ICT is a thriving department at Portchester. There are 4 main IT suites within the craft block, each containing at least 24 PC’s. Students have 2 IT lessons a week with specialist ICT teachers. Each student is provided with their own username and password to access the school network. Students are allowed to access the internet in school provided they gain permission from their parents/guardians. Students will also be given a unique school email address in year 9.
Aims of the department
- To ensure all students fulfil their potential at KS3 and KS4
- To nurture pupils' natural enthusiasm for ICT and encourage them to utilise their skills
- To work with other subject areas in order to help them to develop opportunities for pupils to use ICT
- To provide pupils with the training that they require throughout Key Stage 3 to become independent users of ICT at KS4
- For every student to leave Portchester School with an IT qualification
At Key Stage 3 ICT lessons are delivered following the national teaching schemes of work. Students abilities are set from Christmas in year 7 based on their end of key stage 3 targets.
Students are taught to use the following software:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Powerpoint
- Microsoft Publisher
- Internet Explorer
- Logicator
Assessment is completed at the end of each unit (on average every 3 or 4 weeks) which is either evidence from each lesson or a specially designed test.
Key Stage 4
ICT is now a CORE subject at Key Stage 4 with every student expected to achieve the equivalent of at least one GCSE in the subject. In the CORE lessons student’s complete coursework to meet the requirements of the OCR Nationals Level 2 in ICT. Students’ start the first piece of coursework, unit 1 – ICT skills for Business, in year 9 and then continue to complete this and the unit 21 – create computer graphics in year 10. The course is graded Pass, Merit, or Distinction.
Students who also take ICT as an option will be completing a further 5 pieces of coursework and working towards achieving a total of 4 GCSE’s. These additional units cover the following topics:
• Desktop Publishing
• Spreadsheets
• Databases
• Animation
The OCR Nationals Level 2 ICT qualification is a relatively new course and replaced the well recognised GNVQ course. The course is made up of different modules of coursework and students can gain between 1 and 4 GCSE’s.
For more information regarding the course and model assignments visit the OCR website.
http://www.ocr.org.uk/qualifications/ocrnationals/ict_level_2/documents.html
