1. Cambridge National Certificate in Information Technologies
Year 8 Options Mr Johnson
Cambridge National Certificate in Information Technologies
DON’T BANK ON IT!
You get an that says it’s from your bank. But you’ve spotted clues that make you suspicious.
This kind of is called:
a. A cookie
b. Spyware
c. Phishing
d. Spam
300 hours of video are uploaded
to YouTube every minute

2. What is a Cambridge National?
Cambridge Nationals are vocational qualifications at Level 1 and 2 for students aged 14–16.
They are designed to fit into the curriculum and to offer the same size, rigour and performance points as GCSEs.
The qualifications are recognised by Ofqual, the DfE and 16 – 19 providers as progression to A Level, further education or on to an apprenticeship or work.

3. Overview of INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES
The Cambridge National in IT has been designed to give students a real understanding of their digital environment, develop key skills and prepare them for their future use of IT in their chosen careers across a wide range of job roles. It also covers how they can safely interact with IT at work, home and in study. The qualification is about applying understanding and skills to use technologies to select data, manipulate, store, analyse and present it as information, and follow a project life cycle to structure how it’s done. There are two assessments – a practical project and a written exam paper, with each being worth 50% of the course.

4. Course outline Unit Assessment Content
Understanding tools, techniques, methods and processes for technological solutions
Written paper
1 hour 45 minutes
50% of the total marks
Externally assessed examination
Project Management
Project life cycle, Planning tools and SWOT analysis
Business communication systems
How data is collected, processed and stored
Big data, Cyber security, Legal framework, Ethics and morals and Distribution channels, including social media

5. Unit
Assessment
Content
Creating Data Management Systems for Business
Controlled assessment
50% of the total marks
Internally assessed and externally moderated
Spreadsheet
Create and use spreadsheet systems to help businesses model, collect & analyse data and identify trends, using Microsoft Excel.
Database
Create and use relational databases to accurately store, retrieve, and professionally present business data, using Microsoft Access.
Presenting
Creating complex professional documents using desktop publishing and word processing software. Design and implement a digital marketing artefact that combines media creatively. Use HTML and CSS to create websites.
Project Management
Planning and managing a project using project management software and planning tools.

6. The project life cycle
The project life cycle underpins much of the course. Students will learn how to analyse project requirements, plan and design a solution, use a range of software skills to execute their plan, and evaluate the outcomes of the project, while following the 4 phases of the project life cycle.

7. IT skills
Students will develop their skills in a range of software including:
Relational databases
Spreadsheets
Word processing, including mail merge and other advanced features
Desktop publishing
Presentation software (PowerPoint)
Web and mobile technologies e.g. HMTL & CSS to create websites
Creating and manipulating graphics

8. IT Knowledge & Understanding
Students will develop their knowledge and understanding of IT in two broad areas:
Project management
Plan a project – SMART targets, success criteria, using planning tools (Gantt charts, PERT, visualisation diagrams, SWOT analysis etc.)
Develop a solution using IT software and hardware
Test and evaluate a solution
Cyber security, legal and ethical issues around the collection and use of data
The impacts of malware, social engineering, hacking, DDoS, pharming and how to reduce the risks
Laws related to IT – Computer Misuse, Data Protection, Copyright etc.
Ethical and moral issues i.e. safe use of social media

9. What grades can students get?
The Cambridge Certificate in IT is a Level 1 [1-4] and Level 2 [4-9] qualification
Pass-Merit-Distinction grading system
three grades at level 1 – Pass, Merit, Distinction
four grades at level 2 – Pass, Merit, Distinction, Distinction*
Grades are equivalent to GCSE 9-1 grades and count towards Progress and Attainment 8 scores

10. Progress routes for students
With a Cambridge National Certificate in IT students could progress to:
A levels, BTEC Nationals or other post-16 study
Apprenticeships
Traineeships
Employment
…but strong IT skills and understanding are valuable across a broad range of careers and further study, so Information Technologies is a great option, regardless of what students plan to do next
At Fitz:
BTEC Level 3
National Extended
Certificate in
Information Technology

11. Information Technologies
IT vs Computer Science
Information Technologies
Computer Science
About how software works and how it can be used
Learn to use spreadsheets, databases, web design programs, etc. to create solutions to problems an end- user might have
Become a confident computer user
About how computers work
Learn to create computer applications by writing programming code (e.g. Python)
Develop a deeper understanding of computers, algorithms, programming languages, computational & logical thinking

12. Questions ? ? ?

13. 2 options Cambridge National Certificate in IT GCSE Computer Science
You like using software to create stuff
Spreadsheets, graphics, web design, databases…
You want to know more about how computers are used in the world
GCSE Computer Science
You want to create apps and learn to become a programmer
You are good at Maths and can think logically
You want to know how computers work – what actually goes on inside the box
RED PATHWAY OR
WHITE PATHWAY