ICT

The recognition that ICT skills and knowledge are important in today’s society together with the recent major improvements in the facilities and examination results have made ICT one of the most popular GCSE and A level choices within the College.

Courses

In Year 12 about 35 students follow the AQA AS specification and approximately 30 students continue their studies to A2. At AS level the students carry out four tasks set by the board and these are worth 40% of the assessment, whilst at A2 a major systems analysis has to be completed for the same proportion of the marks.

Accommodation

The lessons are taught in the Senior School ICT suite consisting of two fully equipped rooms and the Junior School ICT suite:

• Junior ICT suite 26 machines, networked printer and interactive whiteboard
• IT1 30 machines, one scanner, two networked printers, DVD Rom drives, projector linked to the teacher’s machine for demonstration purposes
• IT2 18 machines, one scanner, two networked printers, DVD Rom drives, projector linked to one of the machines for demonstration purposes
• Digital camera and digital camcorder

Since all courses have a large practical assessment, both IT1 and IT2 are open upon request during lunchtime and after school until 5.30pm. This is only for the production of coursework. During each session the rooms are manned by a sixth form student currently doing AS or A2 and a member of staff. They are there to assist students with their projects. It is insisted that the rooms are maintained as an office-like environment at all times.

We are developing a resource library available to all students doing ICT courses. This will contain a copy of all the latest textbooks, which will then be available for research.