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Computing

Our KS3 Computing Curriculum is designed to teach students useful computing skills for life. These will be helpful for not only students who wish to take this subject further or pursue a career in Computer Science, but also in helping students to organise their future finances or learn skills which will be useful in business.

KS3 Learning Journey at AGS

Year 7

  • E-safety – how to use a computer safely
  • Programming in Python– using variables, inputs, outputs variables, selection, loops and identifying errors
  • Computer Hardware – internal & external devices, input & output Devices
  • Computer Software – system software, utility software & application software
  • Spreadsheets – formatting, formulae & functions, sorting & filtering, making graphs.
  • Website Design – designing & making websites using HTML code.
  • Data Representation –Binary, denary & hexadecimals.
  • Programming – Students will use the skills they learnt earlier in the year to program a virtual ‘turtle’ to create innovative and creative designs
  • Microbits - Program Microbits to navigate obstacles using Move motors

Year 8

  • E-safety – good e-housekeeping, internet safety, encryption & dealing with malware
  • History of Computing - How did computers develop and who are the main figures in the history of computing
  • Computational Thinking – decomposition & design using flow-diagrams
  • Programming – dry-run testing & trace-tables, iteration & lists
  • Spreadsheets – advanced functions, modelling data
  • Databases – tables, forms, queries, relationships & reports
  • Logic – logic gates & truth tables
  • Data Representation - how we represent instructions, character-sets, images & sound as dat
  • Generative AI - How new developments in AI will affect the world and how to use it safely and ethically
  • Microbits - Program Microbits to navigate obstacles using Move motors

Year 9

  • Computational Thinking – abstraction, decomposition, algorithmic thinking & identifying patterns
  • Programming –  using subroutines appropriately and understanding the advantages of the procedural paradigm - procedures, functions & parameter passing
  • Algorithms – understand and learn to use a range of  search & sort algorithms
  • Spreadsheets – macros & mail-merge
  • Databases – relational databases and basic SQL
  • Legislation – data protection regulation, computer misuse act, copyright designs & patents & regulation of investigatory powers acts
  • Computing Ethics - how emerging technology may affect the environment, people and society

Computing in KS4 (all students)

Computing education continues throughout Years 10 and 11 for all students, whether or not they choose GCSE Computer Science.

Delivered across the curriculum, students continue to develop the three strands of the Computing National Curriculum:

  • Computer Science: understanding algorithms, coding, artificial intelligence and how digital systems work.

  • Information Technology: using digital tools to analyse data, solve problems, create content and communicate effectively.

  • Digital Literacy: evaluating online information, understanding how algorithms shape digital content, and using technology safely, responsibly and ethically.

Students regularly apply these skills through activities such as data analysis, GIS and mapping software, digital media creation, collaborative document production, presentations, and the use of subject-specific software across the curriculum.

Online safety education remains a key priority throughout KS4, including teaching about online content, contact, conduct and commerce risks, helping students to become safe, informed and responsible digital citizens.

GCSE Computer Science

KS4 Learning Journey at AGS

We study the Computer Science curriculum with OCR.

Click here for a link to the specification 

This is a two year course assessed at the end of Year 11. It breaks down into the following components:

Component 01: Computer Systems

Students will learn the following:

  • 1.1 Systems architecture
  • 1.2 Memory and storage
  • 1.3 Computer networks, connections and protocols
  • 1.4 Network security
  • 1.5 Systems software
  • 1.6 Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental impacts of digital technology

This is assessed at the end of year 11 with a 1 hour 30 minute written paper worth 50% of the overall mark. 

Component 02: Computational Thinking, Algorithms and Programming

Students will learn the following:

  • 2.1 Algorithms
  • 2.2 Programming fundamentals
  • 2.3 Producing robust programs
  • 2.4 Boolean logic
  • 2.5 Programming languages and Integrated Development Environments

This is assessed at the end of year 11 with a 1 hour 30 minute written paper worth 50% of the overall mark.

Programming

There is also a strong programming element to this course. Students will be expected to have completed 20 hours of supervised programming by the time they complete the course, in which they will learn/develop the following programming skills:

  • Sequencing, selection & iteration (count controlled & condition controlled)
  • Variables & constants (including scope)
  • Inputs & outputs
  • Data-types & type-casting (Strings, integers, floats & Boolean)
  • Operators (arithmetic, comparison & Boolean)
  • Lists & arrays(characteristics, indexing & list functions)
  • Subroutines (procedures, functions, & parameter passing)
  • String-handling (concatenation & substrings)
  • File-handling

We primarily teach these skills in Python. However, students will get a chance to code in Java-Script in the Component 01 website unit whilst creating a website in HTML.

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