At Cleeve Meadow School we aim to provide a balanced, broad and contemporary IT/Computing curriculum that offers our students both the chance to develop skills in a variety of packages used in the real world, but also a constant focus on e-safety and communication etiquette. With the already emerging shift towards online communication becoming the norm having been exacerbated by the pandemic, it is more important than ever that our students are equipped with the knowledge of what to do and how to avoid many of the pitfalls which are now out there.

We want our students to:

• Be confident users of real-world IT packages (Google Suite / Microsoft Office) which they will encounter throughout their future adult lives.

• Experienced practitioners in making using email correctly and recognising negative behaviour and potential scams online

• Enthusiastic about using technology for creative (3D design and 3D printing) and programming (Scratch) 

• Be exposed to advanced applications such as Adobe Creative Cloud

Implementation (programme of study)

We provide a bespoke programme of study suitable for KS4 Computing but including far greater focus on IT literacy, risk recognition/awareness and e-safety. 

In recent years the shift from IT to Computing has led to a lot of focus in KS2 on block-based programming whilst ignoring the real need for skills in Office-based applications which are far more prevalent in the real world. Not every student will go on to become a professional programmer but every student will be using IT applications in their home and workplace.

KS5

At KS5 our students will study a vocational BTEC covering the skills required to be able to work in a multitude of environments that have an IT focus. Whilst refining basic skills in G-Suite and Microsoft Office students will also be working with industry standard packages such as Adobe Photoshop and Premier Pro to enhance their future employability.

Impact expectations and measures

Each year group has a common curriculum as it is important to embed the concepts of digital literacy and safe use of online technology. 

This common approach will see an impact across the curriculum, enhancing learning and motivation in all subject areas that utilise IT.

• To increase independence in IT usage, to allow the students to take ownership of their skill set and build in regular opportunities for them to show other teachers how to do things.

• To ensure verbal feedback to students is relevant and understandable, to encourage the concept of the ‘paperless’ subject for ease of use and environmental reasons.

• To have opportunities to make and give effective presentations to the whole school in assembly time.

• To provide personalised learning opportunities, meeting individual needs.

• To listen to comments from student voice and adapt / implement accordingly.

• To find opportunities to work remotely with other schools with similar cohorts

• To be introduced, in tandem with our Careers programme, to professionals who use IT in their everyday jobs to learn how they use technology in their working lives.