Director of Strategic Innovation, Head of Computing and Commerce - Mrs N Alani

Teacher of Business Studies - Ms M Edwards

Teacher of Computer Science & IT - Mr A Johnson

Teacher of Business Studies and Economics - Mr Y Adeoye

The Computing and Commerce offers students an experience of subjects that are constantly evolving and expanding their roles in society. Computers and technology are an integral part of our lives, shaping the ways in which we communicate, travel, work and play.

Business

Students who study Business will be equipped with the skills and confidence to explore how different business situations affect decision-making. They develop their understanding of concepts, objectives and terminology and the impact of contemporary issues on business operations.

Computer Science

Students that study Computer Science are encouraged to use their imagination and creativity, to explore different options and design solutions that solve real problems. They develop their understanding and application of the core concepts in Computer Science, analysing problems in computational terms and devising creative solutions by designing, writing, testing and evaluating programs.

ICT

Students that study Information Technologies are prepared for life as digital citizens, enabling them to use and assess digital resources but also to understand the principals underpinning them. They develop their understanding of how technology underpins how data/information is collected and communicated in all walks of life, understanding how and why data is gathered and being able to turn raw data into something meaningful is essential in today’s society.

What we cover in each year group:

KS3

In Year 7 and 8 students are taught in a carousel system with Design and Technology. They are provided with an introduction to Computer Science and Information Technologies by studying the following:

The students in Year 7 will begin learning key digital literacy skills and the software used within the school. E-safety is also covered and enable students the knowledge and confidence of being a good online citizen and how to stay safe when using the Internet. Students are then introduced to the concepts of programming through using a visual programming language called Kodu whilst creating a game that they design which develops their creativity and problem-solving skills.

In Year 8 students further develop their programming skills and transition from block-based coding to text-based coding. They are taught the fundamental elements of syntax-based language in an approachable manner using Small Basic, which combines a friendly environment with a simple language but provides students the skills and confidence to tackle more complex programming languages in the future. Students are then introduced to a project-based task that will develop their knowledge of the digital environment and builds their confidence using IT. They will plan and create an integrated technological solution to communicate information.

Within the Computing and Commerce we offer the following courses that students can opt to study:

KS4 Options

OCR GCSE Business (9-1)

OCR GCSE Computer Science (9-1)

OCR Cambridge Nationals in Information Technologies Level 1/2 Certificate

KS5 Options

AQA A level Business

Edexcel A level Economics

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Business

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Computing

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Information Technology

Revision Websites

www.senecalearning.com – provides excellent revision and online tests to help with all subjects

www.tutor2u.net – provides excellent notes and resources on many business topics

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zpsvr82 - Business revision pages

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z34k7ty - Computer science revision pages

https://student.craigndave.org/gcse-videos - Excellent set of student videos for Computer Science