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KS3: MYP ICT - Digital Design (Design)

Intent

Students in the MYP learn how to enjoy a design process, create a solution, apply technology, appreciate impact of design, and develop their effective working practices.

The objectives of MYP design encompass inquiry and analysis, development of ideas, creation of solution and evaluation.

Each objective is elaborated by a number of strands; a strand is an aspect or indicator of the learning expectation which students will be assessed on.

Together these objectives reflect the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students need in order to create a digital project from concept to end outcome.

Intent

At Key Stage 3, ICT is taught in class groupings. The curriculum is aligned to the MYP framework for Years 7. The MYP ICT Design framework enables students to develop not only practical skills but strategies  for creative and critical thinking.

Year 7 Schedule of Learning:

  • Module 1 & 2: E Safety
  • Module 3: Understanding Computers
  • Module 4: Introduction to Programming
  • Module 5 & 6: Scratch Programming

Intent

At Key Stage 3, ICT is taught in class groupings. The curriculum is aligned to the MYP framework for Years 8. The MYP ICT Design framework enables students to develop not only practical skills but strategies  for creative and critical thinking.

Year 8 Schedule of Learning:

  • Module 1: E Safety
  • Module 2 & 3: Graphic Design
  • Module 4: High Level Language Coding – Python
  • Module 5 & 6: Python Programming Project

Intent

At Key Stage 3, ICT is taught in class groupings. The curriculum is aligned to the MYP framework for Years 9. The MYP ICT Design framework enables students to develop not only practical skills but strategies  for creative and critical thinking.

Year 9 Schedule of Learning:

  • Module 1: E Safety
  • Module 2 & 3: Digital Animation
  • Module 4: Computing & Algorithmic Thinking
  • Module 5: Interfaces and Project Planning
  • Module 6: Application Design Project

Implementation

MYP ICT aims to equip all students with the knowledge, understanding and intellectual capabilities to address further courses in ICT, Computer Science and Creative Media, as well as to prepare those students who will use ICTin their studies, workplaces and everyday life. ICT plays a key role in modern digital life and is a transferable skill across many facets of both Education and Society.

Impact

The MYP curriculum framework offers flexibility to determine engaging, relevant, challenging and significant content that meets local and national curriculum requirements. This inquiry-based curriculum explores factual, conceptual and debatable questions in the study of design.

Students will be assessed under four different criteria:

  • Criterion A: Inquiring and analysing 
    Students are presented with a design situation, from which they identify a problem that needs to be solved. They analyse the need for a solution and conduct an inquiry into the nature of the problem.
  • Criterion B: Developing ideas 
    Students write a detailed specification, which drives the development of a solution. They present the solution.
  • Criterion C: Creating the solution 
    Students plan the creation of the chosen solution, then follow the plan to create a prototype sufficient for testing and evaluation.
  • Criterion D: Evaluating 
    Students design tests to evaluate the solution, carry out those tests and objectively evaluate its success. Students identify areas where the solution could be improved and explain how their solution will impact on the client or target audience.

Each criterion is divided into various achievement levels. The level descriptors for each band describe a range of student performance in the various strands of each objective. At the lowest levels, student achievement in each of the strands will be minimal. As the numerical levels increase, the level descriptors describe greater achievement levels in each of the strands.

The four MYP criteria will be summatively assessed and reported on twice a year (Modules 3 and 6). A final grade will be provided at the end of the year (Module 6). Further guidance on MYP assessments can be found here:

For more information, please read our assessment recording and reporting cycle.

Additional Resources

KS4: Computing (Core)

Digital Literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science is embedded in Wilmington Academy at Key Stage 4 through the iDEA programme, a fundamental part of our Key Stage 4 tutor programme. The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA is an international award winning programme that helps you develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free.

What’s the Purpose?

Our aim at Wilmington Academy is to prepare students for the increasingly digital world that we find ourselves in. Our curriculum helps to foster students’ digitality against the strands that interlink our everyday lives. Students are given the opportunity to complete challenges across a range of ICT and Digital elements. Literacy is also embedded within the program, helping to improve literacy rates across the school. A key focus is on developing students’ digital ability, creativity and safety.  As a consequence, students can go on to be happy and successful members of today’s digital society.

Key points:

iDEA helps you develop skills and showcase your achievements, regardless of your age or stage.

  • Through our series of online challenges, you can win career-enhancing badges, unlock new opportunities and, ultimately, gain industry-recognised Awards that help you stand out from the crowd.
  • KS4- Students engage in the iDea framework twice a week during form time. This is taught by form tutors and subject teachers.
  • Assessment is taken Modularly  against completed badges using an online teacher platform
  • Feedback on engagement will be driven to build a culture of success and challenge.
  • Students can download, print and share a portable Record of Achievement as you work towards unlocking Special Achievements and industry-recognised Awards.
  • iDEA aspires to be the digital and enterprise equivalent of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Bronze is beginner, Silver intermediate and Gold advanced. The iDEA Bronze Award and iDEA Silver Award are available now, and Gold will be released in due course.
Computing National Curriculum iDEA Bronze

KS4: GCSE Computer Science (EBacc)

Intent

Computing plays a key part in the education of all children. Society demands a required use of technology, and therefore it is imperative it is taught well within Wilmington Academy.

Students at Wilmington have the opportunity to apply and develop their technological understanding and skills to empower them to interact with technology and any issues outside of education. A rich computing curriculum equips students to use computational thinking and creativity to adapt to the ever changing digital society we live in.

Students are taught how to use digital systems, how computers and devices work, programming fundamentals, data, hardware and software alongside the ethical issues raised within a digital society.

Schedule of Learning

  • Module 1: Boolean Logic – Units – Data – Algorithms
  • Module 2: Programming Fundamentals – Practical programming
  • Module 3: Additional Programming Techniques
  • Module 4: Data Storage – Compression – Architecture of the CPU – Compression
  • Module 5: Embedded Systems – Secondary Storage – Networks & Topologies – Primary Storage
  • Module 6: Wired & Wireless Networks – Networks Continued – Examination Techniques

Schedule of Learning

  • Module 1: Threats to systems – Network Vulnerability – Utility Software – Operating Systems
  • Module 2: Ethical, legal and Cultural Impact – Testing – Defensive Design
  • Module 3: Practical programming Skills – Searching and Sorting Algorithms
  • Module 4: Theory & Revision – Practical Programming Skills
  • Module 5: Theory & Revision – Practical Programming Skills

Implementation

You will cover a content rich curriculum in a two year KS4 timescale. Following the new and updated J277 OCR Computer Science.

  • Component 01: Computer systems
    Introduces students to the central processing unit (CPU), computer memory and storage, data representation, wired and wireless networks, network topologies, system security and system software. It also looks at ethical, legal, cultural and environmental concerns associated with computer science.
  • Component 02: Computational thinking, algorithms and programming
    Students apply knowledge and understanding gained in component 01. They develop skills and understanding in computational thinking: algorithms, programming techniques, producing robust programs, computational logic and translators.
  • Component 03: Practical programming
    Students are to be given the opportunity to undertake a programming task(s) during their course of study which allows them to develop their skills to design, write, test and refine programs using a high-level programming language. Students will be assessed on these skills during the written examinations, in particular component 02 (section B).

Impact

Computer Science aims to equip all students with the knowledge and understanding to take the content forward into a variety of courses and roles. Students can move seamlessly into college courses and onto University Degree courses. Pupils studying a course of Computer Science can also apply for niche apprenticeship placements within the subject area. Ultimately being digitally confident will stand our pupils in good stead in a rapidly changing ever evolving digital world.

Assessment

The course is 100% exam based in your final year within Key Stage 4, shown below;

  • Paper 1: Computer Systems (50%) of your final mark)
  • Paper 2: Computational thinking, algorithms and programming (50%) of your final mark
  • Programming Language (Python) will also be taught, but this will now be assessed within Paper 2 above.

For more information, please read our assessment recording and reporting cycle.

Exam Board Information

Additional Resources

Google Classroom Link to be assigned on sign up