By studying Computer Science at Kelvin Hall, you will be encouraged to engage with the digital world around you, building confidence to more effectively solve problems using computational thinking. You will develop your digital literacy through three main strands: 

• Computing; 

• Digital Media; 

• Information Technology. 

This will give you a broad experience of opportunities and skills from creative to logical.  Throughout your studies, you will reflect on how to keep yourself and your data safe.  Where will Computer Science take you today?!

Year 7 and Year 8

In Years 7 and 8, we will build your confidence and knowledge by building your programming skills, learning the main concepts and exploring how we can build solutions to problems in many different ways.  Our more creative units include building an app, writing a blog, creating graphics and object oriented programming. You will also learn about networks and how computer systems operate.  As our society has become more reliant on computer systems, we will learn about the benefits this brings, as well as how you can protect yourself and be able to spot when something is wrong and what you need to do to keep yourself safe.

Hours per week: 1

Year 9 to Year 11

Year 9

The first year of the course aims to introduce students to the fundamental principles needed to be successful at Computer Science. The course has a Computer Systems paper as well as an Algorithms and Programming paper.  They will learn to understand and apply abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms, and data representation. We will analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs. This will encourage students to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically whilst understanding the components that make up digital systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems.  Finally, it is important to understand the impacts of digital technology to the individual and to wider society and how to apply mathematical skills relevant to Computer Science.

Year 10 and Year 11

During Year 10, students will learn revision techniques to help them to create knowledge organisers which will revisit the above topics in more depth.  Researching and building programs will help to build confidence and skill levels.

Having covered all the content required in depth, Year 11 is used for Mock paper questions to practise answers, to indicate where extra practice is needed and to consolidate learning further.  The exams will be sat in the summer of Year 11.

Hours per week: 2

Exam board: OCR GCSE

Subject specifications:

https://www.ocr.org.uk/Images/558027-specification-gcse-computer-science-j277.pdf