ICT

ICT Roadmap: Years 7–11

The ICT roadmap from Year 7 to Year 11 is designed to provide a progressive, spiral curriculum, ensuring that key digital skills are revisited, reinforced, and extended over time. Students develop confidence in core areas such as digital literacy, information management, online safety, and the effective use of productivity tools, with increasing complexity as they move through the school.

Key Stage 3 (Years 7–9)

At Key Stage 3, students are introduced to foundational ICT skills. The curriculum is structured to build capability through repeated exposure and development of key concepts, supporting long-term retention and independence.

• Emerald Pathway:
  Students on the Emerald pathway follow an adapted ICT curriculum. This ensures that content is accessible and appropriately scaffolded, while still aligning with the spiral curriculum model. Learning is broken into smaller steps, with frequent reinforcement, practical application, and support to build confidence and independence.

• Forest Pathway:
  Provision for Forest pathway students is determined by access to appropriate levels of challenge. The curriculum is flexible, allowing for personalised learning experiences that balance support with opportunities to extend skills where appropriate.

Key Stage 4 (Years 10–11)

In Key Stage 4, the pathway model becomes more specialised to support preparation for adulthood and accreditation.

• Jade Pathway:
  Students following the Jade pathway will work towards the Digital Functional Skills programme. This focuses on applying ICT skills in real-life contexts, including communication, online transactions, and workplace-relevant digital tasks.

• Emerald Forest Pathway:
  Students on the Emerald Forest pathway may choose ICT as an option subject. Those who opt for ICT will follow the BTEC Level 2 IT Users (ITQ) Certificate, which provides a practical, coursework-based qualification. This pathway enables students to develop vocationally relevant ICT skills such as word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, and digital communication.

Summary

This ICT roadmap ensures that all students, regardless of pathway, receive a coherent and inclusive digital education