Key Stage 3 Computing
Last half term saw KS3 Computing investigating and using a variety of programming codes ranging from ‘Scratch’ to ‘Python’. In Year 7, students have been designing and creating their own game using Scratch, which will be evaluated and assessed. The game had to have a theme about healthy eating and educating others all about being healthy. They also had to include a variety of scripts, sprites and variables. The games that have been planned are fantastic – students have really used their imagination!
Year 8 students have been looking at binary code and hexadecimal and have started to use the programming language, ‘Python’.
Year 9 students have investigated a range of Python techniques including variables and ‘if and else’ statements. The girls had to create a dating app to showcase their skills learnt throughout the unit.
This half term, students will be completing a variety of units. Year 7 are learning about skills within spreadsheets and Year 8 are learning about stop frame animation. These students are in the process of completing a group work activity and planning and creating their own stop frame animation. I am looking forward to seeing if we have a future Nick Park in the making! Year 9 students will be starting to learn about technology; they will be looking into the history of technology and will end with the future of technology where the girls will have to design a new piece of technology that will enhance people’s lives.
GCSE Computer Science
Year 11 have just completed their first round of mock exams and the results were brilliant. All their determination and hard work so far has paid off and I hope that if they continue with this positive attitude towards their work, they will continue to do well in the March mocks. Well done, girls!
Year 10 are in full swing of the GCSE course and they are showing determination to want to achieve. Don’t forget revision guides are still available on Parentpay.
BTEC Creative Media Productions
Year 10 have been focusing on the different techniques used within the film industry and are starting to experiment with editing some of their own video clips and producing their own trailers for a horror film. This has involved the girls working in small groups to film and then individually creating a soundtrack to go with the trailer. I’m looking forward to seeing the finished products.
Mrs Smith
Curriculum Leader for C.A.T. Faculty
As part of the Year 9 Scheme of Learning we will be studying the fantastic imagery of Grafftit Art. Artist group PichiAvo, Pichi, b. 1977; Avo, b. 1985, are a duo of artists from Valencia, Spain.
Toward the end of this half term, we will be taking a group of Year 10 Art & Design enthusiasts to Cardinal Newman College for a textiles workshop. Our visit will include the use of special heat sensitive inks, the heat press and sublimation printing technology. 
Congratulations to our U15s Cricket Team who competed in the South Ribble Indoor Cricket Tournament at South Ribble Tennis Centre on Monday 20th January. They won all their games by a minimum of 20 runs, making it through to the final. The team then won overall making them the South Ribble Cricket Champions! They all played tremendously well and will be going through to the next round taking place very soon.
