KS3
Information Communication Technology plays an integral part in society and is used in a variety of contexts; home, school, recreation, the community, business and industry. The school recognises that ICT is an essential skill for pupils and therefore is committed to offering the pupils an opportunity to develop these skills. They will use these skills to enhance their work in other subjects. ICT facilities at Cefn Hengoed are state of the art, with 2 suites of Apple desktop computers. ICT is an extremely popular subject choice at Key Stage 4. Pupils are invited to bring their own set of head/ear phones to lessons, in order to take full advantage of certain aspects of the curriculum, such as video editing and the creation of multimedia products.
Delivery: Pupils will receive 2 ICT lessons per fortnight and cover the following strands: Using ICT, Multimedia, and Computing. ICT is further developed in all subjects across the curriculum and is at the heart of all Teaching and Learning at Cefn Hengoed.
Software
- Pupils will be introduced to and use the following software types:
- Word Processing and Desktop Publishing
- E-mail
- Databases
- Spreadsheets
- Graphics
- Sound Editing
- Video Editing
- Digital Photography, Web Editing & Programming
Hardware
Pupils will have the opportunity to work on an up to date OSX operating system and additionally Windows based applications, through the use of state of the art Apple iMac computers.
Theory:
- File Management
- File Types / Format
- Parts of the computer
- Software Applications
- Internet Safety
- Data Protection and Health and Safety
- Cloud Networking/Online Storage
- Computer Law
- Effective Research
Literacy Opportunities in ICT
Pupils will learn how to effectively use the tools and conventions of ICT to present information and data and to structure writing. They will also use their knowledge to identify areas for improvement in their writing, edit and redraft.
Numeracy Opportunities in ICT
Pupils will learn to use rounding to estimate answers and be able to present answers to a given number of decimal places. Pupils will use a range of strategies to check calculations including the use of inverse operations, equivalent calculations and the rules of divisibility.
KS4
Introduction
ICT is a diverse subject and studying ICT at GCSE level will give you the skills base to operate confidently in today’s digital world. Have you ever wondered how to build a computer? Or how to create a professional and effective website? Explore your creative side by developing multimedia applications and learn how to use ICT effectively and safely. ICT is an essential qualification that will benefit you whether you aspire to progress to college, university or employment.
Cefn Hengoed is proud to offer state of the art ICT facilities that will give you the opportunity to further develop your ICT capability using both Apple Mac and Windows based operating systems. By choosing ICT as an option choice, you will gain specialist knowledge and confidence in using multiple systems and software applications.
Course Details
WJEC GCSE Information and Communication Technology
Studying ICT at Key Stage 4 is a natural progression of the Key Stage 3 work offered in Year 7, 8 and 9. The WJEC ICT qualification covers aspects of ICT within the home, school, business and industry, developing both theoretical and practical understanding of the subject.
Specialist knowledge will be gained in using office-based applications, web development, presentation, sound and video editing software applications. Possible career opportunities within the industry of ICT are endless however, some more specialist ICT job roles could include; software engineer, systems analyst, technical support, technical sales or web developer.
60% controlled assessment and 40% external examination.
GCSE Awarding Grades: A* - G
The course consists of the following four units of study:
Unit 1 – Understanding ICT
(20% External Written Examination – 1½ hours)
This examination paper will assess the theoretical understanding of ICT, in a home and school context. Topics include: ICT within organisations, Home and Personal Communications Systems, ICT and Learning, Spreadsheets, Staying Safe Online, ICT Law and Health Issues.
Unit 2 – Solving Problems with ICT
(30% Controlled Assessment - 22½ hours)
This controlled assessment will give students the opportunity to develop ICT solutions within a business context. It promotes valuable life skills, such as the ability to create and develop spreadsheets effectively.
Unit 3 – ICT in Organisations
(20% External Written Examination – 1½ hours)
This examination paper will assess the ‘application’ content of ICT in a business and industry context. Topics include: Web and Presentation Software, Multimedia, Digital Imaging, Animation, Sound & Music, Networks, Human-Computer Interfaces and Emerging Technologies.
Unit 4 – Developing ICT Solutions
(30% Controlled Assessment - 22½ hours)
This controlled assessment will give students the opportunity to develop a piece of work using either web development or multimedia application software.
