What is Computing?  

What is Computing? 

Computing is not just programming. There has been a strategic shift towards computing and away from ICT in order to encourage computational thinking, a skill that is transferable to other subjects and disciplines. A key strategy that we develop is the ability to deconstruct a problem in to its constituent parts before solving.

Computing not only covers the skills needed for the appropriate, efficient and accurate use of ICT tools necessary for everyday life, it also reinforces the idea of digital literacy - the investigation of safe and sensible use of technology and the internet, including social networking. The skills acquired in computing are used throughout the curriculum and beyond to the outside world.  

GCSE (Edexcel Board) and A Level (OCR) build on all these skills introduced earlier in the curriculum as well as ensuring that a knowledge of hardware and software structures is instilled. They also encourage the development of efficient and robust programming techniques as well as expecting computational thinking to be advanced throughout.

Our links with the local cyber industry have led to the development of an interesting and varied co-curricular program; our students are immersed in real-life applications of computing and have opportunities to learn about careers in the industry from local experts.  We have entered teams in all of the Cyber Competition for Girls; in 2019 we competed in the grand final in Edinburgh. Other competitions we compete in are the AMS App competition and the BEBRAS computational thinking competition. 

In short, computing opens doors for our students to become the engineers, mechanics and drivers of the technology of the future.