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Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Curriculum
  3. Subjects
  4. Computer Science

Welcome to Computer Science

Why do we learn computer science?
Our approach
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Year 12
Year 13

Why do we learn computer science?

In this increasingly digital age, computing programmes and applications have infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives. Computer scientists theorise, design, develop and apply the software and hardware for these programmes, which are needed in every type of industry. If you enjoy maths and are a logical thinker who is interested in how computers and networks work, this is the course for you.

Our approach

Key Stage 3

Our goal in this key stage is to ignite the passion for questioning and investigating. Lessons are designed around the big questions that pupils have and teach the methods needed for pupils to be investigators. We strive to engage pupils in learning our subjects first hand through fun, practical experiences and laboratory investigations. Our Year 7 pupils in 2019-20 will be the very first cohort to embark upon the brand-new Ark Science Mastery Curriculum. The Mastery Curriculum, backed by extensive pedagogical research, aims to breakdown the key areas of science over the many years of a pupil’s learning journey so that they achieve a much greater level of understanding across all areas of science over time. 

Key Stage 4

In Key Stage 4 we build on the skills mastered in the previous key stage. Pupils are challenged to work and think more independently, especially around practical work. We use assessment data continually to identify areas of strength and places where targeted interventions can build confidence. Students are required to apply new concepts to different situations at Key Stage 4, which provides a challenging environment for learning.

Key Stage 5

At Sixth Form, students are stretched to become resilient and independent scientists. Lessons will focus not only on learning highly complex and detailed concepts, but also on the inductive reasoning and application of these concepts. Students learn their subject, but also the transferable skills which help them to be strong candidates for university and employment.

  • Computer Science - curriculum map (245.44 KB)
  • Computer Science Curriculum Journey (1.07 MB)

Year 7

Autumn 
Digital literacy/Algorithms

Digital literacy

• Accessing the network at home

• Usage of Chromebook

• Logging in

• Office 365 (outlook, Word, Power Point)

• Teams assignments (submitting homework)

• Eedi logins

Flowol

• Decision, process and input/output

• Flowcharts to simulate a real life situation (Tarin set, Green House and Traffic lights)

Skills developed:

• Using Outlook platform to send formal emails to teachers

• Using Teams assignments to submit and complete work

• Using the office platform to access digital tools

• Demonstrate how to simulate a problem with a flowchart

Spring 
Programming

Programming in Scratch

• algorithms with multiple paths

• Ifs, decision box, nested selection, e.g. calculator program, brushing teeth algorithm)

Programming Constructs

• programs in a linear sequence which have multiple paths (inputs, variables, outputs, selection)

• data types (boolean, string, integer, real);

• operators are used to make comparisons in programs (selection, >,<,!=,==)

• selection is used to create multiple paths in a program (IF, Else, decision) e.g. a simple shape program

• iteration is used to repeat an instruction in a program

Skills developed:

• Tracing a simple algorithm using a table

• Creating programs which have multiple paths

• Using selection in programs to test conditions

• Using complex Boolean operations when completing if statements

• Using condition and count controlled iteration to repeat instructions in programs

Summer 
Networking/Programming

Networking

• Communication, sending packets (protocol, binary, security of data)

• Encryption is a way of encoding data to secret values that can only be accessed if you know the key (cipher, encode, caeser cipher, hack, security)

Microontrollers with the BBC Microbit

• Microcontrollers can take inputs from the surroundings and process them (accelerometer on a Microbit for a step counter or Rock Paper scissors)

• Creating scripts with Blockley (assignment and selection)

Skills developed:

• Analysing how a computer network works

• Assessing the security of different encryption algorithms

• Creating a program which uses a microcontroller

All Year 7 subjects Next Year 7 Subject - French

Year 8

Autumn 
Digital literacy

Creating content:

• Creating tables

• what if questions

• cell references, charts

• functions

• Formulas

• Cyber Security

Data in Computers -

• binary switches

• electronic circuits

• data

• pixels

• bitmaps

• Sounds

• Encryption

• You and yourdata

Skills developed:

• Using a model to ask what-if questions based on different inputs

• Using a range of data to create charts

• Approximating the file size of a bitmap image

Spring 
Writing algorithms

Programming in Edublocks

• Data Types

• Variables

• Selection Workflow

• Definite Iteration workflow

• Indefinite Iteration workflow

Need to add curriculum here and potentially to year 9 for Python link

Skills developed:

• Tracing a simple algorithm using a table

• Creating programs which have multiple paths

• Using selection in programs to test conditions

• Using complex Boolean operations when completing if statements

• Using condition and count controlled iteration to repeat instructions in programs

Summer 
Networking

Communication

• Computers can communicate with one and other with 1s and 0s, packets/envelopes to send data)

• Networks (Definition, benefits and risks)

• Network types (LAN, WAN and PAN, definition, examples and differences between them

Cyber Security

• Malicious code (Definition, examples, Malware types)

• You and Your data

• Hacking and Malware

• Protection against cyberattack

• Managing a network

• Simple Encryption

Skills developed:

• Describing the journey of a packet between one computer to another

• Explaining the differences between different network topologies

• Describing the impact of malicious code on computer networks

All Year 8 subjects Next Year 8 Subject - French

Year 9

Autumn 
Algorithms & Programming

Programming in Python

• algorithms, abstraction and decompositions

• designing a quiz game (decisions, data, iteration)

• error handling (looping, data validation, robust programming)

Reading and Modifying algorithm

• Tracing & Debugging

Programming Constructs

• If/elif/nested selection • Iteration (count controlled/condition controlled)

Handling Data in Programs

• Manipulating data (operators) –

• <,> less than, more than, equal to, not equal to

Data Structures –

• variables are a store for a single piece of data of one type (storage box, data type);

Subroutines –

• call a subroutine to complete a task multiple times

Skills developed:

• Creating programs which use multiple paths in Python

• Using multiple variables within a program

• Using complex Boolean conditions

• Using indefinite iteration to test a value

Spring 
Computer Systems

Model of a Computer System

• FDE Cycle (Hardware diagram, definition of a computer, CPU and Volatile RAM, Current running applications, System BUS),

• Factors affecting processing Speed (Hertz, Clock speed, Multicore processors, intro to cache, Link clock speed to FDE cycle, Parallel and multi-tasking and limitation),

• RAM Vs ROM (Properties of RAM and ROM, how and when used BIOS and Bootstrap)

• Von Nueman Vs Embedded Systems Hardware and Software

• Magnetic storage

• Optical Storage

• Solid state

• Compare all secondary storage(advantages and disadvantages)

• Software (definition, system, utility and application)

• Operating system (Definition, Interface and the five management roles)

Skills developed:

• Describing each step and process in the FDE cycle

• Defining embedded vs. non embedded systems

• Comparing and contrast types of memory storage

Summer 
Networking

Types of Networks

• Network medium

• Wired Vs Wireless

• Bus Topology

• Star Topology Network security

• Malware types

• Security risks to networks

Skills developed:

• Explaining the differences between difference between network types

• Describing different types of malware

All Year 9 subjects Next Year 9 Subject - French

Year 10

Autumn 
Algorithms, Programming & Data Representation

Tracing & Debugging -

• robust programming,

• error checking (dealing with inputs)

• logical errors & syntax errors

Set Piece Algorithms –

• bubble sort

• linear search

Programming

• boolean expression (while, IF, AND, OR, NOT)

• complex boolean conditions (e.g. for a password check which limits to three attempts);

• file handling techniques

Data Structures

• 1D arrays/lists

• Variables

Data Representation

• Binary conversions

• Hex conversions

Skills developed

• Creating a program which traps errors based on one condition

• Tracing the bubble sort and linear search for a list

• Creating an if statement which checks two conditions

• Creating a program which iterates through each element in a 1D list

Spring 
Computer Systems & Programming

Data Representation

• Multiplication and division of binary (left and right shift)

• Units of information (bits, byte, kilobyte, megabyte, gigabyte, terabyte) • Text data (character encoding, ASCII)

Logic Circuits

• Logic gates - AND, OR, NOT logic gates (identifying logic gates and completing truth tables)

• Logic circuits (drawing logic circuits for a problem)

Subroutines

• Modular structure

• Functions and procedures

• Parameters and arguments

• Local and global variables

Skills developed:

• Demonstrating how to convert between binary, hex and decimal and vice versa

• Demonstrating how to multiple and divide a binary number

• Explaining the purpose of the ASCII code system for character encoding

• Creating programs which use parameters and arguments

Summer 
Networking

Network Types

• Advantages and disadvantages of different network mediums

Data Communication

• TCP/IP (Definition of protocol, Layers, advantages of layers, TCP/IP as a communication protocol)

• TCP/IP layers (layers and their roles, application protocols)

Cyber Security

• Social engineering (phishing, pharming, blagging, shouldering)

• Security - threats (removable media, poor configurations, people)

• Network security methods (authentication, encryption, firewall, MAC address filtering)

• Penetration testing (White box and black box)

• SQL injection attacks

• DDOS attack

Skills developed:

• Describing how a packet flows through different mediums

• Explaining how the TCP/IP is used as a flow to check the transmission of packets

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - French

Year 11

Autumn 
Algorithms, Programming & Data Representation

Tracing & Debugging -

• robust programming,

• error checking (dealing with inputs)

• run time errors

Set piece algorithms -

• divide and conquer algorithms

• merge sort

• insertion sort

• binary search

Data structures -

• 2D lists (e.g. a grid);

Computer Systems -

• Tiers of programming languages

Skills developed:

• Creating a program which traps errors based on two conditions

• Tracing programs that return values from a sub routine into a variable

• Creating programs which use sub routines

• Explaining the advantages of using sub routines for structured programming

Spring 
SQL, data representation and networking

Structured Query Language

• Use of records

• Query in SQL

Data representation

Logic circuits (drawing logic circuits for a problem e.g. burgler alarm, interpreting a logic circuit with up to three gates and completing an associative truth table)

Impact of digital technology on wider society

• Ethical issues

• Legal issues

• Cultural issues

• Environment issues

• Privacy issues

• Legislation

Skills developed:

• Demonstrating how to query and add data to a SQL file

• Illustrating how to draw logic circuits for simple problems

• Describing the impact five issues have with reference to use and access to digital technology with reference to points such as the digital divide

• Explaining the impact of key legislation such as the data protection act

Summer 
Bridging Project
Programming techniques with Sixth Form in mind
 

All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - French

Year 12

Autumn 
Programming & Computer Systems

Fundamentals of Programming

  • Programming basics (sequencing, data types)
  • Selection
  • Iteration
  • Arrays (1 and 2 dimensional)
  • Subroutines  
  • Files and exception handling  
  • Preparation for On Screen Test (Battleships)  

Data Representation

  • Number systems (decimal, binary, hex)
  • Bits, bytes and binary
  • Binary arithmetic  
  • Representing images
  • Representing sound (Nyquists theorem)
  • Data compression and encryption algorithms  
Spring 
Programming & Computer Systems

Fundamentals of Programming

  • Preparation for the On Screen Test (Plant simulation)
  • Structured programming
  • Writing and interpreting algorithms  
  • Testing  
  • Abstraction and automation  
  • Finite state machines  

Computer Systems  

  • Hardware and software  
  • Programming language classification  
  • Logic gates and Boolean algebra  
  • Internal Computer Architecture  
  • The processor  
  • Assembly language  
  • Input – output devices  
  • Secondary storage devices
Summer 
Coursework preparation, Networking & Programming 

Communication  

  • Communication methods  
  • Network topologies
  •  Client server and peer to peer
  • Wireless networking  
  • Communication privacy
  • Social, cultural and ethical issues  

Object Orientated Programming (OOP)

  • Basic concepts of OOP
  • OOP design principles  
  • Application of OOP
  • OST (Rabbits and Foxes)  

Structured Query Language (SQL)

  • Entity relationship modelling
  • Relational databases and normalisation
  • Introduction to SQL
  • Defining and updating tables using SQL  
  • Systematic approach to problem solving  

Coursework preparation (tKinter for creating an application) 

All Year 12 subjects Next Year 12 Subject - French

Year 13

Autumn 
Programming, Data Structures & Computer Systems  

Functional Programming  

  • Functional programming
  • Functional application  
  • Lists in functional programming
  • Big data
  • Preparation for On Screen Test (based on Zig Zag pre release)

Data structures  

  • Queues  
  • Lists  
  • Stacks  
  • Hash tables
  • Graphs
  • Trees
  • Vectors

Computer Systems  

  • Floating point form
  • Dual adder  
  • D type flip flop 
Spring 
Algorithms, Regular Languages & Networking 

Algorithms  

  • Recursive algorithms  
  • Big-O notation
  • Searching and sorting  
  • Graphs and traversal algorithms  
  • Optimisation algorithms  
  • Limits of computation  

Regular languages  

  • Mealy machines
  • Sets
  • Regular expressions
  • Turing machine
  • Backus-Naur form
  • Reverse Polish Notation  

The Internet  

  • Structure of the internet  
  • Packet switching and routers
  • Internet security
  • TCP/IP
  • IP addresses  
  • Client server model 
Summer 
Revision

All Year 13 subjects Next Year 13 Subject - French

  • Chemistry
  • Design and Technology
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