ICT 

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is studied by all pupils from First to Third Form. 

During the first two years, pupils are encouraged to develop their competency and skill level in a number of key applications, such as spreadsheets, desktop publishing, graphics and image manipulation and web design. They learn the importance of care when accessing the Internet and become aware of the need for caution when making use of such a vast resource. Web searching skills and the dangers of plagiarism are also emphasised early before bad habits develop!

While in the Third Form, pupils work in small groups on a year-long project in a “real-life” scenario: to promote and advertise a concert in aid of charity. This involves presentations, posters and flyers, websites and video advertising.

Whole School ICT Provision

Rendcomb College believes that ICT is a tool to help enhance teaching and learning across the whole curriculum and has invested heavily in the technology.

All boarding houses and main College buildings are connected via a central high-speed optical fibre link in an integrated College network. In addition to the access from the main ICT teaching rooms, staff and students can use the network from classrooms, staff rooms and houses across the whole College campus. Each study bedroom in the sixth form house has its own network access point. Junior School pupils have access from the dedicated Junior School ICT Room and classrooms.

Access to the Internet is an essential part of the ICT provision at Rendcomb, both within the teaching of ICT itself and as a resource for other subjects in the curriculum. In addition, it forms an integral part of the activities provision four days a week where it proves particularly valuable to our international students and boarders by providing email access to family and friends. Safe access is of paramount importance and we have a dedicated filtered high-speed leased line Internet link to ensure this.

Many staff and students have personal notebook or laptop computers and these may be used to access the College network. If they wish, students may take part in a specially arranged lease-purchasing scheme for laptop computers to a Rendcomb College common specification. The scheme ensures that all students have machines which will work with our network and which we will be able to support effectively. It must be appreciated that the scheme is in no way compulsory and not participating will not significantly disadvantage any student