Our Foundation courses were established in 1995 and continue to be strong and innovative, meeting the requirements of universities and of the UK Border Agency.  The courses are reviewed each year to ensure consistency in meeting not only the student’s academic needs, but also to provide students with the skills (independent and team orientated) necessary for their transition to university.  Our Foundation courses are accredited by NCFE, BAC, and inspected by OFSTED.   The courses follow two paths; a 10-Month course and an Accelerated 7-Month course.

Computing Foundation Course

The Computing Foundation Course is aimed at preparing students for the great range of Computing related courses in the UK. The modules consist of:

• Mathematics
• Basic ICT Skills
• Fundamentals of Programming
• Advanced Programming
• ICT and Society
• Computer System Appreciation
• Computing Theory
• Systems Analysis

The modules of the Computing Foundation Course

A.     Module: Basic ICT Skills

1           Purpose of Module

Basic ICT Skills will teach students with less computing experience how to use the main applications more efficiently. This will consist of Word processing, Spreadsheet, Database programming, DTP, Graphics packages and Web Design. Those with more experience will also learn the advanced features of these applications. (5.5 hours per week for the first half of year). This is assessed by a portfolio of homework.

2           Course Description

Students will study hardware, operating systems, file structures and the internet for reference and communication. They will study how to use the need for maintenance and security and then go on to be able to use office utilities such as text documents, graphics, spreadsheets, presentations, databases and web pages for help in their work.

This course is a practical course totally assessed by a portfolio of weekly projects assuming no prior knowledge of computers. The course project work will be set from the first week of the course. It will be based on a practical problem of computing which will involve the construction of a model, the solution of that model and the coding of the module. The project will evolve during the course to form a portfolio of the homework. Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on homework weekly and the development of a portfolio of work from the homework.

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course. It will use Open Office and Visual Web Developer on Microsoft Operating System computers.

B.    Module: Mathematics

3           Purpose of Module

The classes will cover concepts, structure, and mechanisms of Computing Foundation Mathematics. These consist of Pure Maths (Trigonometry, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry), Statistics and Decision Methods taught to STEP level and examined to C1, C2, S1, S2, D1 and D2 level under the Edexcel A level specification. (4.5 hours per week for the full year). This is assessed by a portfolio of projects and examination.

4           Course Description

Students will study Pure Maths (Trigonometry, Calculus, Algebra, Geometry), Statistics and Decision Methods taught to STEP level and examined to C1, C2, S1, S2, D1 and D2 level under the Edexcel A level specification.

This course is a theoretical and practical course assessed by a portfolio of projects (40%) and examination (60%) assuming an entry level of GCSE Mathematics. The course projectswork will be set from the fifthweek of the course. It will be based on a practical problem of computing which will involve the construction of a model and the solution of that model. Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on projects (40%)and the examinations (60%).

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course. It will use a spreadsheet and presentation package.

C.     Module: Computing Theory

5           Purpose of Module

Computing Theory will develop some of the theory used to describe computing processes.  (1 hour per week for the second half of year) This is assessed by examination.

6           Course Description

Students will study Counting, Arithmatic and Logic, Set Theory, Boolean Algebra and Switching, Functions, Relations and Functions, Generating Functions and Recurrence Relations, Data structures, Coding Theory , Finite Fields and Combinatorial Designs, Languages, Finite State Machines. This course is a theoretical course assessed by an examination (100%) assuming an entry level of GCSE Mathematics. Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on the examinations (100%).

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course.

D.    Module: ICT and Society

7           Purpose of Module

ICT and Society is a unit which will address the implications of ICT on the society in general. This will include some of the more recent laws such as freedom of information, computer misuse act, data protection act and so on, in addition to a discussion of future developments (1 hour per week for the second half of year). This is assessed by examination.

8           Course Description

Students will study Freedom Of Information, Computer Misuse and Data Protection Acts, Databasesand Privacy Implications, Computer Security,Risks, Ethics, Privacy, Crime, Computers At Work, School, Home, E-Commerce, Artificial Intelligence, Robots, Expert Systems, Medicine, Disabled, Tele-Working, Games, Music And Video.

This course is a theoretical course assessed by an examination (100%) assuming an entry level of no computing knowledge.Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on the examinations (100%).

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course.

E.     Module: Fundamentals of Programming

9           Purpose of Module

Fundamentals of Programming will consist of introducing the principles of programming such as: Variables, Value assignment, Selection, Iteration, Recursion, Procedures/ Functions etc... It will have practice to go with the theory and use Visual Basic Express as a teaching medium. (4.5 hours per week for the first half of year). This is assessed by a portfolio of homework.

10       Course Description

Students will study Introduction to Computers and Visual Basic, Problem Solving, Fundamentals of Programming in Visual Basic, Procedures, Decisions, Repetition, Arrays, Files, Graphical Display of Data, Additional Controls and Objects, Database Management, Object-Oriented Programming, Communicating with Other Applications, Visual Basic NET.

This course is a practical course totally assessed by a portfolio of weekly projects assuming no prior knowledge of programming. The course project work will be set from the first week of the course. It will be based on a practical problem of computing which will involve the construction of a model, the solution of that model and the coding of the module. The project will evolve during the course to form a portfolio of the homework. Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on homework weekly and the development of a portfolio of work from the homework.

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course. It will use Visual Basic Express on Microsoft Operating System computers.

F.     Module: Advanced Programming

11       Purpose of Module

Advanced Programming  will take the students deeper into the programming techniques such as Object Oriented programming, reuse, abstraction, encapsulation, inheritance, polymorphismand decoupling(using Java and a free Java IDE e.g. JCREATOR) and the module can be assessed by set assignments or a project. (4.5 hours per week for the second half of year). This is assessed by a portfolio of homework.

12       Course Description

Students will study Java Programming, Selections, Loops, Methods, Arrays, Objects and Classes, Abstract Classes and Interfaces, Inheritance and Polymorphism, Recursion, Generics, Strings and Text I/O, GUI Basics, Exception Handling, Event-Driven Programming, Graphics, Applets and Multimedia, Binary I/O, Java Collections Framework, Data  Structures.

This course is a practical course totally assessed by a portfolio of weekly projects assuming some prior knowledge of programming. The course project work will be set from the first week of the course. It will be based on a practical problem of computing which will involve the construction of a model, the solution of that model and the coding of the module. The project will evolve during the course to form a portfolio of the homework. Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on homework weekly and the development of a portfolio of work from the homework.

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course. It will use Java and Jcreator on Microsoft Operating System computers.

G.    Module: Computer System Appreciation

13       Purpose of Module

Computer System Appreciation will describe at high level, computer system hardware, operating system, and applications for real time, transaction, demand, batch, telecoms and internet processing. (1 hour per week for the first half of year) This is assessed by examination.

14       Course Description

Students will study Hardware, Microprocesors and Microcode, System Software, Operating System, Applications for Real Time, Transaction, Demand, Batch, Telecoms, Internet Processing, Databases Processing.

This course is a theoretical course assessed by an examination (100%) assuming an entry level of no computing knowledge.Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on the examinations (100%).

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course.

H.    Module: Systems Analysis

15       Purpose of Module

Systems Analysis will use UML to develop a system based on the facilities which are used in a UML package. It will show the different views of the development of a system. (4.5 hours per week for the second half of year) This is assessed by a portfolio of homework.

16       Course Description

Students will study Systems Development Environment, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design, UML, Rapid Application Development and CASE Tools, Different UML Views of a System.

This course is a practical course totally assessed by a portfolio of weekly projects assuming no prior knowledge of programming. The course project work will be set from the first week of the course. It will be based on a practical problem of computing which will involve the construction of a model, the solution of that model and the coding of the module. The project will evolve during the course to form a portfolio of the homework. Students must attend classes regularly and participate in group work and projects. Classes are based on theory and practical experience and presentation groups based on specific core issues.

The aims of each lesson are to teach the student to be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. Students should be able to understand and use the technique being discussed in the lesson. They should be able to solve problems by applying the technique only. Evaluation is checked through grading on homework weekly and the development of a portfolio of work from the homework.

The course will provide handouts in English sufficient for the course. It will be supplemented by handouts for the course. It will use Visual Paradigm Community edition, Java and Netbeans on Microsoft Operating System computers.

General Studies:

 English:

English is approached on an individual basis, with each student being tested with in-house IELTS exams or on the basis of previous achievements such as a C or above grade in GCSE or IGCSE English or a proven IELTS / TOEFL / Pearson grade. 

The IELTS classes are established by level and designed to meet the needs of the student at that level and to progress at a satisfactory pace onto the next level in preparations for the IELTS exam.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and Academic Essay classes are provided for students who have completed their requirement for university entry.  Once a student has proven the requirement has been met, the student is transferred into one of the aforementioned classes in order to continue to make progress towards the academic writing skills that will be required at university. All students taking EAP and study skills lessons will be entered for the CAE examination in March of each year.