The aim at Key Stage 3 (KS3) is to foster a love of learning by providing pupils with broad and balanced KS3 skills based ICT education.  The key focus of KS3 ICT is the acquisition, development and consolidation of a range of practical ICT skills developed in suitable subject contexts using a range of appropriate software packages.  Pupils are encouraged to understand that ICT work is regarded as “work in progress” which can be improved continually and to demonstrate curiosity, taking a personal interest in the latest ICT technologies.

Building on the skills acquired in Primary school, pupils engage in wide range of interesting and demanding ICT activities that allow pupils to demonstrate a high level of ICT skills in a range of cross-curricular contexts.  During KS3, pupils are encouraged to demonstrate increasing independence, engage in self and peer assessment and are encouraged to reflect critically on their work.  Pupils gain key skills in self-management, working with others, presentation skills, communication skills and self-improvement strategies.  The goal is to encourage pupils to become independent lifelong learners, curious about and capable of learning about, with and through digital technology anytime, anyplace, anywhere.

This course aims to help equip pupils with the knowledge and skills required for the emerging information society in education, during leisure and in the world of work.  The proposed components that make up the GCSE Digital Technology (Multimedia Route) course are two examination assessment units (Unit 1, 30% and Unit 2, 40%) and one controlled assessment unit (Unit 3, 30%). 

Unit 1, a written one hour examination, provides pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a range of digital technologies available for data storage, manipulation, presentation and transfer.

Unit 2, a written one hour thirty minutes examination, provides the pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the concepts involved in the development of digital systems. They are required to study how to effectively design solutions as well as understand uses of multimedia authoring and database development packages. They will also be required to demonstrate the significance of testing and evaluating a digitally authored system. 

Unit 3, the controlled assessment element of the course, provides pupils with the opportunity to develop knowledge of and skills in the use of a range of ICT tools, applications and visual communications technology.  Their requirement will be to design, develop, test and evaluation an effective solution to a problem (through the effective use of multimedia authoring software and database software). 

This course provides pupils with an in-depth understanding of how computer technology works and offers an insight into what goes on ‘behind the scenes’, including computer programming. The proposed components that make up the GCSE Digital Technology (Programming Route) course are two examination units (Unit 1, 30% and Unit 4, 40%) and one controlled assessment unit (Unit 5, 30%). 

Unit 1, a written one hour examination, provides pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of a range of digital technologies available for data storage, manipulation, presentation and transfer.

Unit 4, a written one hour thirty minutes examination, provides the pupils with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the concepts involved in designing and building a digital system using coded solutions. Pupils are required to study how digital data is stored, digital design principles can be applied and a wide variety of programming constructs, demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the facilities available within software development environments. They will also be required to demonstrate an understanding of developing test plans and evaluating a digitally authored system. 

Unit 5, the controlled assessment element of the course, provides pupils with the opportunity to develop knowledge of and skills in the use of Visual Studio using C# programming language. Pupils will develop computer programs to solve problems using a range of programming techniques, testing the robustness of their solutions and evaluating the effectiveness of computer programs/solutions. 

Why choose GCSE Digital Technology (Programming Route)

It is a great way to develop critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills, which can be transferred to further learning and to everyday life.  Pupils who want to go on to higher study and employment in the field of computer science will find it provides a good stepping stone.  This subject provides a good foundation for those pupils who wish to choose a computing A-Level such as Software Systems Development.