"When you struggle with a problem, THAT is when you understand"
The world is ever changing due to the constantly advancing creation of new technologies that have the capacity to both improve and harm in equal measure. It is our responsibility to help build confident users of ICT who are not afraid to be innovative, whilst understanding that their digital footprint can have a positive or negative impact on our Shared British Values and their life choices.
Every learner has the capacity to use technology in order to share their own creative mind; our curriculum aims to help develop computational thinking skills and encourage kindness and decency in today’s digital age. We aim to give learners the opportunity to set their own individual ‘digital’ learning goals to help increase their understanding of Computer Science, Creative Media and Cyber Security no matter their starting point.
Through the use of authentic opportunities for both staff and learners to share ideas collaboratively, we aim to celebrate both the creative and algorithmic problem solving skills of all learners and help build the IT professionals of the future.
Finally, our curriculum looks to promote the academic success of every learner by being inclusive and celebrating that we are part of a diverse school community.
Our ICT & Computer Science learning journey follows a building block approach to teaching that incorporates key aims of the Computing National Curriculum, whilst not overlooking important skills that are valued in the creative industries.
The curriculum looks to build knowledge across our four key areas of learning in order to create confident, innovative and safe users of ICT in an ever changing modern world:
> Problem Solver – The ability to solve computational problems using a range of applications.
> Cyber Safe – The ability to use computers in a safe manner and identify/evaluate possible security issues when required.
> Creative Mind – The ability to demonstrate an innovative mind when approaching a wide range of problems.
> Confident User – The ability to feel confident when using a computer as a learning tool to access, create, store, amend and share documents/work.
Extra-Curricular: We run a popular ‘Society of App Inventors’ club every Tuesday for all year groups, which has its own link on our Learning Hub Google site. Students use the time to develop new programs, graphics or multimedia projects and often work collaboratively in groups.
Inter-house competitions: Since 2015 we have run Programmer of the Year to celebrate the array of coding talent throughout the schools. Participation has increased and we also now include a Graphics Designer of the Year competition for students to develop their creative skills.
The UK is a world leader in the creative digital industries, such as in the creation of visual effects for films and computer games. However, there is growing recognition that we need to build on and improve the UK’s capability and capacity for technical innovation and creativity in this area. The OCR Cambridge National vocational Creative iMedia Level 2 qualification will build on the multimedia skills that you acquired during KS3, whilst encouraging you to demonstrate your creativity using a wide range of industry standard software/technology.
The course is split into three units:
R093 (Creative iMedia in the media industry) – Externally set examination that tests your knowledge of pre-production design skills and the iMedia industry.
R094 (Visual identity and digital graphics) – Coursework based unit that will build your graphic design skills in preparation for creating a product based on a given brief.
R097 (Interactive Digital Media) – Coursework based unit that will build your website design skills in preparation for creating a product based on a given brief.
The course is made up of three main topic areas, which include one externally assessed examination (R093) and two coursework portfolios (R094 & R097).
The course will allow you to develop skills in a wide range of multimedia software applications. Web-site/multimedia design, vector/bitmap graphics design and photography/image editing are only some of the concepts that will be covered over 2 years, so it is vitally important that you have an open mind-set when being introduced to new challenges. Remember that the course rewards you for being creative and innovative so we will be looking for students to bring new ideas to the table each lesson that reflect their own interests and personality.
Access to a computer at home.
A copy of the OCR iMedia revision guide.
7/10 of the richest people in the world have built their fortune using ideas relating to computers. iMedia will help build your skills in both using a wide range of multimedia software and generating innovative ideas. One of the main aims of the course is to help build your aspirations, with a view to realising that anything is possible if you have a creative mind-set!
This qualification can provide the basis for you to continue your study. Students who study IMedia may progress on to professions in website design, social media, digital content, journalism.
Your teacher will be happy to share knowledge of linked professions with you.
You can find out more information about the course via our ICT and Computing revision HUB or the OCR iMedia website.
