The work of the ICT Department at Abingdon School is intended to encourage the use of Information Technology in a variety of contexts: school, home, community, recreation, business and industry. In these contexts pupils are given opportunities to acquire competence, capability and critical skills through the implementation, use and evaluation of a range of Information Technology methods.
The School has two ICT centres and several clusters of computers in various areas such as Art, Music and the School Library as well as many single computers. They are all connected in a fast school-wide network which has access to the Internet through a broadband microwave link. The Modern Languages and Science departments use mobile, radio-networked clusters of laptop computers. The School has several interactive whiteboards and excellent printing and audio visual facilities including digital video facilities.
The department teaches skills in the first three years and offers an advanced course in the sixth form. It also supports other departments in their use of IT systems at all levels. The aim is to achieve the following teaching objectives:
- Fundamentals
- Word processing
- Databases
- Spreadsheets
- Graphics
- CAD (Computer Aided Design)
- Information presentation
- Information retrieval
- Manipulating and plotting data
- Multimedia authoring
- Modelling & simulation
- Computer programming
- Music composition and notation
- Web site creation
Project work by pupils is supported and encouraged through the provision of advice, software and hardware and boys can take part in individual or group projects in the ICT Workshop which runs every day and the Programming Club.
In the third year, pupils investigate some of the new developments in ICT that are changing the way we work, communicate and interact. The aim is to enable pupils to use new technologies to their full potential and also encourage safe and responsible use of the Internet. Topics that are covered include Blogs, Wikis, Social Networking, RSS and Aggregators, Instant Messaging and other Web 2.0 technologies. By the end of the course, pupils should be confident, competent and aware of the risks when using the Internet, whether to research a topic or communicate with friends.
In the sixth form boys have the opportunity to complete an AS level in ICT. This covers the principles of problem solving using ICT and a range of applications, and the effects of their use as well as communications technology, user interfaces, distributed systems, systems analysis and design and methods of implementation, testing and documentation. It also offers candidates opportunities to develop their understanding of how ICT is used to assist in the processing of data in a range of organisations and situations as well as understanding of the ways in which software packages may be used and tailored to meet the needs of users in these organisations, including development of a tailored and appropriately designed interface using prototyping or other appropriate design techniques.
The work of the ICT department is not examination oriented. In practice its aim is to facilitate the use of IT in a broad range of subjects throughout the whole school so that staff and pupils can enhance the learning in them by the offering of a wider experience. Pupils are encouraged to develop informed, intelligent and confident IT abilities and attitudes which, as well as being of value in school, prepare them for their further education and careers.
At Abingdon, Information Technology is a service to the school, offering new media and techniques for the handling of information in its many forms. As such it challenges the ingenuity and creativity of pupils and staff.
Further Information
Further information about the ICT department curriculum can be found in the curriculum documents available for download on the main curriculum page