Computer Science
"Our world is digital. An understanding of computers will enable students to make informed choices in their digital world"
A high-quality computing education equips students to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.
What is Computing?
Computing is an umbrella term which encompasses the three strands which we offer learners at KESH.
- Computational thinking - the scientific and practical study of computation: what can be computed, how to compute it, and how computation may be applied to the solution of problems.
- Digital media - the creative and hands-on approach to researching, planning and developing media products to communicate in the digital world.
- Digital literacy - the discrete ability to effectively, responsibly, safely and critically navigate, evaluate and create digital artefacts using a range of digital technologies.
Computer Science at KS3
Impact of Technology – Collaborating Online Respectfully
This unit looks at how to use the school network appropriately. This unit builds in time for discussions on why appropriate usage is important, as well as allowing for opportunities to highlight online safety issues.
Using Media – Gaining Support for a Cause
Do you want to change the world? Here’s a good place to start. You will develop a deeper understanding of information technology and digital literacy by using your skills across the unit to create a blog post about a real world cause that you are passionate about and would like to gain support for.
Programming essentials in Scratch: part I
This unit is the first programming unit of KS3. The aim of this unit and the following unit (Programming II) is to build you confidence and knowledge of the key programming constructs. Importantly, this unit does not assume any previous programming experience, but it does offer you the opportunity to expand on their knowledge throughout the unit. The main programming concepts covered in this unit are sequencing, variables, selection, and count-controlled iteration. All of the examples and activities for this unit use Scratch 3.
Year 8
Cybersecurity
This unit takes you on a journey of discovery of techniques that cybercriminals use to steal data, disrupt systems, and infiltrate networks. You will start by considering the value their data holds and what organisations might use it for. You will then learn about social engineering and other common cybercrimes, and finally look at methods to protect against these attacks.
Programming: Mobile app development
Today, there’s an app for every possible need. With this unit you can take learners through the entire process of creating their own mobile app, using App Lab from code.org. Building on the programming concepts learners used in previous units, they will work in pairs to perform user research, design their app, write the code for it, before finally evaluating and publishing it for the world to use.
Computing systems is online
This unit takes learners on a tour through the different layers of computing systems: from programs and the operating system, to the physical components that store and execute these programs, to the fundamental binary building blocks that these components consist of. The last lessons cover two interesting contemporary topics: artificial intelligence and open source software. These are linked back to the content of the unit, helping learners to both broaden their knowledge and focus on the topics addressed in the unit.
The unit assumes no prior knowledge
By the end of KS3 a KESH Computer Scientist will:
- Be aware of the opportunities and limitations of living in a digital world
- Understand the core principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming or product creation.
- Be equipped to use technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.
- Become digitally literate – able to use computers to express themselves and develop their ideas at a level suitable in order to become active participants in a digital world.
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About
King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham is a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales. Registered number 10654935. Registered office: Foundation Office, Edgbaston Park Road, Birmingham, B15 2UD. Tel: 0121 472 1147.
