Christian Head, Kirkby Stephen, Cumbria, CA17 4HA

017683 71693

Kirkby Stephen Grammar School

A Co-operative Academy

Information Technology

IT - Cambridge Technical Qualification

Cambridge Technical Qualification in IT

Course Outline:

This is an OCR Cambridge Technical qualification which means that it will give you UCAS points for university as well as skills for employment. You will study a total of five units over the two years, two of which are assessed through external examinations and three are through on-going assessment of your coursework. Examinations are available in both January and June of Years 12 and 13. This can really help to spread your workload and help you to achieve the best grades possible across not only this course but all your courses. As the course has a large coursework component you must develop independence to ensure that all deadlines are met. This course is suitable for those with an interest in either computer science or information technologies with a 50:50 split.

Year 12

Fundamentals of IT - 
(90 guided learning hours) With one exam - 1 hour 30 minutes Available in January and June in Yr 12 and Yr 13. Students can sit the paper twice only.

You will study modules in hardware, software and networking to help you to develop an understanding of real IT systems. This will be supported by looking at security threats and legislation.

Website Design - 
(60 guided learning hours) Coursework module

You will work with a client to develop a prototype website using html, or software such as Serif.  You will be expected to present your prototype to the client in a formal presentation.

Year 13

Global Information - 
(90 guided learning hours) With 1 exam - 1 hour 30 minutes Available in January and June in Yr 12 and Yr 13. Students can sit the paper twice only.

This unit looks at how information is held and used by users. You will apply much of what you learnt in Unit 1 in Yr 12 to various scenarios that you are given in the examination.

Application Design - 
(60 guided learning hours) Coursework module

You will produce a given application for your client. You will meet with your client, agree their requirements and design a solution to meet their needs. During the process you will need to test and refine your application.

Product Development - 
(60 guided learning hours) Coursework module

You will follow the stages of the product development lifecycle, producing a product to meet given requirements. During the process you will produce industry style documents including product requirements specification, designs, feasibility reports, formal planning tools, acceptance tests, etc in order to realise what it would be like to be part of a large scale IT project.

Entry Requirements:

it is important that students have four GCSE’s at grade 4 or above (including Maths and English) as well as being able to demonstrate that you are organised and committed. You should be able to demonstrate a good attendance record in key stage 4.

Teaching Methods

students will take part in discussions and workshops with teaching staff, visiting speakers and IT professionals as well as through both organised school visits and independent research. Students will need to have an enquiring mind and be prepared to read around the topics studied and carry out independent research.

Progression Opportunities:

Students who have previously studied this course have gone on to university to study computer science, information technologies, graphic design, business, teaching as well as wide variety of other degrees, or made a successful transition to college, higher level apprenticeships and of course employment.  The course is good preparation for university as students have to carry out independent research, use academic materials which you then reference appropriately.