ICT & COMPUTING

At Jack Hunt Academy, our ICT & Computing curriculum reflects our mission to ensure all students are well-educated, of good character, and ready for ambitious next steps. Through an inclusive, knowledge-rich and engaging programme of study, we equip students with the digital skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities essential for success in the modern world.

We believe that to be well-educated, our students must experience a broad and balanced Computing curriculum that covers the three strands of Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. Sequenced in line with the National Curriculum and the NCCE Computing Quality Framework, our curriculum enables students to:

Develop fluency in computational thinking, logic and programming

Understand key concepts in data, networks, cybersecurity and systems

Develop proficiency in productivity applications and creative digital tools, enabling them to become confident digital creators and responsible digital citizens

We explicitly teach vocabulary, literacy and oracy across all key stages, embedding technical language and fostering articulate learners who can explain, justify and reflect on their work. Our curriculum is fully accessible, supported by carefully planned adaptations and scaffolding to meet the diverse needs of SEND and EAL learners, ensuring all students can engage meaningfully and make sustained progress.

As a diverse and vibrant community, we celebrate good character and the application of HARD WORK, INTEGRITY AND KINDNESS in every classroom. Students collaborate respectfully, think independently, and engage with topics that reflect real-world issues — such as digital ethics, online safety and the role of computing in society. The learning environment is inclusive, representative and underpinned by a culture of high expectations.

By the end of their Computing journey at Jack Hunt Academy, students will be confident, critical and creative thinkers — ready to thrive in the digital age.

key stage 3

Aims of the curriculum area

• To develop confident digital citizens who understand the power of the digital world. It uses accessible, challenging and engaging projects that empower students and promotes the productive use of ICT.

• To enable students to feel able to utilise technology, to understand how it works and how to make it work for them; making them feel in control.

• All students should have the opportunity to write their own computer programs

teaching methods

• Whole class instruction

• Demonstration

• Collaborative learning

• Individual work

• Multi-media tutoring materials

• Electronic worksheets

• Online learning resources.

resources

The school has 6 computer rooms of 32 PCs. These are fully networked and all run office software and have internet access.

key stage 3 curriculum outline

• What the cloud is and how to utilise cloud services

• To be proficient in using a range of digital online/offline applications

• How to transfer skills from one application to another

• How to use search engines effectively

• How to identify accurate information in the digital world

• To use blogs, social networks and other online digital tools

Digital Citizenship

• To be responsible when using social networks, technology and other online tools

• To understand the possible dangers they can face online

• To learn how to deal with situation they may encounter online

• To understand the impact ICT has on the world around them

• The positive and negative effects of ICT on their lives

• To learn how to use privacy setting on social networks

Digital Creativity

• The importance of evaluating existing digital content

• To consider audience and purpose when designing and creating digital products

• How to effectively combine text and images to produce effective digital products

• To learn how to effectively edit, repurpose and combine digital elements.

• The importance of self and peer evaluation

• To be effective when working independently as well as when collaborating with team 15 Computing

• To be able to create interactive games by using a visual programming language

• To learn a textual programming language and related computational terminology

• To learn about the hardware components inside a computer/tablet/smartphone

• To learn what an operating system is and why it is used

• To understand the history of Computer Science, as well as key figures in history

• To understand what an algorithm is and why they are used

KEY STAGE 4

Our curriculum prepares students for ambitious next steps, whether that be further study in Computing, apprenticeships in digital industries, or careers in an increasingly technology-driven world. We foster aspiration by introducing students to current industry developments and offering a high-quality Key Stage 4 qualification — the Cambridge National in IT (OCR) — which provides a solid foundation for future study or employment in digital fields.