ICT Department
The aim of the ICT department is to ensure that all students develop to become competent users of hardware and software to assist their learning across the curriculum. All students complete both Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5 with an appropriate IT based qualification at either level 1 or level 3.
The department consists of four main teaching rooms, each containing 30 networked PCs, laser printing facilities, data projection and a teaching station for monitoring and class control. Considerable annual funding ensures that equipment remains up to date and a refurbishment program is undertaken during the school summer holiday. Additional facilities are available in the library and other departments to support the department. Three further rooms are available in the Adult Education department by arrangement. There are over 400 PCs and laptops available for student to use within the college.
All students at Sutton Centre receive by entitlement one period of timetabled IT each week. In Key Stage 3 this is achieved in years 7 and 8 through four 8 week modules based upon the National Curriculum units. In year 9 all students start a full GCSE course.
In Key Stage 4 all students continue with their GCSE work towards an OCR National qualification. Students are also able to take additional GCSE awards through the subject option system. Some students may achieve the equivalent of 3 GCSEs at grades A-C.
At Key Stage 5 the college offers a B-Tec ICT Practitioners level 3 course equivalent to an A level. All level 3 students have the opportunity to develop their ICT qualification to Key Skills level 3 which is offered as part of the sixth form enrichment programme. All level 1 and 2 students undertake the CLAIT diploma course for 1 year.
During the last two years the department has produced increasingly good results with all examination courses which are comparable or better than the National average. It is expected that this upward trend will continue throughout the coming years.
At present the department has four full time teaching staff and is supported by three full time technicians.
Exam Results 2009/2010
Year group |
Course |
Result |
Number of students |
11 core |
OCR National L2–First Award 1xGCSE |
95% |
144 |
11 option |
OCR National L2– National Award 2xGCSE |
97% |
32 |
11 option |
OCR National – L2 National First Certificate 3xGCSE |
100% |
11 |
12 Vocat |
OCR CLAIT – Diploma |
92% |
22 |
13 BTEC |
Edexcel B-Tec National ICT Practitioners |
100% |
3 |
