Business and ICT at Stringer
GCSE Business
In Year 10 and 11 students have the opportunity to study Business GCSE. The course is specifically aimed at students who are interested in the business world, possibly with ambitions of owning or managing a company in the future. The course is designed to prepare students for the world of work and topics include, 'Setting up a Business', 'Growing a Business' and 'Investigating Business'.
Business is not an exact science; there are no rules that work every time for all businesses. The study of businesses is an art which enables students to develop analytical and critical skills, transferable to college courses as well as future employment.
The best way to learn is to do! and in Business we believe in and encourage students gaining first hand experience of business. As a vocational course it is extremely important that students have as many visits and guest speakers as possible. These include three curriculum trips to Drusilla's, Thorpe Park and Disney as well as guest speakers from trading standards, entrepreneurs, fashion designers and a marketing company. Students are able to gain real experience of the business world and in most cases make money! We have enjoyed great success in many extra curricular competitions; last year's teams for Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow were placed 2nd and 4th and received some excellent prizes.
ICT
ICT here at Stringer offers opportunities for students to:
- Prepare them for participation in a rapidly changing world where activities are increasingly transformed by access to ICT
- Develop initiative and independent learning skills
- Gain rapid access to ideas and experience from a wide range of people, communities and cultures
Year 7 ICT
Being at a new school and learning new information can be daunting for Year 7 students. Students are taught in their tutor groups and have discrete ICT 1 hour a week. We, at Dorothy Stringer, have created an inviting and exciting first year. The course initially involves looking at using the school network system and how to work safely and responsibly on the network. Internet - or cyber - bullying has become a big issue with the increase of social networking among young people and our first project is designed to make students aware of the rules and etiquette involved in communicating in all aspects of ICT. Following this, students are introduced to the concept of modelling information, running databases and desk top publishing. We also look at control systems, including how to use coding to build models that help improve the quality of our lives. Students are assessed according the assessment criteria laid out in the Assessing Students Progress criteria and will be given an assessment level each term.
Year 8 ICT
Year 8 builds on the assessment levels they achieve in Year 7. The class work is task-based and encourages independent learning and creativity. Dorothy Stringer has a progressive attitude towards ICT and is keen to use new and contemporary programmes as well as teach more advanced techniques in the Windows Office Suite. Students have the opportunity to learn video editing, audio editing, website creation, HTML coding, 3D design and animation. All their work is assessed according to the APP criteria.
Year 9 ICT
In Year 9 students are encouraged to work more independently in projects that involve web site creation, Flash animation, Java and HTML coding and writing control systems. They will have further opportunities to use 3D design and animation programmes, create Apps and use game-building software to create interactive material. Their work is assessed to help students achieve their 'target' grade at the end of Key Stage 3.
Functional Skills in ICT
The term 'functional' should be considered in the broad sense of providing learners with the skills and abilities they need to take an active and responsible role in their communities, in their everyday lives, workplaces and educational settings.
Students learn how to use their ICT skills to take an active and responsible role in their communities, in their everyday lives, future workplaces and educational settings. Functional ICT enables students to be able to use ICT in ways that make them effective and involved as citizens.
Functional ICT requires learners to be able to use ICT in ways that make them effective and involved as citizens, able to operate confidently in life and to work in a wide range of contexts. The ICT programme of study for key stage 4 embeds the level 2 Functional Skills standards. The key concepts reflect the ICT functional skills standards:
- ICT capability, where learners use a range of ICT tools in a purposeful way to tackle questions, solve problems and create ideas and solutions of value in a range of contexts, and in other areas of learning, work and life
- Communication and collaboration, where learners share and exchange information safely, effectively and responsibly
- Exploring ideas and manipulating information, and becoming aware of the impact of technology, including issues of risk and safety surrounding the use of ICT critical evaluation of information and of the use of ICT