into our lives, at Priory we believe that it is essential to prepare all our students to thrive in this ever-changing world. In Computing we aim to introduce our students to a diverse range of experiences that will develop their independent problem-solving and critical thinking skills. This will make them dynamic and self-motivated learners who are able to thrive in the modern digital world. The curriculum is constantly updated to reflect developments in the technological advancements and impacts on our society. We also aim to excite the learners to develop a passion for technology, to become responsible global citizens and to understand how our relationship will computers and information technology will shape our futures. |
| The Purpose of Knowledge Organisers |
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| A knowledge organiser sets out the important, useful and powerful knowledge on a topic. For students to succeed in IT, they must have a foundation of factual knowledge, understand those facts and be able to apply them to a specific context. We at Priory Academy believe that the use of knowledge organisers can enhance and further students’ learning, therefore we are building them into our curriculum and are encouraging the use of them at home for home learning purposes and for revision. Please click on the correct year group and term for the current knowledge organiser being used. |
Key Stage 2
Key Stage 3
All KS3 students have a weekly 50-minute lesson in a dedicated IT suite, with a computer for each student. There are 6 units in every school year, taking approximately 1 half term per unit that culminate in an end of term assessment. Most unit’s content is independent and learning rarely relies on previous units, except for the Programming units. However, all programming units are supported by extensive resource to allow previous learning to be consolidated.
Year 7 CurriculumYear 7 Key WordsYear 8 CurriculumYear 8 Key WordsYear 9 CurriculumYear 9 Key Words
The highest quality resources are sought for each unit and as such we do not use any single textbook. Instead most units are shared with students electronically through Microsoft Teams and/or the school intranet.
Key Stage 4
AQA Computer Science – 8525
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Unit |
Content |
Assessment |
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3.1 |
Fundamentals of algorithms |
Written paper 1: 2 hours 50% of mark 90 marks |
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3.2 |
Programming |
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3.3 |
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3.4 |
Computer Systems |
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3.5 |
Fundamentals of computer networks |
Written paper 2: 1hour 45 minutes 50% of mark 90 marks |
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3.6 |
Cyber security |
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3.7 |
Relational databases and structured query language (SQL) |
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3.8 |
Ethical, legal and environmental impacts of digital technology on wider society, including issues of privacy |
Questions A mix of multiple choice, short answer, longer answer and extended response questions assessing SQL programming skills and theoretical knowledge.
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Mandatory element |
Students will be required to take on a programming challenge which will encompass the learning and understanding gained in the programming units 3.1 and 3.2. This is a mandatory element in the course. |
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Practical Programming: All students will be given the opportunity to learn C#. This is an object-oriented programming language which is well known for being a flexible general-purpose language. C# can be used in web development, game development and enterprise development. Its ease of use and readability make this a popular choice.
More specifically, we will encourage students to:
- understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of Computer Science, including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms, and data representation
- analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs
- think creatively, analytically, logically and critically
- understand the components that make up digital systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems
- understand the ethical, legal and environmental impacts of digital technology on wider society, including issues of privacy and the use of AI
- apply mathematical skills relevant to Computer Science.
CREATIVE iMEDIA
OCR Cambridge Nationals Certificate in iMedia Level 2 – J834
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Unit |
Content |
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R093 - Creative iMedia in the media industry
Media industry, digital media products, how they are planned, and the media codes which are used to convey meaning, create impact and engage audiences. |
• The media industry • Factors influencing product design • Pre-production planning • Distribution considerations |
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R094 - Visual identity and digital graphics
How to develop visual identities for clients and use the concepts of graphic design to create original digital graphics to engage target audiences. |
• Developing visual identies • Plan digital graphics for products • Create visual identity and digital graphics
This unit largely uses Adobe Illustrator. |
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R096 - Animation with audio
How to plan, create and review animation with an audio soundtrack. |
• Plan animation + audio • Create animation + audio • Review animation + audio
In this unit we will largely be using Blender. |
Qualification aims & objectives:
The aims and objectives of this qualification are to:
• Understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of digital media including factors that influence product design; use of media codes and conventions; pre-production planning techniques; legal issues; and creation/publishing/distribution considerations
• Develop learning and practical skills that can be applied to real-life contexts and work situations
• Think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically to develop independence and confidence in using skills that would be relevant to the media industry and, more widely, design, plan, create and review digital media products which are fit for purpose and meet the requirements of clients and target audiences
Course Assessment:
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R093 Creative iMedia in the media industry
1 hour 30 min written paper
80 UMS
40% of final grade |
OCR set and marked
A range of question types will be used in the exam, but it will always require students to use the skills of analysis and evaluation. |
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R094 Visual identity and digital graphics
50 UMS
25% of final grade |
Centre assessed and OCR moderated
This set assignment contains two practical tasks.
It should take approximately 10-12 hours to complete. (Coursework) |
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R096 Animation with audio
70 marks (70 UMS)
35% of final grade |
Centre assessed and OCR moderated
This set assignment contains three practical tasks.
It should take approximately 12-15 hours to complete. (Coursework) |
