ICT and Computing
ICT and Computing at Palmers Green High School is taught throughout the whole school using Laptops, iPads and PCs with great emphasis on online safety so that all pupils understand how to use ICT securely. Coding is taught to all pupils starting in the Lower School, using BlueBot floor robots and Purple Mash coding. Seniors use Scratch, BBC Microbit, HTML and Python. Pupils are encouraged to explore and experiment to develop their skills.
In lessons we never lose sight of the practical application of ICT, which is integral to working in School and in the wider sphere of modern society. All girls leave with an excellent knowledge of ICT theory and an accomplished use of the main MS Applications, Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. They use the knowledge and skills gained at PGHS to great advantage throughout their studies here and beyond into Sixth Form and University.
Curriculum
Year 7
Pupils begin by learning about communicating online safely. Guidance is given in the safe use of email, chat rooms, gaming and social networking sites. Girls then progress to a short and effective online keyboarding course and learn the fundamentals of word processing, before progressing to coding in HTML and Python. The year finishes with a unit on Excel Spreadsheets comprising simple and complex formulae and functions to explore what-if scenarios and advanced charting.
Years 8 and 9
Pupils learn to use a variety of software in order to enable them to research a topic, analyse data and present results. In Year 8 the girls enter a fun, national CyberFirst Girls Competition, run by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), a part of GCHQ, to encourage girls to consider careers in logic and coding, cyber security and cryptography. HTML and CSS are studied for the creation of websites alongside the use of digital manipulation software to manipulate images to incorporate into their websites.
Year 10 – Year 11- IGCSE
Please view the course curriculum click the link above right to download the Options Booklet.
Extra-Curricular
The ICT Department runs an ICT club (Years 7 and 8) and ICT Workshop (Years 10 and 11) so that girls can further develop their interest in this subject.
