Curriculum Intent

The Digital Technology curriculum at St Thomas’s Centre is designed for young people to gain experience and qualifications in current technologies using a personalised learning plan.  Pupils learn the importance of online safety and information security alongside practical skills. They are encouraged to be independent uses of digital technology to prepare them for the next stage of their lives in the belief that every career has a digital aspect.  They will transition into confident young people ready for the digital age as this confidence is of benefit to the young person, further training providers, employers and the economy.

Key Stage 3 overview

Digital Technology at Key Stage 3 supports pupils to be confident online, promoting privacy and information security values. Pupils are encouraged to use, express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology ready to be active participants in a digital world. Digital Technology skills are practiced across the KS3 curriculum and pupils are taught how to keep themselves safe online as part of the PSHCE curriculum.

Digital Literacy (DL)

Pupils are encouraged to gain a BCS qualification to help get them digitally fit for the workplace, ICDL is recognised by employers and has been taken by over 15 million people from around the globe and a recognised benchmark of digital workplace skills. Pupils gain a good foundation of widely used office-based skills knowledge using word, spreadsheets, and presentation skills.

St Thomas’s deliver ICDL (previously ECDL) at Level 1 Award and Level 2 Certificate:

BCS Level 1 ICDL Award in IT User Skills (601/0633/5)

Each unit is a 45-minute practical online assessment with a Pass at 75%

Presentation Software (K/502/4621)

Spreadsheet Software (A/502/4624)

Word Processing Software (L/502/4627)

BCS Level 2 Certificate in IT User Skills (ICDL Extra) (ITQ) (500/6242/6)

Each unit is a 45-minute practical online assessment with a Pass at 75%

Presentation Software (M/502/4622)

Spreadsheet Software (F/502/4625)

Word Processing Software (R/502/4628)

Improving Productivity using IT (J/502/4156)   This unit is a 60-minute practical online assessment with a Pass at 75% 

Course Specification link: https://www.bcs.org/deliver-and-teach-qualifications/training-providers-and-adult-education-centres/deliver-our-digital-literacy-qualifications/deliver-icdl-previously-ecdl/icdl-syllabi/