ICT - GCSE

What will I study in ICT?

In order to excel in ICT it is necessary to acquire both theoretical knowledge and practical skills

Hardware
You will be expected to have knowledge of input and output devices and the applications they are suitable for – we will be looking at both generic and specialised solutions.

Software
Students need to have used a variety of applications ranging from CAD/CAM through to project planning, video editing and sound. The practical examination requires you to have a thorough grasp of word processing and DTP, spreadsheets and database software. During the course you will undertake small practical projects.

Networks and the Internet
A familiarity with some of the more common network protocols is essential – students are expected to know their IP address from their Subnet mask.

How will I be assessed?

There will be two papers at the end of the course, one written and one practical computer based examination. Paper 1 is written and an hour and a half long. The first half of the paper is multiple-choice and the second requires short structured answers. Paper 2 is a three hour practical where the skills that you have acquired during the course are put to the test.

Who will teach me?

Jem Barton-Hanson read Law at Queens' College Cambridge, joining Lansdowne in 1993 while taking bar examinations. Since 1993 he has taught a combination of Law, Information Technology and Computing. Jem is also the College’s Director of eLearning.

Mohammad Arif completed a Bachelors degree in Computer Science at the Institute of Leadership and Management in Lahore, and an MSc in Business Information Technology at Middlesex University, London. Mr. Arif worked in the IT industry in Saudi Arabia for five years and has been teaching ICT in schools in the UK for the past four years where he has applied his practical knowledge and enthusiastic approach to help his students achieve very good exam results.

Which subjects complement ICT?

As eluded to in the opening paragraph, ICT is all pervasive. The skills that are gained on the course will compliment studies in Maths and the Sciences, but there are just as likely to be useful when studying a foreign language or Ancient History.

Which careers can ICT lead to?

A basic understand of generic software applications is a pre-requisite for virtually any job. Previous students on the course have gone on to become engineers, doctors and lawyers. Many of them have also gone into technological fields like computing and infomatics.