ICT

At Milbourne Lodge we want pupils to use Information and Communication Technology confidently, appropriately and effectively.

ICT is an integral part of our lives : it is therefore important that pupils leave Milbourne Lodge equipped to meet the challenges they will encounter in the future.

All pupils study ICT and lessons are time-tabled. There is a dedicated ICT suite with a network of PCs and Apple Macbooks. Colour and black and white laser printers are available to pupils. There is broadband Internet access from all computers. Internet content is monitored and filtered using ‘Websense'. Email addresses are not issued to pupils : and there is no unsupervised use of the ICT suite allowed.

The curriculum is designed around the ISEB syllabus, but there is also much emphasis on group and project work and on promoting cross-curricular tasks. When not in use for formal ICT lessons the suite is available to, and used by, a number of staff members for other subject lessons. Where their academic commitments permit pupils are encouraged to work towards the ISEB Certificate of Achievement in ICT.

Emphasis is placed on keyboarding skills and Internet safety in the early years.

A wide range of software is available and pupils become proficient in word processing, desktop publishing, spreadsheets, graphics and use of the Internet. The dynamic nature of this subject ensures that the curriculum for each Form varies from year to year.