High Tunstall College of Science

ICT is an essential skill needed to survive in our rapidly-changing lives. Our aim is to equip all learners at High Tunstall College of Science to be able to participate fully in a world of technology.

Our philosophy is excellent teaching combined with e-learning to enhance student’s experience and personalise each of their courses. We have very high expectations for our students to meet and exceed their potential in their ICT course.

 We aim to provide a quality and interactive learning experience, which is free from disruption and in a secure environment.  Consistency of expectations and standards is of up-most importance within the subject area and all students are expected to conduct themselves appropriately while using the college resources.
Most of the courses we offer are accompanied by e-learning resources that are accessible from outside college.

 We have 7 fully equipped and networked computer rooms used for delivering ICT as a discrete subject as well as ICT in other curriculum areas.

Skills

ICT has a skilled based curriculum and we aim to develop students in the following ways:

·         plan and carry out their own research and explore their own ideas to develop solutions to issues or problems

·         determine for themselves the information, ICT tools and techniques they need to answer questions and test hypotheses

·         analyse and critically evaluate information, judging its relevance, purpose, accuracy, plausibility, value and possible bias

·         work with increasing independence and apply their competence in new and more challenging contexts.

·         develop their own ideas, explore possibilities, seek innovative alternatives and make new connections, for example use ICT to model scenarios and identify patterns

·         design their own information systems, adapting and modifying their ideas, for example refining information creatively to combine text, sound and image

·         take increasing personal responsibility for developing how they think and work.

·         recognise their own strengths and those of others when allocating roles and tasks to achieve effective outcomes, for example when applying ICT to carry out extended tasks

·         explore for themselves how ICT can be used to communicate, collaborate and share ideas on a local, national and global scale

·         show responsibility when using ICT to communicate safely with others

·         provide and respond to constructive feedback, taking account of different views and developing the confidence to resolve issues and achieve their identified goals.

·         take personal responsibility for organising their own time and resources, prioritising actions and managing risks to carry out and successfully complete a task, for example using ICT effectively to organise their time and resources

·         use perseverance, initiative and creativity to address challenging tasks

·         make choices about how ICT can support them in their learning and in their life outside school

·         respond positively to new or changing priorities, for example actively embracing the challenges of applying concepts to new or unfamiliar contexts.

·         explore how communicating, exchanging and presenting information and ideas in ICT can be a force for change

·         negotiate and balance diverse sources of information and views, including their own, making independent decisions to solve issues and problems.

·         reflect critically on available information, for example to take account of its purpose, author, currency and context

Curriculum Info

Key Stage 3:

Years 7 – 9 have two 1 hour lessons per fortnight of ICT. They are assessed regularly through teacher assessment and are awarded a National Curriculum level at the end of Year 9.

The students study the following:
 
Developing word processing skills

• E-Safety
• Data handling – Databases
• Control technology
• Desktop Publishing
• Modelling – Spreadsheets
• Public Information Systems
• Websites and Animation

 
Through these units’ students will become familiar with a number of applications including Microsoft Office software – Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint & Publisher. They will also use a variety of applications for Control Technology, image editing, web authoring and animation creation.
 
Key Stage 4:

OCR Nationals – Award & First Certificate
The OCR Nationals suite of qualifications provides candidates with high quality, industry-relevant qualifications geared to the specific requirements of key sectors. They are vocationally-related qualifications that provide valuable opportunities for individuals to develop skills and gain underpinning knowledge and understanding which will support entry into work or progression to further studies through Further Education or Higher Education. The OCR Nationals are attractive, practically-based qualifications intended to stimulate and interest candidates.
This is a 100% coursework qualification made up of units that can be combined to offer qualification equivalent to 2 GCSE’s (Award) or 3 GCSE’s (First Certificate). The first compulsory unit is ICT and Business and the following units to be delivered allow students to study and demonstrate a range of multimedia skills, including developing graphics and animation.

 Course materials are available Here

Grade range A*-C

Functional Skills

 
Students attend 1 lesson a fortnight in the Red and Yellow pathways and 3 lessons a fortnight in the green pathway. This course is suitable for those students who would like a basic practical experience of ICT. Students are entered for either the Level 1 (equivalent of D-G grade) or Level 2 (equivalent of A*-C) qualification. Students need to be able to use ICT software packages in more sophisticated ways as they move through the levels. Students will complete an online exam; printing the results of the tasks they are set. This work is then sent away for external assessment by the exam board.

Course materials are available Here

 Grade range Pass/Fail

Additional Information

Lunchtime ICT club – Arranged through Mr Ho, most lunchtimes in his room.

Extra Tuition – Students will occasionally be given the opportunity to attend additional sessions in ICT. If students are struggling with coursework they should see their class teacher. Timetables for Exam Revision sessions will be published via the college website and emailed to students.

ICT Detention – Wednesday evenings 3.20 – 4.10pm