Course: Digital T-Levels Pathway (STEM Computing) | CCGOnline

  • General

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    • Hello and welcome to the Digital T-Level Pathway information area for Chichester College!

    • Matt Creed
      Study Programme Leader for Transition to T-Level 
      Contact Number: 2257
      Contact Email: Matt.Creed@chichester.ac.uk
      Adam Swatton
      T-Level Development Lead (Design and Production)
      Contact Number: 2561
      Contact Email: Adam.Swatton@chichester.ac.uk
      Nathan Smith
      T-Level Development Lead (Support Services)
      Contact Number: 2106/2355
      Contact Email: Nathan.Smith@chichester.ac.uk
      Sarah Wood
      T-Level Industry Placement Office
      Contact Number: 2331
      Contact Email: Sarah.Wood@chichester.ac.uk
      Lauren Ellis
      Student Tutor for Computing
      Contact Number: 2587
      Contact Email: Lauren.Ellis@chichester.ac.uk

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    • Pathway Content

      Across the span of the T-Level pathway, you will be studying a broad range of skills, and disciplines that are designed to not only develop your knowledge and understanding, but to prepare you for both industry and progression through the pathway and beyond to Higher Education.

      Transition to T-Level

      During the Transition to T-Level stage, you will have the chance to develop yourselves across a selection of topics that include:

      • Cyber security methods and techniques
      • The tools and techniques of developing websites
      • Introduction to programming and games creation
      • Pitching a product and project participation

    • T-Level

      Across the two years of the T-Level Study Programme, you will also have the opportunity to focus on areas such as:

      • Principles of computer science, leading to object oriented programming
      • Computing and software development project management
      • Emerging technologies and the ethical impacts 
      • Systems analysis and elements human computer interaction
      • Business contexts of computing applications

         

      Assessment methods

      Through the transition stage, you will have a number of assessment methods, ranging from completion of activities, and report writing, to completion of examinations.  Each of these helping to strengthen your understanding, and preparing you for the main T-Level programme of study.

      For the T-Level programme you will have a number of assessments that will help to prepare you for the final examinations, and set projects that need to be completed in both years.

      Year 1:

      • Two examinations covering the core components of study.
      • Employer set project across a 15 hour window.

      In preparation for this, you will encounter a number of Fixed Progression Points (FPPs) throughout the year, which will help you to focus your skills, and exam experience, in order to help you to achieve the best grades that you can achieve!

      Year 2:

      You will undertake a large occupational specialist project, which will test your knowledge and applications of the skills across a wide range of skills and attributes that you have acquired across the two years of study.

      To prepare for this, we have put together an exciting programme that would focus on a number of industry-led and inspired tools and techniques.  Specifically formulated for your t-level pathway (Digital Production, Design and Development or Digital Support Services).

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    • All learners across the college are expected to undertake work experience as part of their study programme.  This is not only and expectation from the college, but also one of the Department for Education.

      Work experience would ideally be related to the topics that you are studying, however relatable experience would be equally as well received.  This could include customer relations, time management, deadline control, and team working skills that are learnt through a number of different methods.

      Unfortunately the ruling of the department of education does state that we cannot use a learners existing job role as a WEX opportunity.  Also, that the work experience must take place during the time that you are enrolled on the course, so we cannot accept anything done over the summer period.

    • Transition to T-Level

      For the transition programme, the expectation of WEX is that you would be looking to participate in a minimum of 25 hours over the course of the programme.  This would not only gain you the much needed experience before progressing onto the 2 years  of the T-Level programme, but would also serve to give you a much more robust understanding the application of the skills that you are learning in your studies.

    • T-Level Programme

      Across the two years of study of the T-Level programme, the WEX is a much more substantial element, and is referred to as the Industry Placement.  With a requirement that you complete 315 hours over the course of the study programme.  With this starting in the first year (approximately March), and completing towards the end of the second year.

      For the purposes of the 315 hours, this would need to be undertaken with no more than two different employers over the two years.  Industry placement officers are on hand to help to prepare you for placements, and would also help you in finding opportunities.   

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    • In order to join us on the T-Level Pathway here at Chichester College there is a set level of requirements that you must have to successfully apply:

      Transition to T-Level (Digital)

      3 GCSES grades 4+, this should look to including Maths or English, with the alternative being a minimum of a 3 grade.

      T-Level (Digital)

      5 GCSEs grades 4+ (including Maths and English), it would also be an expectation that you have studied computing/computer science previously either at GCSE level, although we would be happy to discuss this expectation as not all schools offer this.

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    • Between the levels

      Progression internally between the levels of the pathway is not an automatic process, and you must be able to meet specific expectations, including the entry requirements of the receiving level in order to enter.

      Progression meetings will take place prior to the end of the academic year in order to discuss your place on the next level, at which time progression expectations.  These expectations could include:

      • Attendance and punctuality rates
      • Behaviour and conduct in the college
      • Completion of existing level of study
      • Meeting the entry requirements

      If under the circumstances that these expectations have not been met, you will be invited to an interview where progression will be discussed one to one, with a view to determining a course of action.

    • After the pathway

      Following the completion of this pathway, there are a number of options available to you apart from employment which is a strong option.

      1. Internal progression to our HE provisions requires you to apply via the college website and will include a standardised interview with references from your teaching team.  Minimum entry requirements and expectations apply.
      2. Progression onto an apprenticeship programme would require application via the government websites and the connecting company pages.  Ideally you should be looking for level 4 apprenticeship programmes.
      3. External HE programmes of study (universities) are most commonly approached following the Computer Science pathway.  Each university has their own entry requirements and expectations prior to approving your applications.  Please note that applications to external HE must take place via UCAS before the December deadlines.
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    • During the process of the pathway, there will be a number of opportunities to attend external events and excursions.  For this we will need to ask you to complete a yearly medical permission form.

      Previous trips that we have conducted include:

      Teambuilding

      • We have run a number of teambuilding activities that have included Paintballing, Go-Karting, and Laser Quest.

      Science Museum in London

      • Cyber security and forensics events: From the trenches of the First World War to the latest in cyber security, Top Secret explores over a century’s worth of communications intelligence.
      • Information age exhibition: Celebrating more than 200 years of innovation in information and communication technologies.

      National Museum of Computing

      • The museum enables visitors to follow the development of computing from the ultra-secret pioneering efforts of the 1940s through the large systems and mainframes of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and the rise of personal computing in the 1980s and beyond.

      Computing LIVE! at Disneyland Paris

      • Computing conference with expert presenters from a number of fields of computer science then take out their new found knowledge into the Disneyland Paris Parks and apply in a practical and fun way.

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    • Autumn Term 2021
      Students start: Monday 6th September
      College Training Day: Tuesday 28th September
      Half term: Monday 25th October - Friday 29th October
      College Training Day: Thursday 11th November
      Students Finish: Friday 17th December
      Spring Term 2022
      Students start: Wednesday 5th January
      Half Term: Monday 21st - Friday 25th February
      College Training Day: Wednesday 2nd March
      Students finish: Friday 8th April
      Summer Term 2022
      Students start: Monday 25th April
      May Bank Holiday: Monday 2nd May
      Late May Bank Holiday: Monday 30th  May
      Half term: Tuesday 31st May - Friday 3rd June
      Students finish: Friday 24th June
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    • Thank you for your time in reading through the pathway information.  We will be in contact soon in order to arrange an interview with yourself either over the phone or via Microsoft Teams.

      For the interview we would always be happy to have multiple people present either via loudspeaker, or via MS Teams and would always encourage parents to work with yourselves in helping to ensure that the pathway is the one that you want to study.

      Thank you and I hope to speak to you soon.

      Adam Swatton
      Deputy Head of Learning STEM (Computing)

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