Computer ScienceYear 8 options for study in Year 9 |
Every time you use a computer (laptop, tablet, mobile phone) you are using programs that have been created by coders, the software engineers who shape the connected world in which we increasingly live, work and play.
Studying Computer Science in Year 9 will open up a world of opportunities as you learn to become a creator of the digital world rather than just a consumer. Find out how a computer thinks and how it stores images and words and start to take control by learning how to program. If you have already enjoyed a bit of programming (maybe you like making games in Scratch), see how far you can extend your skills. Learn more about the Maths behind how files are stored.
This course aims to: |
- Introduce students to the exciting world of Computer Science.
- Allow students to become confident creators of digital material not just consumers.
- Start on a journey that allows students to become masters of the digital world.
- Develop critical thinking, analysis and problem-solving skills.
- Prepare students for GCSE Computer Science
We will be studying: |
Fundamentally, how a computer works:
- How to work with binary (0s and 1s)
- Why computers work in binary
- How data is stored in a computer
- How hardware and software make a computer work
- How to program computers to do exactly what we want (we learn to program in Python using Turtle).
Although this is a perfect beginner’s language, Python can allow you to make games, control Raspberry Pi mini computers and even to hack Minecraft. It is used by Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo!, CERN, NASA, YouTube and Instagram. Do you enjoy Star Wars or Marvel films? Their digital special effects are done by ILM who use Python extensively.
Why study? |
- It is interesting.
- It is fun.
- It is challenging and makes you think and teaches you new ways to solve problems.
- It is ideal preparation for the GCSE in Computer Science, which can lead to Computer Science A Level.
- It is a first step in a career in one of the fastest growing industries in the country.
What career options are opened up by the course? |
The fast-growing and fast-moving digital industries are desperate for young, talented people to join the many small and large companies involved in making apps, websites and other software that runs our lives. Cybersecurity is of increasing importance in our country and we need to make sure we are training professionals to keep us safe.
Key Contacts |
Miss Kristy Bradnum – Head of Computing
email: k.bradnum@wrenacademy.org
Find out more about this subject |
https://code.org/careers-in-tech – watch the videos
www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/29051567 – why learning to code is so important
https://youtu.be/IDFAg9oluv8 – Choose Computer Science video says it all really!
https://youtu.be/nZ1ehJqXor0 – TED talk “How Computer Science Made Me Brave”
https://successatschool.org/advicedetails/877/what-is-computer-science-computing-jobs – complete guide about why you should study Computer Science