Computing Business Enterprise Curriculum Intent

Key Stage 3

The CBE Faculty has three main themes that need to be incorporated into our KS3 curriculum; Computer Science, Digital literacy & Business.

Our curriculum offers both breadth in terms of the topics and subjects covered and depth based upon the natural progression that takes place throughout the three-year programme.  Our aim is to ensure that students are ready to tackle any of the KS4 suite of subjects that we offer and, ultimately, ready to take their place as a competent and confident digital citizen.

Year 7’s main focus is to give students a good grounding in all aspects of CS; covering the fundamentals whilst developing digital literacy through exposure to a wide range of software and applications.  Students will also be given an introduction into the five main functional areas of business, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the Marketing Mix; notably the importance of price, product, place and promotional decisions.

Year 8 builds upon this foundation, covering all three strands.  Students will be given a grounding in the fundamentals of brand identity and market research, key concepts that they need to be aware of in order to study Enterprise and Marketing @ KS4.  Students will continue to develop their digital literacy skills through studying advanced image-editing skills and storytelling via a comic strip.  In Computer Science, students will be introduced to hardware and software, as well as a text-based programming language. 

Year 9 is designed to bring about mastery in the three separate strands by having discrete lessons and activities that are both practical and applicable to the real world.  In CS, students will undertake practical lessons programming in Python, as well as covering a range of theoretical concepts linked to computer systems.  In Digital Literacy students will be focussed on honing their digital literacy skills by developing an  interactive multimedia product and digital sound sequence.  Students will further develop their knowledge and understanding of business by studying business finance; including sources of finance, costs, revenues, profit and loss.  They will also have the opportunity to study a range of ethical and environmental considerations that impact on business.

Key Stage 4

Curriculum Aim

The aim of the GCSE Computer Science curriculum is to deliver a high-quality, engaging and inspiring education to all students in Computer Science.  Ultimately, all students should be ready to take their place as a competent and confident digital citizen.

The success of this is evaluated by a wide sample of activities across the faculty, monitoring the difference between the planned and delivered curriculum, monitoring the quality of teaching and learning taking place and the student perception of the courses that they are undertaking.  The progress of the students in all cohorts will be the overriding indication of the success of the Computer Science curriculum.

Curriculum intent

The Head of Faculty, supported by the Assistant Faculty Leader, have constructed a curriculum that is ambitious for all learners and takes account of equality of opportunity, welcoming students from all KS3 pathways.  We have made every effort to ensure that all pupils including disadvantaged and those with SEND, leave with the skills, knowledge and understanding that they need to take the next step in their education.

The overriding principles that underpin the Computer Science curriculum are that the students can understand and apply the fundamental

principles and concepts of Computer Science,including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms, and data representation analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs.

We foster an environment where students are encouraged to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically.  That they understand the components that make up digital systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems.

Ultimately the students should be able to understand the impacts of digital technology to the individual and to wider society.  We foster links with other curriculum areas and expect that students will apply mathematical skills relevant to Computer Science.

Curriculum implementation

Building on prior learning - Developing learning schemas and applying this to new learning

• The Computer Science pathway within the CBE KS4 curriculum intends to take advantage of base skills, knowledge and understanding learnt in our KS3 curriculum. This document maps the KS3 skills to the KS4 Computer Science course offered. 
• These skills, knowledge and understanding will be used as a foundation to build upon to allow students to build learning schemas and apply them with confidence to formal examinations within Computer Science.

CPD & Subject knowledge development

• The Head of Faculty is responsible for the overall quality of teaching and learning across all subject areas. CPD and guidance will be given to all members of the Faculty on how to enhance their current practice. 
• The Head of Faculty is part of the teaching and learning group and works closely with the SLT link to attain rapid and sustained improvement across the faculty.
• The Head of Faculty is responsible for arranging subject specific CPD and dissemination of acquired information amongst teaching staff.

Standardised approach to teaching, learning & assessment

• The Head of Faculty will work closely with colleagues to ensure that there is a consistency in the ethos, practice and quality of delivery across the subject.
• All teachers will contribute to the standard approach to learning, based on the 7 step metacognitive model, to ensure consistency of experience for learners.
• All students should receive the same quality of education regardless of teaching group, thus ensuring close adherence to the SOW (including planned Milestone and Progress Assessment Tasks) and consistency in the use of lesson resources.

Standardised approach to assessment and feedback

• All teachers will use the same approach to assessment and feedback in order to check students' understanding, catch any misconceptions and provide accurate and targeted feedback that gives the students clear and direct steps to make progress in their learning.
• All teachers will use standardised assessments that have been quality assured by both the Assistant Faculty Leader and the Head of Faculty. These will be stored centrally on the CBE shared drive.  All student feedback will be administered using the CTG - Feedback and Analysis sheet to establish consistency with other KS4 subjects being delivered in the Faculty.  The Question Analysis document will further allow teachers to identify gaps in knowledge within assessments and implement strategies accordingly to improve pupil outcomes.

Curriculum impact

• All students will make progress and achieve well in formal assessments in Computer Science. The qualification aims to encourage learners to make informed choices about a wide range of further learning opportunities and career pathways as well as develop life skills.
• When students leave the CBE faculty they should be ready to take their place as a competent and confident citizen.

CBE Learning Plans

Please click the links below to view our CBE learning plans.

Computing

KS3 Computing - Learning Plan

KS4 Computer Science - Learning Plan

Creative iMedia - Learning Plan

Business Studies

GCSE Business Studies - Learning Plan

CNat Enterprise and Marketing - Learning Plan

CBE Learning Expectations

Please click the links below to view our CBE learning expectations.

These documents show the progress we expect students to make by the end of each term.

Computing

KS3 Computing - Learning Expectations

KS4 Computer Science - Learning Expectations

Creative iMedia - Learning Expectations

Business Studies

GCSE Business Studies - Learning Expectations 

Enterprise & Marketing - Learning Expectations  

CBE Curriculum Intent - Key Stage 5

Curriculum Aim

The aim of the A2 Computer Science curriculum is to deliver a high-quality, engaging and inspiring education to all students in Computer Science.  Ultimately, all students should be ready to take their place as a competent and confident digital citizen.

The success of this is evaluated by a wide sample of activities across the faculty, monitoring the difference between the planned and delivered curriculum, monitoring the quality of teaching and learning taking place and the student perception of the courses that they are undertaking.  The progress of the students in all cohorts will be the overriding indication of the success of the Computer Science curriculum.

Curriculum intent

The Head of Faculty, supported by the Assistant Faculty Leader, have constructed a curriculum that is ambitious for all learners and takes account of equality of opportunity, welcoming students from relevant KS4 pathways.  We have made every effort to ensure that all pupils including disadvantaged and those with SEND, leave with the skills, knowledge and understanding that they need to take the next step in their education.

The overriding principles that underpin the Computer Science curriculum are that the students can understand and apply the fundamental

principles and concepts of Computer Science,including abstraction, decomposition, logic, algorithms, and data representation analyse problems in computational terms through practical experience of solving such problems, including designing, writing and debugging programs.

We foster an environment where students are encouraged to think creatively, innovatively, analytically, logically and critically.  That they understand the components that make up digital systems, and how they communicate with one another and with other systems.

Ultimately the students should be able to understand the impacts of digital technology to the individual and to wider society.  We foster links with other curriculum areas and expect that students will apply mathematical skills relevant to Computer Science.

Curriculum implementation

Building on prior learning - Developing learning schemas and applying this to new learning

• The Computer Science pathway within the CBE KS5 curriculum intends to take advantage of base skills, knowledge and understanding learnt in our KS4 pathways. This document maps the KS4 skills to the KS5 Computer Science course offered. 
• These skills, knowledge and understanding will be used as a foundation to build upon to allow students to build learning schemas and apply them with confidence to formal examinations within Computer Science.

CPD & Subject knowledge development

• The Head of Faculty is responsible for the overall quality of teaching and learning across all subject areas. CPD and guidance will be given to all members of the Faculty on how to enhance their current practice. 
• The Head of Faculty is part of the teaching and learning group and works closely with the SLT link to attain rapid and sustained improvement across the faculty.
• The Head of Faculty is responsible for arranging subject specific CPD and dissemination of acquired information amongst teaching staff.

Standardised approach to teaching, learning & assessment

• The Head of Faculty will work closely with colleagues to ensure that there is a consistency in the ethos, practice and quality of delivery across the subject.
• All teachers will contribute to the standard approach to learning, based on the 7 step metacognitive model, to ensure consistency of experience for learners.
• All students should receive the same quality of education regardless of teaching group, thus ensuring close adherence to the SOW (including planned Milestone and Progress Assessment Tasks) and consistency in the use of lesson resources.

Standardised approach to assessment and feedback

• All teachers will use the same approach to assessment and feedback in order to check students' understanding, catch any misconceptions and provide accurate and targeted feedback that gives the students clear and direct steps to make progress in their learning.
• All teachers will use standardised assessments that have been quality assured by both the Assistant Faculty Leader and the Head of Faculty. These will be stored centrally on the CBE shared drive.  All student feedback will be administered using the CTG - Feedback and Analysis sheet to establish consistency with other KS5 subjects being delivered in the Faculty.  The Question Analysis document will further allow teachers to identify gaps in knowledge within assessments and implement strategies accordingly to improve pupil outcomes.

Curriculum impact

• All students will make progress and achieve well in formal assessments in Computer Science. The qualification aims to encourage learners to make informed choices about a wide range of further learning opportunities and career pathways as well as develop life skills.
• When students leave the CBE faculty they should be ready to take their place as a competent and confident citizen.

CBE Learning Plans

Please click the links below to view our CBE learning plans.

Computing

KS5 Computer Science - Learning Plan

Business

A-Level Business - Learning Plan

CBE Learning Expectations

Please click the links below to view our CBE learning expectations.

These documents show the progress we expect students to make by the end of each term.

Computing

KS5 Computer Science - Learning Expectations

Business

A-Level Business - Learning Expectations