Computer Science puts pupil projects and ideas at the heart of the department. Influenced by the maker movement, we believe in a creative and collaborative approach to exploring computing while developing rigorous problem-solving and computational thinking skills.
We encourage and support pupils to pursue their own diverse interests. This approach has led to many fascinating projects including building robots, exploring machine learning algorithms, creating computer games, programming AI models, making wearable technology and writing commercial apps.
The department places equal importance on co-curricular activities and the curriculum subject and encourages pupils to link their personal computing and digital experiences with their academic knowledge.
All pupils in the Fifth Form (Year 9) learn to programme in Python through problem solving and practical projects. Those who are already accomplished programmers are encouraged to pursue individual extension projects to further develop their coding abilities.
At GCSE, pupils extend their coding skills as well as exploring key theory topics using their computational thinking skills.
Pupils pursue computing through the Extended Project Qualification (Artefact). This allows them the freedom to explore in depth their own areas of personal interest and create sophisticated practical projects. Pupils have written their own programming language, created a physio-therapy app used by the NHS, made a smart squash racquet that models each stroke to perfect technique, built a wearable technology project that uses lights to monitor breathing rate to help reduce anxiety attacks and created a machine learning algorithm to play Connect Four against the computer.
The department has many co-curricular activities. These are pupil-led, with support from Computer Science staff and the School’s Engineer in Residence. We have several very keen robotics teams, across the School, and a High-Altitude Balloon Club that has made several impressive launches into near space. Many of our pupils enjoy taking part in competitions, with some having won the National Cypher Challenge, the PA Consulting Raspberry Pi Competition and the Young Pioneers Competition. In addition, two pupils have written code that has been used for the International Space station.
* denotes Head of Department
† denotes Housemaster
The department has an impressive record, with all pupils gaining an A* or A in their EPQ. Following on from Westminster, many pupils continue their computer studies either in the UK or in the United States. Recent pupils have gone on to university to study Computer Science, Computing (Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), Computer Science and Philosophy, Electronic and Computer Engineering, and Maths and Computer Science, among other degrees.
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