ICT & Business

The ICT and Business Department uses a range of technology and teaching styles to cover the National Strategy for ICT and offers a wide range of ICT and Business courses aimed at showing students how best to use computer technology and enterprise in their own work and also in the world at large. A large range of software applications are used in order to allow each student to experiment and problem solve.  The department also has access to a number of dedicated ICT rooms. 

We aim to enable students to become independent users of information communication technology, together with ensuring that students are aware of their obligations in using such technology both ethically and morally.

We are committed as a department to allowing the students to access the wealth of abundant and vital information held on the Internet, however we are also acutely aware of some of the negative sides to using such technology. Students are taught the correct and safe use of the Internet and we have a strict policy that they must follow if they are to use it successfully.

The aims of the department are;

• to teach ICT as a discrete subject in Key Stage 3 and 4
• to ensure that pupils of all abilities have equal access to ICT
• to ensure facilities are practical and are as up to date as possible
• to share ICT facilities and expertise with the wider community
• to promote the use of ICT across the whole academy population including students and staff
• to promote business and enterprise skills in Key Stage 4

At Key Stage 3 students follow the ICT National Strategy, together with taking part in a number of themed days, allowing the students to demonstrate their ICT skills in an Enterprise setting. 

In Year 9 all students are studying OCR Cambridge Nationals in ICT.  All Year 10 and 11 students are studying OCR Nationals in ICT.  Key stage 4 students also have the option of studying ICT, Computer Science, Leisure and Tourism, Business and Finance courses to GCSE level.

The department holds a range of activities throughout the year with our primary school partners including delivering some discrete ICT lessons.   In order to ensure success in the subject, we offer a range of extra-curricular activities to all students including coursework clubs, half-term catch-up sessions and other out of school activities.