The Charter School

Last year 93% of our Year 11 GNVQ students achieved a Pass or above in ICT, which is the equivalent to four A*–C grade GCSEs.

·    To encourage students to think independently and be confident when using modern technologies

· To encourage responsible and safe use of digital communications technologies

· To develop an understanding of audience and purpose in presenting and sharing their knowledge and ideas

· To develop the necessary skills to investigate and solve ICT-based problems, including logical reasoning and questioning

· To understand the importance of reliable, unbiased, up-to-date, accurate and complete data and to be able to process this data in order to be able to make sound judgements

· To encourage students to harness the creative power of new technologies and develop their visual and aural literacy

· To enable communication and collaborative learning with others in school, in the local community and across the globe

· To be able to reflect upon and analyse their own work and the work of others and the world around them

· To understand the systems life cycle, and to be able to practice the various stages of planning, drafting, researching, implementing, testing and evaluating an ICT-based solution

· To encourage pupils to use ICT to try out ideas, seek innovative alternatives and take risks with their thinking

· To encourage students to reflect on society’s increased reliance on technology and the social, ethical and cultural implications for individuals and groups within society

· To enable students to apply their knowledge to be able to use ICT to solve real world problems.

· To promote use of ICT in other areas of the curriculum and demonstrate to students the career opportunities available with an ICT qualification.

· All students in KS3 have two hours of ICT a week and lessons are based on our own newly developed curriculum

· At KS4, all students have two hours of ICT per week and follow the OCR Level 2 First Award in ICT (which is the equivalent of a single A–C grade GCSE)

· Students can also achieve up to three further A–C grade GCSEs by taking additional ICT as an option.

· From 2009, students will also be able to choose new courses that are being introduced including the Specialised Diploma in ICT and Functional ICT

· At KS5 Students can choose to take the A-Level in ICT or the Oracle Internet Academy’s Introduction to Computer Science and Business, both on five hours per week.

· three dedicated ICT classrooms fully fitted with interactive whiteboards and audiovisual equipment as well as 30 pupil workstations

· Over 50 industry-standard software titles including: Macromedia Dreamweaver, Adobe Premiere Elements, Microsoft Office, Serif Draw.

· 20 High Quality Digital Cameras and sound recording and Digital Video hardware

· Specialist Video Editing Suite and Charter Radio facilities

· Talmos Britannica Virtual Learning Environment

· We have an experienced and talented team of staff within the ICT department, and also work closely with the Business Studies team due to the extensive links between the subjects.

· Our team also includes a qualified Oracle Academy Instructor.

· CC4G (Computer Club for Girls) takes place every Wednesday for students in Years 7-9 and provides a fun and interactive learning experience specifically targeted at girls

· Open Access Computer Clubs take place every night of the week except Friday, with capacity for up to 90 students for homework and other e-learning activities. There is also a club every lunchtime for those who are unable to stay after school.

· Student ICT Strategy Team – is a group of students from each year group who are encouraged to contribute to whole school strategy decisions relating to the use of ICT in school, and recently helped write a new Internet Agreement and helped choose the school’s new Virtual Learning Environment (VLE)