Computer Science

Young people, now more than ever, are growing up surrounded by technological marvels that were the stuff of dreams not so long ago. Technology is designed to solve problems that make our lives easier. That could be in the form of more efficient communication, interactive or on demand entertainment and even helping our cities better cope with increasing demands. Technology can be used to solve problems and Computer Science is at the heart of how those problems get solved.

The goal of the Computer Science department is to equip our pupils and students with the tools they need to help them tackle the problems of the future. The best authors of our time did not start out as master wordsmiths. They had to learn to master their art. To solve the problems of tomorrow students will need to develop their mastery of computational thinking and programming.

In Key Stage 3, pupils will learn what computational thinking is and learn how to program in python. They will also learn more about the internal hardware of a computer, how the internet works and how computers store data using binary. Over the course of Key Stage 3, pupils will also gain an appreciation of new technologies which are going to be coming out soon so they can see some potential career paths in technology.

Should they choose Computer Science for GSCE, they will continue down the path of Computer Science mastery by tacking larger and more complex problems. They will start to develop more complex programs in python as well as going into greater depth on the key aspects of technology.

Mastering programming is important, but it is the not the goal outright. We want our pupils to be problem solvers so that when they leave school, they have the ability to tackle any problem. We want them to explore their creativity, look for opportunities to make a difference and thrive in a digital economy. Learning to program and develop computational thinking will be one of the most important skills they will need for the future. Even if pupils and students do not choose a career in technology, having a strong understanding of how the digital would works will make them more employable.