Digital Learning and Computer Science
As well as incorporating the use of technology across the school, Digital Learning is taught as a discrete subject in our First to Third forms in addition to an optional Computer Science GCSE for our Fourth and Fifth forms.
Departmental Staff
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Curriculum
First to Third Forms – compulsory for all pupils
Our First to Third Forms have one lesson per week of Digital Learning to introduce elements of coding and programming. We aim to encourage pupils to become ‘creators’ and not just ‘consumers’ of technology, by learning how to write programs, create graphical art and also write scripts to control robots and rovers. The aim of the syllabus is for pupils to gain an understanding of how our modern world works, and to realise that they could become the next generation of creators in this cutting-edge field.
Current projects include:
- Exploring Polygons, Guilloche, Hoehn patterns and Fractals
- A Deep Dive into the Mandelbrot Set
- Race Line Following Rovers Around the Room
- Python for Beginners to Advanced Level
- Creating Programs, Games and Apps
Fourth and Fifth Forms – GCSE optional subject
The OCR Computer Science GCSE is for pupils wanting to consolidate the experiences of their younger years into a GCSE qualification. Pupils cover many topics from modern computing, such as the development of modern computer hardware, networking and the internet, the history of programming languages and the ethical and legal aspects of digital technology. This culminates in two written papers sat in the Fifth Form and a 20-hour programming challenge to test pupils’ coding skills.
The course has proven popular with pupils who enjoyed their programming experiences of their earlier years, as well as those who are considering exploring one of the many careers in this growing and lucrative field.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Pupils can stretch their imaginations with the after-school ‘Robot Wars’ clubs where designing, building and coding advanced rovers helps extend pupils' digital skills further.
Sixth Form Extension course
Sixth Form students can enrol in the Robotics Extension course, to dive deeper into the world of robotics and rovers, PID control and, ultimately, take part in the annual Robot Football tournament.