Years 7 & 8 Curriculum - Computer Studies

HT

Year 7

Year 8

Autumn 1

Students will be shown how to use the network effectively and given a baseline assessment.

E-Safety – Students will learn about a range of ways to use technology respectfully, responsibly and securely. Content will include how to protect their online identity and privacy; recognising inappropriate content, contact and conduct and knowing how to report concerns

Students will be given a baseline assessment.

E-safety - Students will extend their prior knowledge by learning about:

• methods of communication
• Identify threats and risks
• Methods of staying safe and reporting
• Privacy and protecting identity
• Create understanding of importance of information security and backing up data

Autumn 2

Web design – Students will focus on developing research, planning, and design skills, then create, test and evaluate their own website. Using Rocket Cake, students will learn a piece of web design software that they will not have used before.

HTML - Students have the opportunity to learn HTML by scripting in Notepad.  This helps students reinforce their creativity and computational thinking skills.

Students will practise using different commands to create elements which can then be used in their webpage.

Spring 1

Computer Architecture - students will develop an awareness how computers solve problems and can only input, process and output information/instructions given to them by humans

Focus will be on following areas:

• Hardware (inputs, outputs, storage, peripherals)
• Software (types, application, utility, operating systems)
• Binary representation
• Wireless Internet

• Networks

Programming – Students will continue developing algorithmic thinking skills while learning how to code simple solutions in Python. This unit will also promote problem solving skills, resilience and independence.

• Students will learn how to create, debug and improve working programs

Spring 2

Control – using real world problems familiar to them, students will develop an understanding of computational thinking, including:

• Algorithmic Thinking
• Evaluation
• Decomposition
• Abstraction
• Generalisation

Students use range of activities, such as Turtle Academy and Flowcharts to understand and create their own algorithms

Data Representation – Students will learn how computers process and output a variety of data. This builds on their binary work in Year 7 where they converted binary numbers into decimals to now include how computer convert binary into words, images and sounds.

Summer 1

Year 7 exam - Current paper covers all elements studied in proposed schedule. In the lead up to the exam, students will focus on revision skills and techniques designed to allow them to be successful in the exam.

App development – using online software to develop their own app based around a given brief. Students will continue to develop their computational thinking skills but will combine this with more creative design tasks to help them create a fully working app.

Summer 2

Programming – Students will begin developing algorithmic thinking skills while learning how to code simple solutions in Python. This unit will also promote problem solving skills, resilience and independence.

Students will learn how to create, debug and improve working programs

Legislation –Students will learn about the laws which impact on working with computers (Copyright, GDPR, Computer Misuse and Health and Safety at Work). Alongside this, the students will create a multimedia product, learning and applying more advanced skills on presentation software.