Intent

The school of Computing & Business at Our Lady & St Chad Catholic Academy is an amalgamation of ICT, Computer Science, Media Studies and Business. It is a vibrant dynamic collection of four subjects that inspires and underpins every aspect of life. Independent learning and self-expression are outcomes we would aim for all of our students to achieve whilst preparing them for the 21st century.

Together, we will broaden pupils understanding of the world and enable them to become confident in digital literacy and every day finances. Our intention is to enrich the cultural opportunities for all pupils through the wealth of experiences and units we offer, so every child can achieve their full potential. Through developing positive relationships, we work towards every individual having a strong belief in their own abilities so that they work hard, build resilience and achieve their very best.

These subjects are taught in a variety of ways including physical computing, research based and practical problem-solving lessons which encompass the entire National Curriculum. We aim to help foster a lifelong love of learning for our subjects and ensure the skill set our students are exposed to goes above and beyond any specification requirements.

Implementation

As the use of technology is at our core, we demonstrate best practice to ensure technology is used ethically and our students understand the role technology plays in the world. As part of this we develop an understanding of online safety and how to deal with a range of situations. We aim to increase the confidence of students and help to develop them as a person.

Throughout our KS3 curriculum we focus on elements of all four of our subjects to expose our pupils to these industries. However, we do then try to develop this year on year which takes students from foundation level knowledge to fully independent learners of the subject over twelve units of work. We focus on the teaching of skills and knowledge which can be applied to a range of software packages which are pivotal to students’ success throughout the entire school. In addition, we offer an online qualification called ‘Lessons in Financial Education’ (LiFE) to all KS3 students which gives them an online financial education on a ‘learning by doing’ basis looking at personal finances, money management and financial careers through accessible online learning.

These subjects then lead directly to elements of our KS4 courses during which students further develop their knowledge. We strive to ensure students do not admit defeat and develop resilience to overcome problems. In all of our subjects, we prioritise the use of reading and literacy skills with extensive use of subject specific vocabulary in both written and oral pieces of work. Students beginning their KS4 time in school will be able to choose either GCSE Computer Science, BTEC in Digital Information Technology, BTEC Enterprise or BTEC
Creative Media Production. Our KS5 curriculum offers next steps for our students through the delivery of the BTEC in Computing for our ICT and Computer Science students along with also offering BTEC in Business and BTEC in Creative Digital Media Production. All of our subjects at KS5 are practical and further develop the key knowledge gained throughout their studies at KS3 and KS4.

Impact

To ensure the sustained progress and outcomes of our students, staff are passionate in the support they offer both within directed learning time and outside of the classroom. Over time, assessment information will show that students have a secure grasp of the intended knowledge and skills for particular units, as well as prior learning being able to recall content and use it to solve a new problem. We also realise our intent by relating units of study to next steps for students whether this be KS4, further/higher education or employment.

Our subjects will give pupils an extensive range of experiences and skills, which we hope will inspire a passion for technology and interest in STEM subjects in their higher education. It will also help them to connect with others and be a part of an online community in a safe and secure way, allowing them to use the technology we have available to enhance their life and gain knowledge of the world around them.

Please view the additional documents in school:

  • Curriculum on a page
  • Knowledge Organisers