The department consists of well qualified teaching staff delivering courses at Key Stage 3, 4 and 5.  There are three fully equipped ICT suites with the latest software dedicated to the Computer Science courses. There are further general ICT suites available throughout the school.

We aim to deliver Computer Science and ICT skills in both a cross-curricular way (as an integrated part of all subjects) and through specific courses. Across the curriculum students will use ICT to help them research, study independently and solve problems in many different situations.

Through the teaching of the Computing Programmes of Study at Key Stage 3, our high quality computing courses equip students to use computational thinking and creativity to understand the changing world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, design and technology providing insights into both natural and artificial systems.

At Key Stage 4, students study for the OCR GCSE qualification in Computer Science. This course gives the student an in-depth understanding of how computer technologies works. It also provides excellent preparation for higher studies and employment in Computer Science and helps to develop critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills.

At Key Stage 5, students study the OCR GCE A-level in Computer Science. The A-level qualification will inspire and challenge students to apply the knowledge they gain with the creative and technical skills they acquire. The key benefit of the Computer Science A-level is the focus on computer programming which builds on our GCSE Computer Science course and emphasises the importance of computational thinking as a discipline.

Citizenship

As technical computing skills become more widely used, so is the need to understand the importance of:

• Accepting responsibility for one’s behaviour online
• Respecting other people's points of view

Students are taught a moral code to distinguish right from wrong when developing programmes.  These students are advised of the effect of rapidly changing technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the laws of the UK which govern computer usage.

Computer Science Subject Leader and Associate Assistant headteacher, Dr M Ryde.