SSAT Maths and Computing: Courses

The key information about the course, including the opportunity to download the KS3 materials in Moodle format

This is the first unit that you will study for Year 7 ICT

In this unit pupils will identify the purposes of information. They will consider how to set up a survey sample and phrase questions appropriately, so that they gather information that is relevant to the task. They will explore the Internet as a source of information and learn how to narrow down a search. Finally, they will learn how they can be misled by inaccurate or incomplete information and how to judge the reliability of a website.

In this unit pupils will plan and create a leaflet to give pupils in Year 6 information about subjects they will study in Key Stage 3. Pupils will explore the use of images, text, colour and layout to enhance their leaflets.

They will consider how to match the design of their leaflet to a given audience and purpose. Finally, pupils will identify evaluation criteria and use them to evaluate their work for different audiences and purposes.

In this unit pupils will use spreadsheets to model simple situations. They will use basic spreadsheet functions to construct, explore and amend simple models and consider how to manipulate graphs and tables in order to present their findings effectively. This unit uses the example of a school disco.

In this unit pupils will consider how to collect relevant data to answer a question. They will design a file to handle the data and will check their entries for accuracy. Finally, they will use the database functions in a spreadsheet package, such as Microsoft Excel, to interrogate their data and consider the plausibility of the conclusions they have drawn.

The unit helps pupils to understand that technology is used to control many everyday events, such as the operation of traffic lights and the raising of car park barriers. Pupils use software to simulate a range of familiar scenarios and to develop and refine flowcharts for control programs. The efficiency of the programs is enhanced through loops and subroutines. In the final lesson of the unit, pupils consider how the systems controlling a lhouse could be adapted to help, for example, a person with impaired hearing at home.

Write a concise and interesting paragraph here that explains what this course is about

Write a concise and interesting paragraph here that explains what this course is about

In this unit pupils explore the Internet as a source of information and consider the importance of evaluating the information they find. They also look at how we judge the reliability, validity and bias of information presented on a website. Finally, they will decide how well the information satisfies the reason for looking for it and the extent of its ?fitness for purpose?.

In this unit, pupils will use spreadsheet software to develop models. They will be introduced to techniques to enable them to create more complex models and to interrogate and analyse them. They will be shown how to generate random numbers to provide test data and to simulate events. They will then consider the purposes for which simulations and animations are used.
The examples used in this unit include a school fete, tossing a coin and mobile telephone tariffs.

independently create, review and modify a financial model to investigate production costs; improve the accuracy and extend the scope of the model by introducing different or new variables;
independently design, test and refine a control system to monitor and control conditions in the greenhouse; refine instructions, using procedures (sub-routines), to make their system more efficient;
planned and created publicity materials, which incorporate automated processes (e.g. mail merge letters, web-based order forms), taking account of the audiences and the purpose of the materials;

In this case study pupils explore ICT systems within the context of designing a new water ride in a theme park. Pupils assess the requirements of a new ride, then plan and develop a safety control system. Finally, pupils consider how to create an appropriate presentation to be shown to the park manager, outlining the features of the ride and how safety components have been included.

The aim of this case study is for the class to be linked with another, ideally in a different country or location, for the purpose of exchanging information and questionnaires. Pupils will collect data using the questionnaires and design a database to handle that same data.

In this case study, pupils will plan a term-long project to gather a large amount of questionnaire data online, from contacts in partner schools anywhere in the world. Pupils will store the data in a database and then interrogate the data to support their hypotheses.

This case study is designed to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to carry out a project systematically. The project is to design a front-of-house ticketing system for a theatre or school production.

In this unit pupils will create an animation in Flash.