ICT and Computer Science Curriculum Intent
The IT and Computing department has progressed well in the ever-changing environment of emerging technologies. The subject lead has developed the department for more than several decades with 25 years of teaching practice and 17 years of leading the department from IT, Digital Literacy, Computer Science and more recently into AI. Additionally, the second in department has supported on this journey and taking the lead with IT and augmented reality. We have three subject specific full-time staff and two subject specific part time staff that also deliver humanities, DT and business studies.
Moat is the LEIP Computing Hub Lead school sharing and coordinating good practice across many city schools. Additionally, the subject lead is the AI strategic lead to the school and the hub, with a strong team of AI Ambassadors across Moat departments, as well as facilitating AI Ambassadors across city schools and trusts.
The department develops learner’s knowledge, skills and understanding through key digital literacy, computational thinking concepts and IT experience. The KS3 curriculum has been designed to ensure learners have sufficient knowledge to stay safe online and use computers safely in life. The KS3 curriculum also provides a focus on developing resilient learners who are able to recover from mistakes and effectively solve problems. The topics at KS3 give a basis of knowledge, skills and understanding to allow students to progress onto either IT or Computer Science at KS4 and will provide exposure to those subjects so that students can make an informed decision on their GCSE choices. The curriculum is mapped for progression and sequenced within the Moat context from KS2, KS3 and then KS4. AI is interleaved within all lessons both at KS3 and KS4.
Key Stage 3
At KS3 the IT and Computer Science department aims to embed skills and knowledge in a wide range of IT and computing capabilities including digital literacy, data analytics & AI. We start in year 7 with enhancing skills in office applications and allow students to demonstrate their understanding of audience and purpose through a wide range of project-based learning. We quickly move on to looking at coding and physical computing to ensure that knowledge, skills and understanding are embedded from an early age and online safety at the core.
IT, Computer Science and AI are fast developing in our school, and our aim is to offer students the opportunity to be involved in this by experiencing elements of coding at KS3 so that they have a strong foundation for KS4 if they wish to study it. The overall scheme is based on the national curriculum in Computing and scaffolds into the KS4 curriculum.
We endeavour to make the curriculum as fun and interesting as possible with a high level of challenge. Our aim is to ensure that they develop IT capability that is directly transferable, not only to other subjects but also to the KS4 curriculum and beyond. The subject ensures supporting the less able as well as stretching the high ability students with a variety of independent learning activities
Key Stage 4
The rationale of the KS4 curriculum is for students to develop the mind-set of future "Computer Scientists" built upon the foundations at KS3 and be "Computational Thinkers & Problem Solvers". Learners have the opportunity to develop their capability, creativity and knowledge in computer science, project management, digital media and information technology. Students have the option of studying Computer Science or IT at GCSE level and less able students have access to Functional Skills in ICT. We adopt a consistent approach towards assessment for learning, and learners progress with teacher marking, feedback, self-evaluation and scheduled assessments.