Holmes Chapel
6th Form College
Our Curriculum
Computer Science
Intent
The aim of our Key Stage 3 Computer Science curriculum is to equip students with a solid foundation in computer science, fostering computational thinking, ICT and problem-solving skills, and digital literacy. The focus is on providing foundational knowledge in computer science and understanding programming concepts, digital literacy/the ethical implications of technology use, and to understand how computer programs are used in a variety of everyday situations. Our curriculum aims to prepare students for a rapidly evolving digital world, fostering curiosity and readiness for a range of further studies and careers in technology.
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Implementation:
At Holmes Chapel Comprehensive our curriculum is divided into 4 units per year at KS3. The curriculum is delivered through a structured program of units that build on prior knowledge, introducing increasingly complex concepts. Students engage in practical activities, such as coding projects, to apply theoretical knowledge. The units differ in both length and approach but we like to deliver concepts through engaging projects and real-world type problem-solving activities. The roadmap of our curriculum implementation is shown below:

Impact
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At HCCS, our curriculum approach nurtures independent learners who are confident in tackling computational problems and designing innovative solutions. At the end of the majority of KS3 units we have placed an examination (usually 50 questions with a mix of multiple choice and short answer responses). The end of unit test (or a teacher assessment of the quality of their ebook) is how we will grade their progress in relation to their peers and assess them on a scale of 9 to 1 in terms of academic performance. The performance grade is supported by an effort grade and an attitude to learning grade which are based on teacher judgements of what they see in the classroom.
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Students develop transferable skills such as logical reasoning, problem-solving, critical thinking and become proficient using technology safely and effectively. They gain an appreciation for the role of computer science in society and its potential impact on the future. The curriculum prepares students for further studies in computer science (we offer successful Computer Science and IT courses at both KS4 and KS5) and related fields (we offer Cyber Security courses at KS5), equipping them with skills relevant to various careers.



Key Stage 3 Computer Science Overview
We aim to teach as many of the Computer Science lessons as possible with a specialist in the subject area. We currently have a team of three specialists. Dr Middleton is the Faculty Lead for Computer Science and Technology subjects and working with him are Ms Fitzpatrick and Mr Jones.
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We group the children in mixed ability sets of around 30 students. We believe in CS and IT that this approach is right at KS3 and helps them to select the area in which they are strongest at KS4 and KS5.
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The termly breakdown of the subject is as follows: