Director of Strategic Innovation, Head of Computing and Commerce - Mrs N Alani

Teacher of Business Studies - Ms M Edwards

Teacher of Computer Science & IT - Mr A Johnson

Teacher of Business Studies and Economics - Mr Y Adeoye

The Computing and Commerce Department offers students an experience of subjects that are constantly evolving and expanding their roles in society. Our curriculum encompasses Business Studies, Economics, Computer Science, and Information Technology. These disciplines are integral to our lives, shaping the ways in which we communicate, work, and engage with the world around us. Through our courses, students develop critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and digital literacy, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly interconnected and technology-driven world.

Business Studies

Students who study Business will develop a comprehensive understanding of business operations, decision-making processes, and contemporary issues affecting organisations. They will explore various business concepts, objectives, and terminology, equipping them with the skills and confidence to analyse different business situations and their impact on strategic choices. This subject prepares students for the dynamic world of commerce and entrepreneurship.

Economics

Economics provides students with insights into how societies, governments, businesses, and individuals allocate resources. Students will explore both microeconomic and macroeconomic principles, developing their ability to analyse complex economic issues. They will learn to interpret data, understand economic models, and evaluate policies. This subject cultivates critical thinking and analytical skills, preparing students to understand and engage with local and global economic challenges.

Computer Science

In Computer Science, students are encouraged to harness their creativity and problem-solving skills to design innovative solutions for real-world challenges. They will develop a deep understanding of core computer science concepts, learning to analyse problems in computational terms. Through practical programming experiences, students will design, write, test, and evaluate programs, fostering skills essential for the digital age.

Information Technology

The Information Technology course prepares students to become proficient digital citizens. Students will learn how to effectively use and assess digital resources while gaining an understanding of the principles that underpin them. The curriculum covers data collection, processing, and communication across various sectors. Students will develop skills in turning raw data into meaningful information, a crucial competency in today's data-driven society.

What we cover in each year group:

KS3

In Years 7, 8 and 9, students are introduced to a range of computing concepts and skills that form the foundation for further study. The curriculum is designed to develop computational thinking, digital literacy, and practical skills across various aspects of computing.

Year 7: Students begin by understanding computer hardware and the basic principles of computer systems and architecture. They explore the input-process-output sequence and the Fetch-Decode-Execute cycle. Students are then introduced to block-based programming, learning about algorithms, sequential programming, and basic programming constructs.

Year 8: The focus shifts to binary systems and data representation. Students learn about binary and denary conversion, ASCII code for text representation, and how binary is used to represent image colours and shades. They also delve into computational thinking using Flowgorithm, designing and evaluating flowcharts as algorithms to model real-world problems.

Year 9: Students explore the history of computing and technological pioneers, studying their contributions to modern computer science. They then progress to text-based programming with Python, understanding the process of developing programs, writing correct syntax, formulating algorithms for simple programs, and debugging their code.

This curriculum provides a strong foundation in computing principles and practices, preparing students for more advanced study at GCSE level and beyond.

Within the Computing and Commerce we offer the following courses that students can opt to study:

KS4 Options

Edexcel GCSE Business (9-1)

OCR GCSE Computer Science (9-1)

OCR Cambridge Nationals in Information Technologies Level 1/2 Certificate

KS5 Options

AQA A level Business

AQA A level Economics

BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate in Computing

OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical
Introductory Diploma in IT

Revision Websites

www.senecalearning.com – provides excellent revision and online tests to help with all subjects

www.tutor2u.net – provides excellent notes and resources on many business and economics topics

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/zpsvr82 - Business revision pages

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/subjects/z34k7ty - Computer science revision pages

https://student.craigndave.org/gcse-videos - Excellent set of student videos for Computer Science

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL04uZ7242_M6-I_6ZSL7nscADq_il_WUB – Excellent set of student videos for Level 3 IT