Why do we learn computer science?
Our approach
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Year 9
Year 10
Year 11
Year 12
Year 13

Why do we learn computer science?

We believe in the power of Computer Science as a discipline that will enable students to actively participate and thrive in a world heavily influenced by technology.

At primary level, the computing curriculum at Ark John Keats is designed to develop pupils’ digital competency and instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology, providing opportunities for pupils to use technology to create, manage, organise, and collaborate. We intend for pupils not only to be digitally competent but also to be responsible online citizens. At secondary level, we support students in progressing to higher education and training and with their long-term career aspirations in or beyond the tech-industry: they develop foundational knowledge including how computers work and how data is represented, transferred, processed and stored between computational systems.

We want our students to use technology as a tool for learning and expression in a variety of disciplines and interests, becoming not just consumers of technology, but creators of it. Pupils also learn about the wider issues surrounding the use of technology in society, through engaging in discussions and reflecting upon the ethical, legal and environmental issues, and developing digital literacy through exploring and being critical of the media they consume through various digital platforms.

Our approach

Computer Science is offered as a GCSE and A-Level subject but is not a timetabled lesson at KS3. We meet our curriculum vision and aims for computing in KS3 through our curriculum subjects and drop- down days – known as Pillar Days.

At KS3 we use the ‘Kapow Computing’ programme to support the computing curriculum we deliver. This ensures that there is a progression of knowledge and skills that the children can build on each year. Our curriculum is designed with three strands which run throughout: computer science, information technology and digital literacy.

Year 1

Autumn
N/A
Spring 1 Spring 2
Improving mouse skills Algorithms unplugged
Summer 1 Summer 2
Programming Nee-Bots Introduction to data

All Year 1 subjects Next Year 1 Subject - Physical Education

Year 2

Autumn 1 Autumn 2
Online safety Computing systems and networks
Spring 1 Spring 2
Word processing Algorithms & debugging
Summer 1 Summer 2
Data handling Stop motion

All Year 2 subjects Next Year 2 Subject - Physical Education

Year 3

Autumn
Networks and the internet
Spring 1 Spring 2
Scratch Emailing
Summer 1 Summer 2
Journey inside a Computer Comparison card databases

All Year 3 subjects Next Year 3 Subject - Physical Education

Year 4

Autumn
Further coding with Scratch
Spring 1 Spring 2
Computational Thinking Collaborative learning
Summer 1 Summer 2
HTML Investigating weather

All Year 4 subjects Next Year 4 Subject - Physical Education

Year 5

Autumn
Online safety
Spring 1 Spring 2
Search engines Mars Rover
Summer 1 Summer 2
Programming Music (Scratch) Micro:bit

All Year 5 subjects Next Year 5 Subject - Physical Education

Year 6

Autumn
Bletchley Park
Spring 1 Spring 2
Big Data Big Data 2
Summer 1 Summer 2
Intro to Python Inventing a product

All Year 6 subjects Next Year 6 Subject - Physical Education

Year 7

Autumn

Skills for the World 1 - Writing and Communication.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Access the school email systems (Outlook).
  • Give examples of good email etiquette.
  • Identify tools that is used in a Word Processor.
  • Use tools in a word processor, including changing font sizes and styles.
  • Use tools in a word processor such as line justification and margins.
  • Produce a document using a word processor.
Spring

Computer Systems.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Define an input, process, and output.
  • Identify devices as an input device, output device or both.
  • Give examples of components inside a computer system.
  • Explain the difference between an embedded system and a general-purpose system.
Summer

Health Tech, using BBC Micro:Bits.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Define what Health Tech is.
  • Give examples of Health Tech.
  • Explain what prototyping is and why it might be used.
  • Gain experience of programming concepts.
  • Use physical computing components – including sensors and LEDs.
  • Develop a software using block-based programming.

 

Next Year 7 Subject - Physical Education

Year 8

Autumn

Skills for the World 2 - Presenting and Publishing.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Access the school email systems (Outlook).
  • Give examples of good email etiquette.
  • Identify tools that is used in a Presentation software.
  • Use tools in a presentation software, including changing font sizes and styles.
  • Import and modify images in a presentation software.
  • Produce a presentation using presentation software.
Spring

Computer Networks.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Define what a Computer Network is.
  • Explain the difference between a Local Area Network and Wide Area Network.
  • Give and draw examples of a layout of a Network (Star and Mesh Topologies).
  • Give examples of different hardware used in a network.
  • Explain how devices connect to a network.
  • Explain how data can travel around a network.
  • Explain the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web (WWW).

 
Summer

Introduction to Programming: Edu-Blocks.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Define the programming concepts (Algorithm, Sequence, Selection, and Iteration).
  • Use a block-based programming system (Edu-blocks) to develop algorithms.
  • Use of programming fundamentals such as input and output statements.
  • Use of programming fundamentals such as variables and data types.

Year 9

Autumn

Representing Data.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Convert from a 5-bit binary number to decimal.
  • Convert from decimal to a 5-bit binary number. 
  • Convert between different units of data.
  • Explain how computers use binary represent characters, using Character Sets.
  • Explain how computers use binary represent image, using Pixels and Bitmaps.
  • Explain how computers use binary to represent sounds/audio files.
Spring

Skills for the World 3 – Spreadsheets.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Identity different components of a spreadsheet, including cells, rows and columns. 
  • Identify tools that is used in a spreadsheet software.
  • Manipulate data using different tools in a spreadsheet software.
  • Use formulas to add functionality to a spreadsheet.
  • Create visual representations using the tools in a spreadsheet software.

 
Summer

Introduction to Programming: Python.

Pupils will be able to:

  • Define the programming concepts (Algorithm, Sequence, Selection, and Iteration).
  • Use a text-based programming system (Python) to develop algorithms.
  • Use of programming fundamentals such as input and output statements.
  • Use of programming fundamentals such as variables and data types.

Year 10

Autumn

Unit 1:

  • Units of data Storage
  • Representation of Numbers, Characters, Images, Sound, Compression

Unit 2:

  • Programming Fundamentals
  • Data Types

Additional Programming Techniques
Boolean Logic

 
Spring

Unit 1:

  • Architecture of a CPU
  • CPU Performance
  • Embedded Systems
  • Memory and Storage
  • Secondary Storage

Unit 2:

  • Additional Programming Techniques
  •  Arrays

Defensive Design
Summer

Unit 1:

  • Networks and Topologies
  • Wired and Wireless Networks,
  • Protocols and Layers

Unit 2:

  • Sorting and Searching Algorithms
  • Testing

All Year 10 subjects Next Year 10 Subject - Physical Education

Year 11

Autumn

Unit 1:

  • Operating Systems
  • Utility Software
  • Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Impact

Unit 2:

  • Languages
  • Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
  • Additional Programming Techniques

SQL and Records
Spring

Unit 1:

  • Threats to Systems and Networks
  • Identifying and Preventing Vulnerabilities

Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Impact
Summer
Revision

All Year 11 subjects Next Year 11 Subject - Physical Education

Year 12

Autumn

Fundamentals of Data Representation

Fundamentals of Programming

Fundamentals of Data Structures
Spring

Fundamentals of Computer Systems

Fundamentals of Computer Organisation and Architecture

Theory of Computation

Fundamentals of Programming
Summer

Fundamentals of Communication and Networking

Consequences of Uses of Computing

Systematic Approach to Problem Solving

Fundamentals of Databases

All Year 12 subjects Next Year 12 Subject - Religious Education

Year 13

Autumn
  • Computing Practical Project (NEA)
  • Fundamentals of Data Structures
  • Fundamentals of Algorithms
  • Theory of Computation
Spring
  • Computing Practical Project (NEA)
  • Fundamentals of Functional Programming
Summer
Revision

All Year 13 subjects Next Year 13 Subject - Religious Education