Information
and Communication Technology
at Nonsuch High School for Girls
The ICT curriculum
and many useful resources are available here
for members of the Nonsuch community.
Background
"ICT has
enormous potential not just for a National Curriculum. It will change
the way we learn as well as the way we work."
Chris Yapp, ICL Fellow for Lifelong Learning.
"The modern world requires new skills. Understanding ICT and,
more importantly, being able to apply it to the problems we face
is one of the most important. Increasingly ICT will be vital for
our individual prospects and for our economy's future."
Lord Dennis Stevenson, Prime Minister's Adviser on
ICT and Education.
"ICT expands horizons by shrinking worlds."
David Brown, Chairman, Motorola Ltd.
"With scientific method, we took things apart to see how they work.
Now with computers we can put things back together to see how they
work, by modelling complex, interrelated processes, even life itself.
This is a new age of discovery, and ICT is the gateway."
Douglas Adams, Author.
Nonsuch High School for Girls embraces and promotes the use of ICT
in teaching and learning, and aims to give its students the knowledge
and skills necessary for them to prosper in the digital age.
Our Facilities
We have 500 computers and laptops on a site-wide
network, managed by two full-time support staff. These are distributed
in four ICT suites, departmental clusters, student workrooms and
classrooms, giving the school community easy access. Students can
use digital cameras and scanners, networked colour printers and
30Mb/s Internet. There are digital projectors or interactive white-boards
available in nearly all teaching areas.
All departments make use of curriculum software and digital resources
to enhance teaching and stimulate learning. Specialist ICT technology
is used to support learning in many areas of the curriculum.
The ICT Curriculum
Key Stage 3
All girls in KS3 have discrete ICT lessons, taught
by specialist ICT teachers. They develop and use their ICT skills
in all areas of the curriculum. Many departments make use of specialist
equipment and software, giving students a wider understanding of
the potential of ICT.
Through Key Stage 3 we aim to develop pupils to become
increasingly independent, discerning users of ICT. Pupils develop
their ICT capability by using a range of applications to produce
solutions to realistic problems. Through these tasks pupils also
learn to:
- make choices about when and where it is appropriate
to exploit technology to support them in their learning and everyday
life
- work creatively and collaboratively
- be independent, discriminating and reflective when choosing
when to use technology
- apply ICT to real-world situations when solving problems
and carrying out a range of tasks and enquiries
- share their views and experiences of ICT, considering the
range of its uses and its significance to individuals, communities
and society
By
the end of year 9 pupils are able to work autonomously with a range
if ICT applications, using them to produce or enhance work, to research
and investigate and to develop knowledge and understanding.
Key Stage 4
All students in KS4 have discrete ICT lessons, taught by specialist
ICT teachers, leading to a GCSE qualification. They opt to take
either a 'Full Course' or a 'Short Course' GCSE.
ICT is both a theoretical and practical subject, but 60% of the
GCSE course is assessed through hands-on coursework projects.
Much of the theoretical work is best understood in a practical
context. The majority of teaching time is therefore spent on practical
tasks: skill development and assessments. Some theoretical aspects
are discussed in class and homework is set each lesson, often
requiring independent research and extended writing. Our students'
GCSE ICT results have been consistently excellent.
VIth Form
AS/A Level ICT is an increasingly popular option in the VIth form.
Students build on their practical ICT skills, and extend their
theoretical knowledge and understanding using an extensive range
of applications and digital resources. The specification covers:
-
Data and information: the need for their organisation and
manipulation to facilitate effective use
- Social, cultural, legal, technical, ethical, economic and
environmental considerations on the use of ICT
- ICT for individuals, organisations and society
- Emerging technologies and ICT
- Investigate and analyse problems and produce a specification;
design effective solutions;
- Select and use appropriate application software
- Test and implement an effective ICT-related system
- Document specifications and solutions
- Evaluate solutions and student's own performance
Extra-Curricular
The school's ICT suites are open at break, lunch time and after
school, giving girls the opportunity to make use of these facilities
for school work.
Managed Learning Environment
Nonsuch High School makes extensive use of Fronter, a Managed
Learning Environment, to make specific learning resources available
to students away from the classroom, to encourage communication
and to facilitate collaborative working. Tasks may be submitted
for marking or assessed on-line, using the facilities available
in Fronter.
