Departmental Staff
N Stokes, BSc (Surrey) Head of Information Technology
A Lewis, BA (Aberystwyth)
S Collins, BA (Durham) Head of Outdoor Education
M Hadley, BSc (Edinburgh)
The IT department
IT is a popular and well-established subject at Reigate Grammar School. All pupils in the First, Second and Third Forms (Years 7 to 9) are taught to use a wide range of office and creative software as well as being introduced to the fundamental principles of programming. Microsoft Office 2010 applications are used to develop word processing, spreadsheet, database and presentation skills along with Serif DrawPlus, PagePlus and MoviePlus for graphics, desktop publishing and video editing respectively. The full Adobe CS3 Master Collection is also available for student use with Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Flash currently being taught. Programming is taught using Go Control, Scratch and GameMaker programming environments as well as a Java coding club at lunchtimes using the Greenfoot environment for those with more advanced skills.
Whilst the first two years concentrate on building new IT and problem solving skills, the Third Form IT course aims to develop new IT skills in a business context. The pupils develop a range of IT solutions when launching a new business selling computer games. In doing this they research, plan and evaluate various solutions using a variety of the latest software packages in word processing, desktop publishing, website creation, spreadsheets and video editing, as well as designing and creating their own game.
Students at present in Years 10 and 11 are studying for a full GCSE following the OCR specification. Typically there are two sets in each of these years. During the course pupils study a range of practical IT issues which are relevant to their current and future lives as well as many theoretical computing issues. Topics range from solving business related problems with Excel to building and controlling Lego robots as well as a controlled assessment task involving designing and creating their own computer game. AS level is offered to Sixth Form students following on from GCSE and this also follows the OCR specification for ICT. All pupils in the Lower Sixth Form also take the ECDL qualification, an internationally recognised skills competency qualification.
The department runs a wide range clubs: animation; film making; digital photography; robotics; Greenfoot and GameMaker programming as well as IT and ECDL clinics.
Examination Boards
GCSE: OCR
A-level: OCR
Examination Results
| GCSE |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| No. of entries |
23 |
10 |
15 |
| % A*/A |
78.3 |
70 |
53 |
| % A*-C |
100 |
100 |
100 |
| AS |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| No. of entries |
0 |
0 |
2 |
| % A*/A/B |
n/a |
n/a |
100 |
| % A*-C |
n/a |
n/a |
100 |
| A-Level |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
| No. of entries |
8 |
0 |
0 |
| % A*/A/B |
75 |
n/a |
n/a |
| % A-C |
100 |
n/a |
n/a |
Departmental activities 2010-2011
This year saw members of the fourth form start a brand new GCSE in ICT. The course represents a major shift of focus of ICT at all levels of public examination. Rather than students devising an imaginary scenario in which to place an organisation in need of a database, and to solve an invented problem, students are presented with some realistic tasks set by the exam board. This year they had to investigate, devise and create a system to track the expenses and income for a school leaver setting up their own business for the first time. Next year the GCSE students get to design and create their own computer game.
Lower down the school, and following a major network upgrade last summer, saw the introduction of video editing in the second form. Students were asked to storyboard, act, direct and edit their own short movies about life in the school for new pupils. This saw groups of students scurrying around the school in search of things to film and teachers to interview. Never before have teachers moved so quickly in the opposite direction!
The number of lunchtime clubs continues to multiply. The animation club has had another great year making a variety of stop motion animations with Plasticine models as well as using Adobe Flash to make key frame cartoons. The upper school have also been busy with the introduction of a robotics club as well as getting creative with a digital photography club, utilising Photoshop to edit their photos.