ICT

Ethos & Values

• To enhance children's quality of learning through the effective delivery of the ICT/Computer Science curriculum that fulfils the requirements of National changes and industry guidelines.
• To raise attainment by creating a target-orientated highly driven culture based on the enhancement of ICT skills and creative use of them in coursework.
• To have consistently high expectations and match these with high quality resources and learning strategies.
• To provide a range of educational experiences appropriate to the age, ability and needs of our students utilising all the ICT resources to hand.
• To manage and create resources to ensure maximum benefit ensuring all resources are of outstanding quality and are accessible.
• To adopt a philosophy of continuous improvement in all aspects of the delivery of all subjects within the faculty.
• To be promoters of lifelong learning by continually training and developing new skills using the latest technology.

Knowledge & Skills

ICT focuses on using specialist software to prepare students for most future careers.

General skills may include:

• Awareness of Target Audience and Purpose
• Digital Literacy
• Research skills
• E-Safety awareness
• Evaluation

As you progress further into the course, your skills will develop Interpretation of client briefs

• Interpretation of client briefs
• Graphic creation and editing
• Animation
• Video editing
• Programming
• Web authoring
• Testing

Resources & Facilities

In ICT we have a number of dedicated specialists, who are passionate about ICT and delivering the course to the best of their ability. Our equipment is up to date, and we have a wide range of different software’s used in industry at our disposal.

We use a range of software packages in ICT including:

• Microsoft Office: We teach students how to use some of the latest Microsoft office package effectively including word processing skills, data management through Excel and Access while developing students presenting skills using PowerPoint.


• Serif: Serif also includes a range of software which students are taught how to use. Students will use Serif MoviePlus to learn how to create professional looking videos while also use DrawPlus to create graphics and animations. Students will also learn about web design, creating websites using Serif WebPlus.


• Adobe: Students will learn how to use Adobe Photoshop to combine multiple graphics together. They will use a range of tools to create different graphics on the computer, which meet a suitable Target Audience and Purposes.

We also use a selection of software to learn programming that is available online such as

• Scratch
• BBC Microbit
• Python

Courses & Qualifications

When students arrive in year 7, they embark on what we hope will be a five-year journey within ICT. Our curriculum is carefully sequenced, to ensure skills and knowledge are built upon each year. This gives students a well-rounded experience within our subject area. We ensure we cover computer science skills including learning to program and understand the workings of a computer, alongside ICT skills where students learn how to use a wide range of different software for different tasks, and of course throughout they are continually building their digital literacy to allow a confident approach to technology.

Students have compulsory ICT lessons during years 7 -9. All the skills they learn within these years achieve two things, it allows them to be able to use a computer confidently and safely as well as be able to use a variety of software which they can then take forwarded inside and outside of school. It also prepares them for our GCSE option of Cambridge Nationals Creative Imedia.

• Year 7: How to stay safe on a computer and online
• Year 7: Presenting Information using Microsoft PowerPoint
• Year 7: Creating a spreadsheet using Microsoft Excel
• Year 7: Creating, editing and formatting with Microsoft Word
• Year 7: Introduction to programming with Scratch

• Year 8: Components and Uses of IT Systems
• Year 8: Creating Graphics using Adobe Fireworks
• Year 8: Networks
• Year 8: Corporate Identity using Adobe Photoshop
• Year 8: Video Editing with Serif Movie Plus
• Year 8: Introduction to high level programming using BBC Microbits

• Year 9 High Level Programming using Python.
• Year 9 Interactive Graphics and Audio
• Year 9 Creating a website using RocketCake
• Year 9 Data Representation

• Year 10 R094 Creating a visual identity. (practical)
• Year 10 R093 Creative Imedia in the Media Industry (theory)

• Year 11 R097 Interactive Digital Media (practical)
• Year 11 R093 Creative Imedia in the Media Industry (theory)

At Louth Academy we consider how students learn when sequencing our curriculum. We aim to maximise intrinsic load and minimise extrinsic load. We do this through a variety of techniques such as pre-teaching, segmentation and retrieval practice. The iMedia qualification offered feeds into the whole school themes, for example, Power and Conflict the nature of conflict as always been connected to application of technologies.

Cambridge Nationals - Creative iMedia Level 1/Level 2 - J834 - OCR

Homework is given to enhance academic achievement; this is revision and recapping of learning covered in sessions.

Stretch and challenge relates to both whole school support and development of students learning and individually pushing the most able students; both are equally valid and essential components of great teaching and learning. The ICT department takes pride in ensuring that we provide stretch and challenge opportunity that include: -

• Identification of students with particular abilities.
• Teaching and learning strategies that meet the needs of the more able.
• Procedures for monitoring and evaluating intervention and provision for the more able.

Homework is given to enhance academic achievement, this is revision and recapping of learning covered in sessions.

Learning Outside The Classroom

Coursework Catch-Up:

There are numerous sessions during the year where students are invited to attend coursework catch-up sessions after school, in form time, at lunch time and during half term where they can come in and do their work in a relaxed atmosphere with more one to one help from staff.

Where Does This Take Me In The Future?

In today's world, ICT is used everywhere; every day. Choosing to major in ICT would certainly put you above those without when applying for future careers. Some of the possible careers ICT could lead you into include:

• Website Designer
• Games Designer
• Teacher
• Systems Analyst
• Administration and ICT Support

E-Safety

Download the E-Safety document below for more information.