KS3

It has been an exciting start to the term with our year 7 students learning about how computers work as well as how developers decompose and break down tasks in preparation for coding, they have learnt key concepts through real-world examples to ease them into a topic that will later be developed further. This has also opened up an opportunity for our sixth form students to share their knowledge of coding through a coding club taking place every Friday lunchtime teaching our year 7s the basics of Python coding, they have been exposed to applications made by our A-level students, taken part in informative talks linked to code development and also tried their own hands at creating basic programs already this end of the half-term!

Similarly, our year 8 students have also begun this term looking deeper into the way computers communicate through binary code, the use of Pseudocode to effectively plan and later develop solutions using programming languages as well as looking at the overall design of systems and how embedded systems play a key role in this concept.

Year 9 students have also been looking at modeling software solutions before development, the inputs, processes and outputs related to the functionality of computer systems as well as showcasing their presentation and teamwork skills through oral presentations on future technologies which have allowed them to express their thoughts and findings of the topic in a personalised and unique way.

KS4

Our year 11 Computer Science students have been busy with advanced Python coding in their lessons to prepare them for their practical paper, it has been exciting to see the programs they have developed using key skills acquired in planned lessons bringing a personal feel to the topic of programming. Students have showcased their Python programs during the open evening and have even demonstrated their coding skills through teamwork. Year 11 Creative Media have also started their second component creating their own magazine covers and inside pages based on challenging stereotypes, they have made a good start and have been utilising specialist editing software to support the creation of these graphic products.

It has been a great start for both Year 10 Computer Science and Creative Media groups as they have dived straight into key content related to their courses and have demonstrated good initiative and developed creative outcomes in reference to programming or analysis of media products, a big well done to them all!

KS5

Our Sixth form students have also been very supportive in the department in reference to helping out at the open evening as well as actively showcasing their own programming projects with parents and students, helping to run the year 7 coding club as well as proactively preparing content for their programming projects such as surveys and questionnaires as well as using coding tutorials to inform their programming projects.