Information and Communications Technology (ICT)

Following our specialist designation, ICT forms one of our two major subject areas. In the summer of 2006 the School refurbished its entire network standard and currently runs over 500 computers within the network. We are confident that the School’s facilities are some of the best in the country at secondary level. The system contains remote access in order for students to complete work away from the School and a new virtual learning environment (VLE) is under development.

At Key Stage 3 all students have a minimum of two weekly ICT lessons. At Key Stage 4 all students leave the School with a recognised ICT qualification having studied ICT as a core part of their curriculum

Local primary schools are given opportunities to use the School’s ICT facilities and the School has high-speed internet access to all parts of the network, where students are protected through the filtering systems of the Lancashire and Cumbria Consortia. ICT is also used to support students with special learning needs through the targeted use of various software packages including ‘Successmaker’. Specialist uses of ICT are provided in Music, Science, P.E. and Technology.

In our commitment to developing the use of ICT throughout the School, all faculties including English, Humanities, Mathematics, Modern Foreign Languages and Technology each have access to their own suite of networked computers.

In addition there are six rooms of networked computers in the School for specialist delivery.

Students have planned ICT experiences in every subject area and we operate an open-access to ICT at lunchtimes, breaks and after School in the Learning Resource Centre and other designated rooms. Further innovation within ICT includes the podcasting of Shakespeare plays and modern foreign language phrases and vocabulary.