Aims of the ICT Department
- To provide pupils and staff with the skills and knowledge that will enable them to use the ICT facilities in order to develop and enhance their work throughout the school.
- To work with subject areas in order to help them to develop opportunities for pupils to use ICT in their solution to problems.
- To provide pupils with the training that they require throughout Key Stage 3 to become autonomous users of ICT at KS4.
- To nurture pupils' natural enthusiasm for ICT and encourage them to utilise their skills to enhance their learning and presentation.
- To co-ordinate the provision for and the use of Information and communications technology throughout the school.
- To monitor and assess pupils' experience of ICT throughout the curriculum.
To prepare pupils for a world in which the use of ICT is commonplace.
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ICT Teaching Staff
Head of ICT is David Atkins, from an IT background having previous industry experience in setting up IT systems in schools. Second in Department is Richard Sutcliffe, having eight years experience at Oakbank. Denise Connor has been at Oakbank for four years and is Key stage 3 co-ordinator. Amer Qureshi is the fourth ICT teacher at Oakbank and has previous experience running the IT department at a school in Egypt. Please feel free to contact us should you have any queries.
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Key Stage 3 ICT
All pupils in Key Stage 3 are taught ICT for one period per week during each of Years 7, 8 and 9. This gives every pupil an excellent opportunity to develop their ICT skills to the full. Pupils at KS3 broadly follow the QCA Schemes of Work which have been adapted by us to suit our pupils. Internet safety and responsible use of new technologies is encouraged in year 7. Pupils are also taught to use industry standard software in producing websites and complete a multimedia project in year 9. The result is an interesting and varied programme of study which will stimulate and challenge.
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Key Stage 4 ICT
ICT is a popular option choice for study in Year 10 and 11. Replacing the GCSE and GNVQ is the new Edexcel CiDA, worth 2 GCSE passes or the AIDA worth 1 GCSE pass. This is a flexible course with no external exam. Pupils are assessed via an internal e-portfolio which they produce in controlled conditions as an ‘internal exam’.
This year we are also introducing the OCR National Qualification in Year 10. This qualification gives pupils the equivalent of two GCSEs by the end of Year 11. This has an internally moderated exam, which is done within the classroom environment. Students are also able to take the keys skills ICT exam which will be replaced with Functional Skills from September 2009.
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Key Stage 5 ICT
At A level Pupils study the Applied GCE in ICT.
Structure of the Qualification:-
At Advanced Subsidiary (AS) Level
During the first year, the units shown below must be studied.
- Unit 1 ‘Using ICT to Communicate’
- Unit 2 ‘How Organisations Use ICT’
- Unit 3 ‘ICT Solutions for Individuals and Society’
* Unit 2 is externally assessed.
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At Advanced GCE Level:
Students must study Unit 9 ’Working To A Brief’, which will be assessed externally.
Plus
- Unit 11 ‘Interactive Multimedia Products’
- Unit 14 ‘Developing and Creating Websites’
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Exam Results 2008
CiDA Results
62% of pupils achieved an A—C pass
94% achieved A—F grade
DiDA Results
100% of pupils achieved an A-C pass
Year 12 APP GCE
62.5% of pupils achieved an A-C pass
87.5% of pupils achieved an A-E pass
Year 13 APP GCE
66% of pupils achieved an A-C pass
100% of pupils achieved an A-E pass
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For All Pupils
The IT teaching rooms are open for private study whenever possible. Pupils are encouraged to use the facilities before school and at lunchtime. Some mornings, one of the ICT rooms is usually open from 8.00am.
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Software
Pupils will learn how to use:
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Access
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Macromedia Dream-weaver
- Macromedia Flash
- Macromedia Fireworks and Freehand
- Outlook Express
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The Internet
The network covers the whole school, and pupils can continue with their work at any computer. All machines have access to the internet. Pupils can now get access to the school intranet from home by typing in www.intranet.oakbank.org.uk and using their normal school username and password. The school has an effective Internet filter that prevents pupils accessing inappropriate material.
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All pupils are taught how to use our Email system responsibly. The option to access the school email system from outside the school can be arranged. Students in KS4 have email accounts and are provided with their own E-mail address. Students at KS3 can use USB memory sticks to transfer files.