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At Humphry Davy School all children receive their entitlement to Computing, this happens through discrete fortnightly lessons which take place from year 7, right through to year 11. This exciting new Program of Study (which can be viewed here: is broken into three core strands.  Those being Digital Literacy, including e-safety and with children working to understand a range of ways to use technology safely, respectfully, responsibly and securely.  The new curriculum still contains some Information Technology in which children are encouraged to develop their IT capability through creative projects that involve selecting, using, and combining multiple applications.  But the most significant change is the focus on Computer Science, where students are encouraged to develop their computational thinking skills through the design, use and evaluation of computational abstractions and their development of their understanding of how computers work.

Year 7 Computing

Students begin with an e-safety unit called “ThinkUKnow” provided by CEOP.  They go on to develop their understanding of HTML code, before creating a small website using Dream Weaver, which shows their understanding of the risks of using social media.  In the production of the website students develop an understanding of file types and specifically compare Vector and Bitmap graphics.  Later in the year students look at a unit of work based on developing their understanding of computer hardware, software and processing.  Their final unit is based on algorithms, and students learn how what might seem like complex procedures, can be broken down in to into simple sets of instructions.

Year 8 Computing

Students learn about the key concepts of program writing through the use of Scratch.  They develop their understanding of how Scratch can be used, by following instructions to make simple interactive programs.  They then go on to independently design and develop their own computer game.  Student then focus on data handling.  They learn about problems in the data collection process, and the need to control data input.  They then revisit how to create simple graphs in Excel, before investigating a hypothesis based on a large data set, from which they create an info-graphic.

Year 9 Computing

Students focus on the IT strand as they develop new skills in bitmap imaging, using Photoshop to create a poster advertising photographer Jim Kazanjian exhibiting at the Tate St.Ives.  This creative unit takes students through the whole design process, from writing a specification and setting measurable success criteria, to research and analysis, development and evaluation. They collate feedback about their work using online survey tools and learn about Copyright.  Year 9 also includes an safety element based on the use of technology in relationships.

Year 10 Computing

Students are introduced to the textual programming language “Python”.  They learn the programs syntax before developing simple programs based on instructions.  The students go on to adapt what they have learned in applying multiple principals into a single program, before going on to attempt a series of programming challenges.  Later in the year students look at data modeling, and use Excel to create a series of simple models, before going on to complete a modeling challenge.

Year 11 Computing

In this shortened year the students work to create a digital multimedia, interactive learning resource based in PowerPoint, but using the programming language Visual Basic to allow for testing to take place.  Year 11 also includes an e-safety element based on financial e-safety.

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