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Computing

Year 7

Term Topic & Key Content Additional Reading or Resources
Autumn Impact of Technology​ - Collaborating Online Respectfully
Pupils learn about the health and safety of the computer room and how to use the school network and stay safe online.
Programming Essentials - Programming in Scratch
Pupils learn key programming constructs. Importantly, this unit does not assume any previous programming experience.
 
Spring Modelling Data - Spreadsheets
Pupils learn to being able to confidently model data with a spreadsheet, from using basic formulas to writing their own COUNTIF statements.
Networks - From Semaphores to the Internet
Pupils define a network and learn about the benefits of networking, how data is transmitted using protocols, types of hardware, wired and wireless data transmission.
What is a network? Introduction to networks - KS3 Computer Science Revision - BBC Bitesize
Summer Programming Essentials - Scratch Part 2
Pupils build on their understanding of the control structures’ sequence, selection, and iteration (the big three), and develop their problem-solving skills. Pupils will learn about subroutines, decomposition, lists.
Using Media - Gaining Support for a Cause
Pupils develop their IT and digital literacy skills. They will create a supportive blog post about a real-world cause. Pupils develop software skills and explore concerns around licensing and legal issues of using other people’s work.
 

 

Year 8

Term Topic & Key Content Additional Reading or Resources
Autumn Programming - Introduction to Python Pupils will learn text-based programming with Python including input and output, arithmetic operations, randomness, selection, and iteration. 
Representations - How a Computer Represents Information using Binary Pupils learn about binary digits and how they can be used to represent text and numbers. 
 
Spring Computing Systems - Programs, Operating Systems and Components Pupils learn about the different layers of computing systems and how they work. Pupils also learn about artificial intelligence. 
Media - Vector Graphics
Pupils learn about different types of graphics and use their knowledge to design their own graphic to enter into a year group competition.
 
Summer Apps - Mobile App Development
Pupils learn to design and project manage to develop and create their own mobile app. Using App Lab from code.org.
World Wide Web - CAD Project
Pupils explore HTML, and CSS. They investigate how websites are catalogued and organised. They consider hidden network technologies that protect them from the threats, as well as looking at the impact of these services and technologies.
 

 

Year 9

Term Topic & Key Content Additional Reading or Resources
Autumn Python Programming - Sequences of Data 
Pupils learn how data can be represented/processed in sequences, such as lists and strings. They will process data on solar system planets, book texts, capital cities, leaked passwords, word dictionaries, ECG data.
Physical Computing - BBC Microbit
Pupils learn about the host of components built into the micro bit, and write simple programs that use these components to interact with the physical world.
 
Spring Cybersecurity - Techniques used by Cyber Criminals
Pupils discover techniques used by cyber criminals to steal data, disrupt systems, and infiltrate networks. They will look at the more common cyber crimes such as hacking, DDoS attacks, and malware, as well as looking at methods of protection
Representations - Going Audio Visual Pupils focus on digital media such as images and sounds, and discover the binary digits that lie beneath. They will use relevant software (GIMP and Audacity) to manipulate images and sounds.
 
Summer Data Science - Investigating Problems using the Investigative Cycle
Pupils are introduced to data science and learn how to use data to investigate problems and make changes to the world around them. Learners will be exposed to both global and local data sets.
Animation - Creating a short film
Pupils will learn about stop frame animation and apply their skills to produce a short animation on a topic that they will be given.