Students must meet the minimum entry requirements for the Vocational or Combination study pathway. Students must have any five GCSEs at Grade 4. There are no additional specific entry requirements for this subject.

This is an exciting course at Bourne Academy that gives students the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to prepare for employment or higher education.

The course will give students the confidence to apply themselves to succeed in the workplace and to have the study skills to continue learning on higher education courses and throughout their career.

This course is ideal for students who have a strong interest in IT and Computing and will give students an excellent all round knowledge base whilst also allowing them to specialise in a chosen field as the course progresses.

This course will give students the required skills and knowledge to move into any aspect of IT and Computing and ensure they are well prepared for industry and able to access a future career in a more specialist field.

YEAR ONE

Unit 1 – Information Technology Systems

• In this unit you will study the role of Information Technology (IT) computer systems and the implications of their use in personal and professional situations.

Unit 3 – Website Development

• In this unit you investigate website development principles used in existing websites. You will then apply your knowledge to design and develop a website to meet a client brief using scripting languages.

YEAR TWO

Unit 2 – Cyber Security and Incident Management

• In this unit you investigate cyber security threats and vulnerabilities, the methods used to protect organisations against threats and the process for managing security incidents.

Unit 4 – Relational Databases Development

• In this unit you examine relational database development principles to understand the importance of data storage and normalisation techniques. You will then apply these skills to design and develop a data storage solution to meet a client’s requirements.

Students will work to a brief and be given clear assessment criteria so they can be confident on what is expected to achieve a Distinction* / Distinction / Merit / Pass. Your final grade will be calculated from a culmination of the points collected across all units. Throughout the course, students will be well supported by teachers who will give feedback on progress against the key assessment criteria.

Across the course students will complete units that are assessed in a variety of ways. There are three different types of assessment: coursework (internally assessed), tasks and written examination (both externally assessed).

YEAR ONE

Unit 1 – Information Technology Systems

• Externally assessed task (Exam)

Unit 3 – Website Development

• Assessed through an assignment brief with range of tasks completed as coursework.

YEAR TWO

Unit 2 – Cyber Security and Incident Management

• Externally assessed task (Exam)

Unit 4 – Relational Databases Development

• Assessed through an assignment brief with range of tasks completed as coursework.

The BTEC National Extended Certificate (AAQ) is a Level 3 qualification which is the equivalent to one A-level and widely recognised by universities and employers.

Completion of this course will enable students to access employment or move on to study a specialist area of IT or Computing at Degree Level.