IT

ICT OCR Nationals

Students start work on these exciting new ICT courses in Year 9. Students are able to work at pass, merit or distinction levels, which are in turn equivalent to grade C, B and A GCSE passes. Students will continue with the OCR Nationals course throughout Years 10 and 11, giving them passes worth one or two equivalent GCSE points. Additionally, students can opt for ICT in Year 10, in which case they will be aiming for the Certificates which are worth three or four equivalent GCSE points.

The new OCR Nationals course is an extremely popular and successful course nationwide. 

The new course is entirely coursework based and consists of completing a variety of units of work. Students are able to work at their own pace, giving individual students opportunities to maximise their potential. In practise, this means that students can complete different numbers and types of units of work, dependent on their interests and abilities.

The OCR Nationals provides considerable flexibility for students so that they can be entered for different awards depending on the number and type of units they have completed. Students ultimately can be entered for any one of the following qualifications:

  • OCR Level 2 National First Award in ICT (equivalent to one GCSE).
  • OCR Level 2 National Award in ICT (equivalent to two GCSEs).
  • OCR Level 2 National First Certificate in ICT (equivalent to three GCSEs).
  • OCR Level 2 National Certificate in ICT (equivalent to four GCSEs).

All of these qualifications offer grade C and above GCSE equivalent pass rates.

GCSE AQA ICT course, starting in year 10

This new course can be chosen as an option subject by students who are particularly interested in the subject and who may want to carry on studying ICT for A level.

There are 4 topic areas:

  • Current and Emerging Technologies - Students will explore the impact of current and emerging technologies. This topic explores technology in a variety of contexts that will interest the students; from computer and mobile technologies to communication and entertainment systems.
  • A Range of ICT Tools and Techniques - Students will explore the ways in which tools and techniques are used to develop ideas and to solves problems.
  • Society's Use of ICT - Students will explore legal, social, economic, ethical and environmental implications of the use of ICT. Students can apply issues being discussed in the classroom to the real world situations that affect individuals, organisations and society. Students can discuss their own personal effects of ICT including the growth of personal websites and social networks.
  • Collaborate Working - Collaborative working is a life skill that students will explore in the context of ICT. Areas covered range from developing an understanding of project management and the advantages and disadvantages of home working, to technologies that aid collaboration such as video conferencing.

Students will be assessed in three ways:

  • Unit 1: Systems and Applications in ICT - External exam worth 40% of the final grade.
  • Unit 2: The Assignment: Applying ICT - Controlled assessment worh 30% of the final grade, based on a problem which is set by the exam board.
  • Unit 3: Practical Problem Solving in ICT - Controlled assessment worth 30% of the final grade.