ICT

In the Pre-Prep, ICT is incorporated into all aspects of the curriculum. In The Preparatory school, ICT is taught as a discrete subject, practised and reinforced through a more cross-curricular approach. All children receive at least one formal, hour-long ICT lesson each week, predominantly lead by a specialist ICT teacher. Teaching covers a wide spectrum of packages, both specialist and generic. The scheme of work primarily follows the National Curriculum, although objectives from the KS3 programmes of study have also been incorporated to ensure the pupils are adequately challenged.

The Preparatory school has a dedicated ICT suite consisting of 20 RM computers networked to a server to enable safe, filtered access to the Internet. Lessons are delivered using a projector and an interactive whiteboard. The pupils also make regular use of scanners, web cameras, microphones, a digital camera and a digital camcorder. In addition, every classroom has at least one computer, connected to the network. Every pupil in the school has their own username and email account. The pupils have regular access to the ICT room, with a lunchtime ICT club running through specified lunchtimes throughout the entirety of the year.

The fundamental philosophy of the department is to ensure pupils are given opportunities to apply their ICT skills for 'real life' purposes. It is therefore the responsibility of the pupils to design tickets, posters and programmes for drama productions, services (such as the Harvest Festival) school discos and other special school events. As all pupils are trained in digital photography, it is the pupils who frequently take photographs at events for use in the school magazine, website, notice boards or for their own multimedia projects. Posters for use in classrooms, such as fire procedures, are also frequently designed by the pupils themselves.

Examples of pupils' work in ICT are celebrated on a Pupil section on the school Intranet, displayed in books of good work and on wall displays and featuring on a display computer in the main Foyer in the Preparatory school. By Year 6, every pupil has designed their own website.

By the end of Key Stage 2, all pupils have had a wide range of ICT experiences and software packages.

For ICT Curriculum Overview, please click here: ICT