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Nichola Wilkin - Computer Science

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These refreshingly different teaching resources enable you to teach great lessons that help your pupils engage with the subject matter. I’m an experienced teacher and HoD and professionally create computing and computer science teaching resources through my company Nichola Wilkin Ltd. All these resources have been exclusively created by me. I’m an author who has written for both BBC Bitesize and Cambridge University Press. Quality teaching resources you can trust!

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These refreshingly different teaching resources enable you to teach great lessons that help your pupils engage with the subject matter. I’m an experienced teacher and HoD and professionally create computing and computer science teaching resources through my company Nichola Wilkin Ltd. All these resources have been exclusively created by me. I’m an author who has written for both BBC Bitesize and Cambridge University Press. Quality teaching resources you can trust!
Translators and Programming Languages Knowledge Organiser
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Translators and Programming Languages Knowledge Organiser

(1)
This visually appealing knowledge organiser is a quick summary to recap translators and programming languages. It can help pupils revise for end-of-unit tests or GCSE computer science exams by including small straightforward facts that can be learned in minutes. A powerful revision aid that your students will love. What are you waiting for? Grab your copy now and together we can boost your pupils’ confidence in understanding translators and programming languages. WHAT IS INCLUDED? This PDF knowledge organiser includes the important facts and a separate PDF document includes revision tips and an exam-style question including a possible answer. HOW CAN I USE IT? This resource makes an ideal homework task, can be used as part of a lesson or given to pupils to help them with their revision. WHAT DOES IT COVER? This knowledge organiser includes easy-to-digest facts on the following topics: High-level languages Low-level languages including machine code and assembly language Translators including compilers, interpreters and assemblers Common tools and facilities of an IDE including editors, error diagnostics, run-time environments and translators . Get your copy of this fantastic knowledge organiser now. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. FREE BONUS PRODUCT INCLUDED As a special thank you for purchasing this product I am pleased to be able to also include a surprise FREE bonus gift. This gift is one of my complete resources for which I usually charge full price but is yours absolutely free when you purchase this product. Just my little way of saying thank you to my valued customers. I hope you enjoy it and get use out of it, with my compliments. Click here to see my other computer science knowledge organisers
Rubber Duck Debugging Lesson
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Rubber Duck Debugging Lesson

(12)
How can a rubber duck help you be a better programmer? How can they possibly have a place in our classrooms? What is rubber duck debugging? When I first heard about this strange phenomenon, I was a little sceptical. Is this just another gimmick? Is there a surplus of rubber ducks that need repurposing? No, apparently this is a recognised programming technique that really works. What do you do? You need enough rubber ducks so that each pupil has their own duck. Amazon sell bags of rubber ducks for a reasonable price. Run through the presentation with them, give them the 3 Python programs to practice with and watch as your programming classes learn how to solve many of their programming problems without having to rely on you! If you are having trouble finding non-squeaky ducks you can either print out an image of the duck to be blue-tacked to the corner of their screen for everyone, or try the squeaky ducks but tell them, if there is an excessive amount of squeaking they will have their duck taken away and given a "flat duck"instead.
Malware Lesson
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Malware Lesson

(4)
How can you teach your students about malware, in an engaging way? The key is to break up the theory into small manageable chunks and reinforce each section with a variety of activities. And that is exactly what this computer science lesson does. Why spend hours making your own resources when it is all done for you? Download this malware computing lesson today and save yourself all that preparation. WHAT IS INCLUDED? This lesson includes: an attractive dyslexia friendly PowerPoint presentation, differentiated lesson objectives, videos to change focus and break up the lesson, loads of individual and group tasks and questions, printable ready to use worksheets for classwork, 3 differentiated exam style questions which can be used either in the plenary or set for a homework task, a comprehensive teacher’s lesson plan including ALL THE ANSWERS. . WHAT DOES IT COVER? Suitable for GCSE Computer Science pupils following either OCR GCSE Computer Science (J277) or AQA GCSE Computer Science (8520) syllabuses. With virtually no preparation (apart from photocopying the worksheets) you will be ready to teach your classes about: Passive attacks Active attacks Social engineering attacks Insider attacks Computer viruses Trojan software Spyware Adware Phishing Pharming . DURATION: 1 lesson Download this ready to use lesson now and take back control of your workload. Click here to see some more computer science lessons
Embedded Systems Lesson
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Embedded Systems Lesson

(7)
How can you teach your students about embedded systems, in an engaging way? The key is to break up the theory into small manageable chunks and reinforce each section with a variety of activities. And that is exactly what this computer science lesson does. Why spend hours making your own resources when it is all done for you? Download this embedded systems computing lesson today and save yourself all that preparation. WHAT IS INCLUDED? Suitable for GCSE Computer Science pupils following either OCR GCSE Computer Science (J277) or AQA GCSE Computer Science (8520) syllabuses. This lesson includes: an attractive dyslexia friendly PowerPoint presentation, differentiated lesson objectives, a video to change focus and break up the lesson, loads of individual and group tasks and questions, a printable ready to use worksheet for classwork, 3 differentiated exam style questions which can be used either in the plenary or set for a homework task, a comprehensive 3-page teacher’s lesson plan including ALL THE ANSWERS. . WHAT DOES IT COVER? With virtually no preparation (apart from photocopying the worksheets) you will be ready to teach about your classes about: What an embedded system is How an embedded system differs from a general purpose computer system Identifying the purpose, input, process and outputs of a variety of embedded systems Identifying the benefits of using embedded systems . DURATION: 1 lesson Download the lesson now and take back control of your workload. Click here to see some more computer science lessons
Computational Thinking 6 Homework Tasks
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Computational Thinking 6 Homework Tasks

(2)
6 differentiated homework tasks to allow pupils to recap their computational thinking skills, includes teacher’s answer booklet. Includes tasks covering: • Decomposition • Pattern Recognition • Abstraction • Algorithms • Creating flow charts • Pseudocode Suitable for KS3 Computing pupils as well as GCSE Computer Science pupils. FREE BONUS PRODUCT INCLUDED As a special thank you for purchasing this product I am pleased to be able to also include a surprise FREE bonus gift. This gift is one of our complete resources which we will usually charge full price for but is yours absolutely free when you purchase this product. Just our little way of saying thank you to our valued customers. I hope you enjoy it and get use out of it, with my compliments.
Inside a Computer Test
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Inside a Computer Test

(0)
This is a written test about the inside workings of a computer. It includes questions about the CPU, computer speed, multi-core processors, virtual memory, solid state and magnetic storage, ROM, RAM, user requirements and Moor’s law. Useful revision tool to help GCSE pupils recognise gaps in their knowledge. Suitable for GCSE Computer Science classes and KS3 Computing and ICT classes. This test takes most students 25 - 40 mins to complete. FREE BONUS PRODUCT INCLUDED As a special thank you for purchasing this product I am pleased to be able to also include a surprise FREE bonus gift. This gift is one of our complete resources which we will usually charge full price for but is yours absolutely free when you purchase this product. Just our little way of saying thank you to our valued customers. I hope you enjoy it and get use out of it, with my compliments.
Networks Test
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Networks Test

(0)
This is a written test about computer networks. It includes questions about LANs, the internet and the world wide web, network hardware, network topologies, data packets, MAC and IP addresses, network security and cloud storage. Useful revision tool to help GCSE pupils recognise gaps in their knowledge. Suitable for GCSE Computer Science classes and KS3 Computing classes. This test takes most students 25 - 40 mins to complete. FREE BONUS PRODUCT INCLUDED As a special thank you for purchasing this product I am pleased to be able to also include a surprise FREE bonus gift. This gift is one of our complete resources which we will usually charge full price for but is yours absolutely free when you purchase this product. Just our little way of saying thank you to our valued customers. I hope you enjoy it and get use out of it, with my compliments.
Robust Programs Knowledge Organiser
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Robust Programs Knowledge Organiser

(2)
This visually appealing knowledge organiser is a quick summary to recap how to produce robust programs. It can help pupils revise for end of unit tests or GCSE computer science exams by including small straightforward facts that can be learnt in minutes. A powerful revision aid that your students will love. What are you waiting for? Grab your copy now and together we can boost your pupil’s confidence in understanding how to create robust programs. WHAT IS INCLUDED? This PDF knowledge organiser includes the important facts and a separate PDF document includes revision tips and an exam style question including a possible answer. HOW CAN I USE IT? This resource makes an ideal homework task, can be used as part of a lesson or given to pupils to help them with their revision. WHAT DOES IT COVER? This knowledge organiser includes easy to digest facts on the following topics: Input sanitisation Validation checks Planning for contingencies Anticipating misuse Authentication Adding comments, indentation and using sensible variable names Iterative and final/terminal testing Syntax and logical errors Using a test table . Get your copy of this fantastic knowledge organiser now. You’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. Click here to see my other computer science knowledge organisers
Acceptable Use Of ICT Policy (Pupil)
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Acceptable Use Of ICT Policy (Pupil)

(0)
At the start of every term I get many emails and phone calls from teachers who have recently taken over as the head of Computer Science and are unsure where to start. Some of them are walking into a well-ordered department where everything is laid out and ready-to-go, others are not so lucky. Often, they are the only person in that department and so don’t have anywhere to turn to ask for help. And then the headteacher casually strolls into your room when you have barely been for a day and asks you for your ICT policy document by the end of the week. Gulp! Not to worry, I have this one ready to go and better still it is completely free! With a brief read through, only some minor tweaking to make it fit your school and copying them into your schools template it should satisfy your headteacher and give you a bit of valuable breathing space while you try to get your head around the one hundred and one other things you need to do. Acceptable Use Of ICT Policy For Pupils The acceptable use of ICT policy is for pupils and includes an acceptance form, they need to sign and hand back to you. Make sure you insert your school name in the first paragraph of page 1 and if you are printing it out to send home you will probably want to copy it into your schools’ template.
School Data Protection Policy
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School Data Protection Policy

(0)
At the start of every term I get many emails and phone calls from teachers who have recently taken over as the head of Computer Science and are unsure where to start. Some of them are walking into a well-ordered department where everything is laid out and ready-to-go, others are not so lucky. Often, they are the only person in that department and so don’t have anywhere to turn to ask for help. And then the headteacher casually strolls into your room when you have barely been for a day and asks you for your ICT policy document by the end of the week. Gulp! Not to worry, I have this one ready to go and better still it is completely free! With a brief read through, only some minor tweaking to make it fit your school and copying them into your schools template it should satisfy your headteacher and give you a bit of valuable breathing space while you try to get your head around the one hundred and one other things you need to do. School Data Protection Policy A School Data Protection policy isn’t really your responsibility as head of computer science and is something somebody who has received adequate training should be looking after. The name of the allocated data protection officer (DPO) and their contact details should be inserted into section 5.2 (Data protection officer) and is usually somebody in the admin team.
Programming Languages and IDEs OCR GCSE Computer Science Workbook (J277)
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Programming Languages and IDEs OCR GCSE Computer Science Workbook (J277)

(0)
This FREE programming languages and IDEs workbook is perfect for students studying for the OCR GCSE (9-1) in computer science and has been updated to completely cover the new specification J277. It can be used in the classroom as a teaching aid, for self-study or as a revision tool. In this resource you will receive an interactive PDF workbook so your students can either print it out and complete the activities by hand or fill it in electronically making this an ideal workbook for use in school or for students studying at home. The answer booklet is provided as a separate PDF file so you can assign your students the workbook without including the answers. This free 12-page workbook completely covers the new specification J277 2.5 Programming Logic and Integrated Development Environments (IDE) theory. Table of Contents: Characteristics and purpose of different levels of programming languages Machine Code Assembly language High-level languages The purpose of translators Source code Compilers Integrated development environments (IDEs) Editors Error diagnostics Run-time environments Translators . You may also be interested in these workbooks which have also been written to cover the J277 specification: Systems Architecture Memory and Storage Computer networks, connections and protocols Network Security Systems Software Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Impacts Algorithms Programming Fundamentals Producing Robust Programs Boolean Logic
Boolean Logic OCR GCSE Computer Science Workbook (J277)
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Boolean Logic OCR GCSE Computer Science Workbook (J277)

(1)
This FREE Boolean logic workbook is perfect for students studying for the OCR GCSE (9-1) in computer science and has been updated to completely cover the new specification J277. It can be used in the classroom as a teaching aid, for self-study or as a revision tool. In this resource you will receive an interactive PDF workbook so your students can either print it out and complete the activities by hand or fill it in electronically making this an ideal workbook for use in school or for students studying at home. The answer booklet is provided as a separate PDF file so you can assign your students the workbook without including the answers. BONUS RESOURCE: This resource also includes a PowerPoint presentation that allows pupils to easily create neat logic circuits by simply dragging the options into the desired position. Clear instructions are given in the presentation on how to use it. This free 12-page workbook completely covers the new specification J277 32.4 Boolean Logic theory. Table of Contents: Simple logic diagrams using the operators AND, OR and NOT Truth tables Combining Boolean operators using AND, OR and NOT Applying logical operators in truth tables to solve problems . You may also be interested in these workbooks which have also been written to cover the J277 specification: Systems Architecture Memory and Storage Computer networks, connections and protocols Network Security Systems Software Ethical, Legal, Cultural and Environmental Impacts Algorithms Programming Fundamentals Producing Robust Programs Programming Languages and IDEs
Acceptable Use of ICT Policy (Staff)
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Acceptable Use of ICT Policy (Staff)

(0)
At the start of every term I get many emails and phone calls from teachers who have recently taken over as the head of Computer Science and are unsure where to start. Some of them are walking into a well-ordered department where everything is laid out and ready-to-go, others are not so lucky. Often, they are the only person in that department and so don’t have anywhere to turn to ask for help. And then the headteacher casually strolls into your room when you have barely been for a day and asks you for your ICT policy document by the end of the week. Gulp! Not to worry, I have this one ready to go and better still it is completely free! With a brief read through, only some minor tweaking to make it fit your school and copying them into your schools template it should satisfy your headteacher and give you a bit of valuable breathing space while you try to get your head around the one hundred and one other things you need to do. Acceptable Use Of ICT Policy For Staff The acceptable use of ICT policy is for staff and is a little more detailed than my policy for pupils. This can also be coped into your school template and requires staff to sign the last page.
History of Computers Lesson
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History of Computers Lesson

(95)
This lesson teaches the pupils about the history of computers. It uses animations to tell the story in an interesting and entertaining way. As the pupils learn the history they fill in a worksheet which you can go through with the whole class. They then complete a word search identifying the key people in developing technology and finally they play a game to recap what they have learnt. Suitable for GCSE Computer Science classes and KS3 Computing and ICT classes.
Python Printable Dictionary
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Python Printable Dictionary

(20)
This is a quick reference guide to help pupils (and teachers) find the correct syntax for common lines of code in Python. Best used as a memory aid rather than a teaching aid. Print as a Booklet for best layout. Suitable for GCSE Computer Science classes and KS3 Computing classes.
Understanding Bitmap Images Lesson
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Understanding Bitmap Images Lesson

(44)
This lesson teachers pupils about how bitmap images are created and processed and includes topics such as grid size, colour depth and compression techniques. The pupils practice creating simple bit map images and then find an image and practice saving the files in different formats to see the difference between lossy and lossless compression. Suitable for GCSE Computer Science classes and KS3 Computing and ICT classes.
Drawing with Scratch Lesson
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Drawing with Scratch Lesson

(5)
This lesson allows pupils to practice using the pen tool in Scratch and uses the ‘repeat’ function to create mathematical shapes. This lesson does assume the pupils have a basic understanding of using Scratch.
COMPUTING Year 7 Baseline Assessment (On-line version)
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COMPUTING Year 7 Baseline Assessment (On-line version)

(11)
This test is to be given to year 7 pupils to test their current knowledge of key computing areas. This will help you understand their current strengths and weaknesses at the beginning of year 7 and includes a useful spreadsheet which not only highlights pupils understanding but also groups it by class and even primary school to help you inform your feeder schools which areas they need to work on and may need additional help with and which areas they have covered well. The key skills covered in this test are: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, saving files, programming, using the internet, e-safety and computer theory. Due to popular demand, I have interpreted the marks awarded to the old-style level descriptors (i.e. if they score 30 on the test or 45%, this would be equivalent to a 4C). Hope this helps. 2A - 5 marks (7%) 3C - 10 marks (15%) 3B - 12 marks (18%) 3A - 20 marks (30%) 4C - 28 marks (42%) 4B - 36 marks (54%) 4A - 42 marks (63%) 5C - 48 marks (72%) 5B - 54 marks (81%) 5A - 60 marks (90%) 6C - 64 marks (96%) PLEASE NOTE: This test is an on-line document which the pupils fill in using Word, which can be either printed or sent to you electronically for marking but if you would prefer the pupils use a traditional paper-based test then please see our other set of resources from https://www.tes.com/teaching-resource/computing-year-7-baseline-assessment-paper-based-test-11355751
Python Glossary
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Python Glossary

(5)
In an attempt to make pupils slightly more self-sufficient, here is a 10 page PDF glossary of some key Python terms with a brief explanation of each. Ideal to have a few printed out and ready to give to pupils who need them. Can be used as part of the programming project resource bank.