Term 1

Impact of technology: Collaborating online respectfully A primer for learners on how to use the school network appropriately. This unit builds in time for teacher-led discussions on why appropriate usage is important, as well as allowing for opportunities to highlight online safety issues.

Minecraft: 101 Using the medium of Minecraft to introduce core programming concepts. A fun and immersive way to explore the world of computer science in the virtual worlds we create. This is an exciting opportunity to take a whole class of students together into an online space but within the safety of our school systems.

Term 2

Modelling data: Spreadsheets The spreadsheet unit for Year 7 takes learners from having very little knowledge of spreadsheets to being able to confidently model data with a spreadsheet. The unit uses engaging activities to progress learners from using basic formulas to writing their own COUNTIF statements. This unit will give learners a good set of skills that they can use in computing lessons and in other subject areas.

Programming Essentials in Scratch: Part II

Learners will build on their understanding of Scratch from primary school and the control structures’ sequence, selection, and iteration (the big three), and develop their problem-solving skills. Learners will learn how to create their own subroutines, develop their understanding of decomposition, learn how to create and use lists, and build upon their problem-solving skills by working through a larger project at the end of the unit.

Term 3

Networks: From semaphores to the internet

The types of hardware required are explained, as is wired and wireless data transmission. Learners will develop an understanding of the terms ‘internet’ and ‘World Wide Web’, and of the key services and protocols used. Practical exercises are included throughout to help strengthen understanding.

Gaining support for a cause During this unit, learners develop their understanding of information technology and digital literacy skills. They will use the skills learnt across the unit to create a blog post about a real-world cause that they would like to gain support for. Learners will develop software formatting skills and explore concerns surrounding the use of other people’s work, including licensing and legal issues.

Term 1

Computer Systems 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 aim is to provide a concise overview of how computing systems operate, conveying the essentials and abstracting away the technical details that might confuse or put off learners.

Amazon: AWS GetIT Program – Engage and inspire The Engage and Inspire section introduces students to the AWS GetIT program. The section includes an ambassador-led kickoff presentation and introductions to the cloud’s role in everyday life, a variety of technology career opportunities, and the concept of design thinking

Term 2

Amazon: AWS GetIT Program – Learn and play In the Learn and Play section, students form teams to start learning and practicing technical and human skills in bootcamps. In their teams, they will spend time designing an app idea to solve a problem in their school or community via hands-on interactive games, and simulations, while being supported by their ambassador

Introduction to Python Programming This unit introduces learners to text-based programming with Python. The lessons form a journey that starts with simple programs involving input and output, and gradually moves on through arithmetic operations, randomness, selection, and iteration. Emphasis is placed on tackling common misconceptions and elucidating the mechanics of program execution.

Term 3

Mobile app development In a world where there’s an app for every possible need, this unit aims to take the learners from designer to project manager to developer in order to create their own mobile app. Using App Lab from code.org, learners will familiarise themselves with the coding environment and have an opportunity to build on the programming concepts they used in previous units before undertaking their project. Learners will work in pairs to consider the needs of the user; decompose the project into smaller, more manageable parts; use the pair programming approach to develop their app together; and finish off by evaluating the success of the project against the needs of the user.

Developing for the web In this unit, learners will explore the technologies that make up the internet and World Wide Web. Starting with an exploration of the building blocks of the World Wide Web, HTML, and CSS, learners will investigate how websites are catalogued and organised for effective retrieval using search engines. By the end of the unit, learners will have a functioning website.

Term 1

Cyber Security This unit takes the learners on an eye-opening journey of discovery about techniques used by cybercriminals to steal data, disrupt systems, and infiltrate networks. The learners will start by considering the value of their data to organisations and what they might use it for. They will then look at social engineering techniques used by cybercriminals to try to trick users into giving away their personal data.

Data Science In this unit, learners will be introduced to data science, and by the end of the unit they will be empowered by knowing how to use data to investigate problems and make changes to the world around them. Learners will be exposed to both global and local data sets and gain an understanding of how visualising data can help with the process of identifying patterns and trends. Towards the end of the unit, the learners will go through the steps of the investigative cycle to try to solve a problem in the school using data.

Term 2

Minecraft: 201 Building upon the experiences from Year 7, we will use the medium of Minecraft to further develop core programming concepts. A fun and immersive way to explore the world of computer science in the virtual worlds we create. This is an exciting opportunity to take a whole class of students together into an online space but within the safety of our school systems.

Term 3

Python Data Science This unit introduces learners to how data can be represented and processed in sequences, such as lists and strings. The lessons cover a spectrum of operations on sequences of data, that range from accessing an individual element to manipulating the entire sequence. Great care has been taken so that the selection of problems used in the programming tasks are realistic and engaging: learners will process solar system planets, book texts, capital cities, leaked passwords, word dictionaries, ECG data, and more.

GCHQ – Cyber Explorers Cyber Explorers introduces 11-14 year olds to key security concepts, like open-source intelligence, digital forensics and social engineering. The platform teaches students how digital, computing and cyber skills are integral to a range of career paths, including social media content creation, sports technology and medical research. Through a gamified journey made up of quizzes and activities, the platform teaches students about the future of technology in the workplace and gives them safe and secure digital skills.