Computer Science

By the end of the Year 11 students at Pendle Vale College will: 

• Be able to use the digital world safely in the real world to avoid potential threats and how to deal with those threats. 
• Use the techniques of decomposition and encapsulation to work though computing issues. 
• Be competent and confident users of ICT for further education and the world of work. 

We fully believe that Computer Science contributes to the development of all students at Pendle Vale College through our unrelenting focus on: 

• Currency
• Core Skills
• Character

We seek to instil a true love of learning in all our students by: 

• Students are taught in appropriate ability groups where they can achieve and progress at the right pace for them – they feel confident and supported by others in their learning. 
• Developing a secure and positive learning environment in which students can take risks without fear and failure becomes a learning opportunity. Students are encouraged to check and reflect on their work to find ways of refining it. 
• Promoting progress and achievements providing effort-based praise and regular assessments using the school reward system. 
• Fostering strong teacher independent learning mentality, along with pupil a pupil network in the class to have a ‘can do’ attitude to the subject so that students can share and improve their ideas without being homogenous.  
• Providing students with real stretch and challenge and that allows for a sense of achievement. 
• Ensuring students can monitor their own progress using self-assessment and see what is needed to move along the continuum of excellence.  
• Developing a variety of hands-on approaches to the digital world, such as programming to allow them to succeed in the real world.  

In order to achieve a true understanding of Computing, topics have been intelligently sequenced based on the following rationale: 

• Lessons build on prior knowledge to make connections between areas and concepts previously covered in Computer Science. Developing knowledge and deepening understanding through interleaving to allow students to revist and retrieve prior knowledge. 
• Using the correct terminology to explain and describe events in Computer Science. 
• Ensuring students can access higher level concepts as early as possible to provide building blocks for sound understanding.  
• Making learning relevant to students using real life contexts in the workplace. 
• Including problem solving and opportunities to apply knowledge and skills throughout the course. 
• Building in regular retrieval practice and consolidation work to develop competency, fluency, and allow mastery of skills and confident application. 

• Preparing students for further education in their studies. 
• How students can make a difference in the world when they are armed with real world Computing skills. 

Computing contributes to the development of students at Pendle Vale through their development in five key areas: 

• Social development is encouraged through both independent and collaborative working to solve problems, safely, whilst accessing the digital world. 
• Moral development of students is promoted when studying the digital world and its access in fairness, its safety and its impact on the world. 
• Spiritual development is highlighted when students consider the ramifications of using the digital in place of the physical world and how far should the digital world be empowered. 
• The curriculum contributes to the cultural development of students in the digital world and how it allows them to collaborate in ways to make the world a better place. 
• Personal development is taught by using the digital world to be a well-rounded person whilst working and living in a physical world. Staying healthy both physically and mentally. 

The Computing curriculum ensures that any potential equality issues are mitigated by: 

• Supporting disadvantaged students to access the digital world. 
• Increasing the uptake of girls into Computer Science GCSE
• Adapting the content to allow students to work at a sustainable pace and ensure that the resources allow for this. 
• Monitoring of assessment data and targets identifying and supporting any potential underachievement. 
• Analysing results including comparisons with other schools and providing targeted support to help all students perform.  

Our belief is that homework should be a deliberate practice of what has been modelled and taught in lessons, as well as interleaved revision to ensure students are embedding previously learn knowledge but also developing high level skills alongside powerful knowledge. All Science homework is meaningful and contributes towards students’ progress. KS3 tasks focuses on literacy and key terminology and KS4 focuses on long term memory; repetition and retrieval.  

Opportunities are built in to make links to the world of work to enhance the careers, advice and guidance that students are exposed to including: 

• External educational visits to help develop and understanding of the place of the digital world in the world. 
• Highlight the heroes in the digital world.  
• Continue working with Lancaster and Manchester Universities to inspire the students.  

Whilst ensuring students are well prepared for their GCSE examinations, we teach beyond the exam specification through: 

• New developments in the digital world and keeping up with robotics, programs and apps.. 
• The use of robotics to help integrate computing with STEM subjects. 
• Taking visits to further engage the students and see real world applications. 
• Using TEAMS to ensure students can complete their work. 
• Ensuring that students can use cross curricular ICT skills in KS4 lessons. 

The Computing curriculum at Pendle Vale has been influenced by: 

• The use of TEAMS (Spataro – The future of work – the good, the challenging and the unknown, 2020) 
• The National Curriculum and the requirements of schools including it being a Foundation subject.
• The demands of the Government to meet the needs of the workforce. (DfES – realising the potential for technology 2019)
• Contributing to society by retaining a level competence using computing and all that it offers. 
• Education Endowment Foundation – Using digital technology to improve learning, 2019).