Computing

What is our curriculum intent?

Our intent is to build a computing curriculum that develops students’ learning and results in the acquisition of knowledge of the world around them. We create a clear and effective scheme of work that provides coverage in line with the National Curriculum.

Our teaching and learning will facilitate progression across all key stages within the strands of digital literacy, information technology, and computer science. The students have access to resources which aid in the acquisition of skills and knowledge.

We also build a computing curriculum that prepares students to live safely in an increasingly digital British society, by using the Digital Literacy strand to reinforce the work we do in and outside of the classroom, including with parents and carers and the students home lives and in the residential areas if applicable to the student.

How does the delivery of our curriculum differ between the pathways?

In both the Simmonds and Hawking pathways in Key stage 3, we assess students using the KsENT stages that we have developed with other Kent Special Schools. This can be through physical pieces of work, a final project piece, an end of term assessment and/or teacher judgement. We attend moderation with the collective schools to make sure there is universal assessment happening throughout the Computing departments.

In Key Stages 4 and 5, we assess the students dependent on the course and direction they are progressing in. Lower Simmonds students complete the ASDAN course, which is assessed using module booklets, tracking sheets, and internal and external moderation. Simmonds and Hawking students undertake the WJEC Entry Pathways course, which is assessed from Entry Level 1 through to Level 1 (a lower GCSE level) and we assess students through the learning criteria from the examination board and through internal and external moderation. WJEC Entry Pathways bridges the gap between Entry Level pathways and GCSE, and Hawking students also have the opportunity to complete the OCR Cambridge Technicals course at Level 2. This is assessed by 2 exams and 2 externally moderated coursework units. This course again has learning criteria which we build the learning around.

Do our students have access to learning opportunities outside the classroom?

The computing curriculum allows for students to experience this subject outside of the classroom at times. This includes topics and units based around digital photographs, digital videos, audio recordings, looking at technology used around the school premises, looking at the technology in the home environments with the school grounds, algorithms and giving directions to each other outside, work experience with the IT Team, and games to reinforce topics. Students also have access to a Virtual Reality (VR) club.