ICT

At Kingsmead, we aim to ensure our students have the necessary skills required for employment, which comes through developing IT user skills and practical skills. We heavily focus on developing skills related to safe use of computers, which entails topics like cyberbullying, trolling, viruses, hacking and social networking. We teach our students to use these effectively and how to report and prevent incidents related to this, ensuring they understand that the internet can be a negative place where online abuse, trolling, bullying and harassment can take place, which can have a negative impact on mental health. We also teach our students to be discerning consumers of information online, including understanding that information from search engines is ranked, selected and targeted.

We teach our students the need for learning IT and Computing skills and the future benefits of acquiring these skills. An aspect of our curriculum is to look at the legal aspects related to computing in society, including Copyright law, Computer Misuse Act and Data Protection Act. Students learn the need for these, their main principles and implications if someone does not follow these rules. Through this study, students understand why these laws exist and how they can become responsible digital citizens who understand their rights and responsibilities online.

Through Computing and Programming, students gain understanding of problem solving and logical thinking. They develop these skills with software such as Scratch and Micro:bits. Students gain basic skills to either pursue employment routes or enrol onto Level 2/Level 3 courses. Our curriculum is designed to provide students with the digital literacy skills essential for participation in modern life and work, ensuring students leave school with a planned destination in post-16 education or training.

We recognise that online safety is an integral part of safeguarding, and our curriculum addresses the four key areas of online risk: content (exposure to harmful material), contact (harmful online interaction), conduct (online behaviour that causes harm), and commerce (online financial risks). Students are taught to recognise when they need support and know how to access help, both within school and externally, ensuring they can navigate the digital world safely and confidently.

Meet The Team