Computer Science Dept - Curriculum on a Page

Computer Science Curriculum Details - 2025/2026 (Current)

Year	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
9	Programmin 1 - (Data Types, Mathematical Operators, Variables, Input, Casting, Libraries and Random Numbers) Data Representation 1 - (Analogue and digital signals, binary, binary addition, hexadecimal, character sets, bitmaps)	Programming 1 continued - (Relational Operators, Selection) Bebras Challenge Data Representation 1 continued (File sizes and Metadata) Cyber Security - (Social Engineering, Malware, Vulnerabilities)	Programming 1 continued - (Logical Operators, Constants, Review) Cyber Security continued - (Anti-malware, Backup and Recovery, Redundancy, Encryption)	Programming 1 continued (Elif, Flowcharts, Assessment, Review) Cyber Security continued - (Physical Security, Access Control, Penetration Testing, User Training)	Programming 1 continued (Sub Programs, Parameters, Decomposition) Algorithms - Searching (Linear and Binary Search)	Programming 1 continued (Abstraction, Functions, Turtle) Algorithms - Sorting (Merge and Bubble Sort)
10	Data representation 2 - Logical and arithmetic binary shifts, storing sound, data compression.	Programming 3 - String functions, lists and while loops	Programming 3 continued - as well as looking at trace tables - evaluating the values of a programme by stepping through it line by line.	Networks 1 - A look at different types of networks and different topologies along with speeds and transmission media	Programming 4 - Files (reading, writing) and Formatting	Networks 2 - TCP/IP model, Protocols and a closer look at wireless technologies.
11	Programming 4 - Files and Formatting Software and classification of programming languages. system, application and utility software. We also have a close look at the functions of the operating system.	Networks 2 - The TCP/IP 4 Layer Model Environmental, ethical and legal issues relating to computing.	Revision - Y9 topics.	Revision - Y10 topics.	Revision - Targeted topic revision.	Programming Projects - working on developing the programming skills to produce tasks ready for larger programming writing at A Level.
12	Data Representation - Sets and Bases, Floating Point Binary, Compression and Encryption. Data structures - Creating ways of storing data that represent behaviours - Stacks, graphs. Programming.	Data structures - trees. Algorithms - Reverse Polish Notation, Dijkstra's algorithm. Programming. Programming - covering simple concepts to ensure good use from GCSE work. Sequence, Selection and Iteration. Using inbuilt as well as creating functions.	Data structures - Queues, dictionaries, hash tables, vectors. Algorithms - Searching, sorting, efficiency. Databases design and normalisation. Programming. Programming Tasks - tasks that help review some of the theory topics already covered to build on programming skills.	Databases - SQL queries. Table creation, insertion/updating of data, retrieval of data. Programming paradigms and a focus on Object Oriented Programming.	Databases - RDBMS and Concurrent access. CRUD, REST, JSON and XML. Theory of computation - Regular Expressions, Finite State Machines, Mealy Machines, Turing Machines and Big O notation.	Big Data and Functional Programming. Programming Project
13	Communications and Networks Fundamentals of Computer Systems.	Programming Project Fundamentals of Computer Systems.	Programming Project Consequences of uses of Computing Computer Organisation and Architecture.	Revision.	Revision.	N/A

Computing Curriculum Details - 2025/2026 (Current)

Year	Term 1	Term 2	Term 3	Term 4	Term 5	Term 6
7	Network Introduction and eSafety/Cyber Security - this covers how to use our main digital systems as well as introducing some potential eSafety issues and how to avoid them becoming a problem.	Initial Assessment of problem solving skills using the Bebras Algorithms - Looking at what an algorithm is and some common uses for algorithms - concentrating on searching and sorting.	Programming 1 - an introduction to Python using turtle as well as variables, data types and for loops	Programming 1 - continued.	Spreadsheets - using Microsoft Excel to calculate results as well as displaying data as graphs.	Word Processing - we look at the advanced features of Microsoft Word to produce professional looking documents quickly. Also a chance to revisit keyboard skills. Data Representation 1 - binary, denary and hexadecimal number systems.
8	Computer Comms and Cyber Security - looking at how data is moved between devices on the internet as well vulnerabilities and how to protect against these.	Problem Solving and Bebras Competition - looking at different problem solving techniques and how they can help when programming as well as in everyday situations. Computer Science Entrepreneurship- A look at careers linked to computing as well as recent computer science entrepreneurs	Game Design using Arcade.Makecode - programming using a blocks editor producing a digital artefact.	Programming 2 - data processing and selection using variables in Python.	AI - A look at what is meant by artificial intelligence and machine learning. We look at how these model are built as well as how they can become biased.	Data Representation 2 - How data is stored in a computer system with a focus on how images and text are represented as binary. eSafety - A look at possible dangers and health concerns relating to the use of technology and how these can be avoided.