Information Technology — Solihull Sixth Form College

Information Technology

This course is equivalent to one A level.

Why study IT?
  • The BTEC Extended Certificate allows learners to take a truly practical IT course. The Extended Certificate is designed to continue the approach to learning that learners have had at school, if they have studied IT on a vocational programme.
  • Learners will experience a very ‘hands on’, practical course, with the ability to be creative using IT skills, and to apply them in a range of contexts.
  • This qualification is designed for learners who are interested in an introduction to the study of creating IT systems to manage and share information, alongside other fields of study, with a view to progressing to a wide range of higher education courses, not necessarily in IT.
Why study IT at Solihull Sixth Form College?
  • The IT course at Solihull Sixth Form College will offer you a real experience of work.
  • The course is led by experienced teaching staff, who are experts in their field.
  • Additional support is provided by our experienced technician.
  • Our course offers a range of IT and computing-based units.
  • Studying for the Certificate allows you to choose two of a wide range of A level subjects alongside to support your interests and career ambitions.
Course Outline

A BTEC Extended Certificate is a 2-year vocational course, equivalent to one A level. It is studied alongside two other A level courses. Students will learn about the use and management of IT facilities in a variety of different work-related contexts.

Course Outline:

UNIT 1: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS (Externally Assessed)
You will study the role of computer systems and the implications of their use in personal and professional situations.
UNIT 2: CREATING SYSTEMS TO MANAGE INFORMATION (Externally Assessed)
You will study the design, creation, testing and evaluation of a relational database system to manage information.
UNIT 3: USING SOCIAL MEDIA IN BUSINESS
You will explore how businesses use social media to promote their products and services. You will also be given the opportunity to implement social media activities in a business to meet requirements.
UNIT 6: WEB DEVELOPMENT
You will investigate website development principles. You will be given the opportunity to design and develop a website using scripting languages.

Assessment

Equivalent in size to one A Level. 4 units of which 3 are mandatory and 2 are externally assessed.
Mandatory content (83%)
External assessment (58%)
Examining Board – Pearson

Special Entry Requirements

If you have taken an IT course at GCSE you must have achieved at least grade 4, or at least merit in OCR Nationals or BTEC First Diplomas. These requirements are in addition to our standard A level equivalent entry requirements.

Hardware/Software Requirements

If you are studying on the BTEC IT course, you will require Microsoft Access for the external units. This will be free to download and use (via your College account) and it is only available on Windows PC/laptops. It would therefore be to your benefit to have access to a Windows based PC/laptop. For the second year, we will be using Adobe apps such as Dreamweaver. Although not essential, it would be useful for you to be able to purchase these.

Prohibited Options

None.

What do our learners go on to do?

BTEC Extended Certificates are recognised by both universities and employers as equivalent to one A level. It fully meets the requirements for progression to a degree course in IT and related areas such as: digital technology solutions, IT management for business, computer networks security or business computing and entrepreneurship.

Cost Implications

There will be an opportunity to go on fieldtrips. One recent fieldtrip saw students go to an IT seminar at Bletchley Park. The approximate cost was £30 per student.

Complementary Subjects or Enrichment Courses

Learners on this course may be interested in a variety of enrichment options to add to their College experience. These include the Team Gambia volunteer project, becoming Charity Ambassador, joining the Gaming Society, being part of Student Council or taking part in the Programming enrichment.

This information is correct for September 2024 entry.

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