KS5 Curriculum Intention
We deliver OCR Computer Science and OCR Cambridge Technical Level 3 in IT at KS5. We have chosen these specifications to provide all students the opportunity to study Computer Science at A Level or to study a vocational course at a technical level and provide them with the qualifications needed to progress to higher education or an apprenticeship. The courses studied provides students with the opportunity to further deepen their subject knowledge from GSCE as they progress through each unit and to make informed choices about their post 18 options. This course gives a sound basis of knowledge and skills required in higher education, or an apprenticeship. The curriculum allows students to continue to build up schema, develop a deep and broad understanding of the workings of the digital technical world around them, identify and address misconceptions. Students further develop their computational thinking skills to enable them to be successful in in the practical elements of the course which in turn provides them the necessary skills needed for higher education such as writing personal statements or writing assignments. We review our SOL on a rolling ongoing basis, and we work closely with schools in our trust.
KS5 Core Curriculum Knowledge Covered
We currently teach computer science in the sequence recommended by the examination board supported by the SOL, organised around key technical concepts. In year 12 we teach the practical elements which gives new students who have not studied GCSE computer science the opportunity to learn in parallel with their peers, learning a programming language of their choice, subject to exam board approval; most students request to learn C# as its industry standard which is used in many software development areas. The content covered at KS5 is organised to take advantage of cross-curricular connections. We are currently reviewing the tasks and challenges of the programming elements of the course, to improve support to students in communication and mathematics.
