Intent

At Preston Muslim Girls High School, we aim to provide a curriculum which enables students to develop skills and knowledge in Computer Science and Digital Technologies.  This is to prepare them for a future in a world where the use of this technology is fully embodied. We wish to enthuse students to have an understanding far deeper than the interface that they currently operate.

We aim to enable students to develop a love of learning for the subject and an understanding that there are no limits to their own development in programming and IT.

Using the strands of computational thinking will aid learners with their Computer Science studies and ability to solve problems, as it is embedded within everyday life. Students will develop transferable IT skills that can be used across different curriculums to support their academic studies and build their resilience and independence.

Implementation

Development of our engaging curriculum will provide students with a broad Computing and IT knowledge set covering a range of key principles from Computer Systems to Computational Thinking and Programming. The curriculum will cover content from within the ever fast paced changing digital world and the technology that it encompasses with the latest technology available for students to use.

Students will develop their enthusiasm and resilience within the subject and will be provided the opportunity to enrich their education and learning through coding lunchtime clubs and participation in computer science competitions.

KS3 students will learn the importance of staying safe online and how computer systems work. They will be given the opportunity to develop their programming and digital technology skills through different engaging projects to stretch and challenge their knowledge.

Students will be regularly assessed through tests and quality projects created to ensure knowledge and understanding that has been learnt can be applied to different scenarios.

Moving into KS4 students will develop their previously acquired skills and be able to apply them to larger projects and overcome more complex problems. Students will further develop their understanding of computational thinking and how computers work and overcome a variety of different projects where skills must be applied.  For example, students learn about developing algorithms through the use of flowcharts and pseudocode.

Through studying how different systems work students will have an excellent understanding of all aspects of computer science and their impact on society and the wider world.

Impact

Our aim is for students to engage and enjoy the subject across all different aspects and understand how the development of IT is rapidly changing and will be a large part of their lives and careers.

Students will leave with the skills to fully embrace a future of rapidly advancing computer technology. Students will be armed with skills to be able to problem solve in numerous fields within the subject and be ready for the jobs of the future.

Students will be in strong positions to be able to apply for apprenticeship careers within IT, cyber security or software development or apply to a related higher level education course.

Career Opportunities

Almost all careers require some use of ICT resource. Specific job roles available are roles such as web developer, software engineer, cyber security, network management. ICT and computing offer a wide range of apprenticeship opportunities as well as opportunities to study at a Higher Education level.