Aston Manor 
Curriculum Rationale in: ICT
KS3 Curriculum Overview
Whatever your chosen career path or interest, ICT is used in all areas of society. Studying this subject can enhance your chances of employability and work within different sectors. Studying this subject allows collaboration with others, develops skills to solve complex problems, critical thinking and enables you to develop different forms of communication and leadership skills. The aim of this curriculum is to extend the skill set of students and to develop high levels of expertise in a variety of ICT or Computer Science areas. The units studied at Key Stage 3 will provide a foundation into Key Stage 4, providing a detailed grounding for those who opt into selecting ICT in KS4. Over the two years, they will study E-Safety, Spreadsheets, Databases, Operating Online, Python programming, Kodu gaming, Knowledge of Computing, Web Design, Digital Graphics and Creating A Digital Video. Topics are covered in lessons and as half-termly homework packs, which ensures all students are given a breadth of knowledge, understanding and skills to achieve their end of year targets.
Year 9
Year 9 is an important transition for our students as it is when they will start to cover skills for their GCSE equivalent qualification. As a department, we believe it is important to give a three-year programme at Key Stage 4 rather than two years to ensure students have the necessary time to learn the skills needed before beginning the course. The first term of year 9 is designed to bring all pupils to an equal starting point so that no learner is missing the key knowledge and skills required for a solid foundation upon which to build. During Year 9, students will then learn and create digital graphics based on a client brief provided by the OCR exam board. This unit then prepares students for what is ahead in Year 10 and 11. During this year, students can be creative and to have the ability to express themselves using software to generate ideas and become independent.
KS4 Curriculum Overview
We deliver the OCR Creative Imedia qualification at KS4 and students study four units, which are:
Unit: R081 – Pre-production Skills – 25% – (Examination unit)
This is a compulsory unit, based on all aspects of planning projects from Mood boards to Gantt Charts. It will also develop their understanding of the client brief, time frames, deadlines and preparation techniques that form part of the planning and creation process.
R082: Creating digital graphics
This is also a compulsory unit, in which Adobe Photoshop is used to edit photographs and images to suit given situations. For the assessment of this unit, students will complete a 10 hour controlled assessment which is marked by the teaching staff and externally moderated.
R085: Creating a multiple website
In this unit, students will have the opportunity to understand the basics of creating multiple websites. They will also be able to demonstrate their creativity by combining components to create a functional, intuitive and aesthetically pleasing website using Adobe Dreamweaver. For the assessment of this unit students will complete a 10-hour controlled assessment which is marked by the teaching staff and externally moderated.
R087: Creating interactive multimedia products
This unit builds on units R081 and R082 and students will be able to apply the skills, knowledge and understanding gained in those units. Interactive multimedia products are used widely in everyday life and the creative and digital media sector. They are used in computer games, mobile phone applications, presentations and many other areas. This unit will enable learners to understand the basics of interactive multimedia products for the creative and digital media sector. They will learn where and why interactive multimedia is used and what features are needed for a given purpose. It will enable them to interpret a client brief, and to use time frames, deadlines and preparation techniques as part of the planning and creation process when creating an interactive multimedia product.
This course career pathway could lead to students working as web or graphic designers, animators, working in advertising or securing technical job roles withing the media industry.
KS5 Curriculum Overview
OCR Digital Media L3 Extended Certificate in Information Technology is a pathway option for higher education, apprenticeships and technical job roles.
It has a unit-based structure and knowledge applied in project-based assessments. Which focus on the holistic development of the practical, interpersonal, creative, and thinking skills required to be able to succeed in employment and higher education. This course is equivalent to 1 A-Level Entry level: L2 Pass/Grade 5 or above. The Knowledge and understanding that students need to succeed in the sector and are recognised for creative design in media products such as; Digital games, Animation and Online interactive technologies. This pathway will allow students to gain different employment in roles such as Digital Layout Artists, Digital Graphic Designers, Freelance Reporter, Web-developers/Designers, Animators and Computer Graphics Modellers. To achieve these careers, students will be completing course content below.
Course Content:
Year 12
Unit 1: Media products and audiences (Mandatory written exam)
Unit 3: Create a media product (coursework)
Unit 21: Plan and deliver a pitch for a media product (coursework)
Year 13
Unit 2: Pre-production and planning (Mandatory written exam)
Unit 20: Advertising media (coursework)
Unit 23: Create a personal media profile (coursework)
Click the link below to download our content overview for ICT: