OFSTED and the Nationals

In OFSTEDs recent publication there has been something of a sting in the tail and it refers to the OCR Nationals in ICT although they are not mentioned by name. The report says that the qualification does not extend the level of knowledge beyond the level reached at Key Stage 3 (age 13) and to a large extent that is true of the first compulsory unit ‘ICT in Business’ but as anyone who has taught that unit knows the significence is not in its depth but in its breadth. It covers, Organisation, Email, Internet, DTP, Presentations, Spreadsheets, Databases, Mailmerge and it is a struggle to get the wide range of documents completed in the time.