ST1 Scheme of work: Engineered to React Real Time Responses. Year 7 (6 Lessons)

Put computing into motion - where real-time decisions power real-world systems

A complete 6-lesson KS3 Computer Systems scheme exploring how modern infrastructure operates through live data, memory flow, logic gates, and layered software control.

Students move beyond static hardware definitions to see how real computing systems sense, process, and respond in milliseconds - from crop-spraying drones and high-speed rail networks to skyscraper diagnostics and emergency dispatch.
They don’t just learn what a CPU does - they simulate how it keeps a system running under pressure.

Perfect for:

• Confident delivery by non-specialist or time-pressed teachers

• Subject leads seeking inspection-ready systems lessons with real application

• High-ability learners, with built-in support for mixed-ability classrooms

• Schools looking to connect core theory to real-world technologies

• Departments building strong foundations in hardware, software, and control logic

Why this matters

KS3 students are often taught computing concepts in isolation - input/output, memory types, logic gates - without ever seeing how those elements power real-world systems.

This scheme bridges that gap.
Each lesson takes core theory and places it inside a working context: a drone calculating its next move, a skyscraper logging structural strain, or a train network maintaining safety during communication failure.

Students see exactly how theoretical components drive decisions - how logic gates trigger alerts, how memory types affect data flow, and how software layers coordinate real-time actions.

🔍 This is where abstract knowledge becomes system logic - and computing starts to make sense.

Lesson structure & progression

Each lesson introduces a modern system in motion - then breaks down the computing behind it. Students simulate logic flow, identify component roles, and explain decisions made in real time.

Lesson titles and focus:

1. Connected Wildlife Surveillance
   Input/Output Devices, Cloud Storage
   Break down a remote camera system and use IPOS logic to track how data is sensed, stored, and shared across continents.

2. Volcano Monitoring System
   Input Sensors, Binary Triggers, Logic Gates
   Model how AND/OR gates and threshold inputs detect volcanic risk - and weigh false positives against safety.

3. Drone-Coordinated Agricultural System
   CPU Function, Hardware/Software, Embedded Systems
   Simulate the Fetch–Decode–Execute cycle in a real-time drone decision - and map each system component.

4. Structural Health Monitoring in Skyscrapers
   Memory Types (RAM/ROM), Data Logging, Output Alerts
   Explore how memory types store diagnostic data over time - and use logs to flag structural stress.

5. Autonomous Train Control Network
   Network Types (LAN/WAN), Communication Protocols, Control Systems
   Use colour-coded diagrams to trace how smart rail systems communicate safely - even during network faults.

6. Smart Emergency Response Dispatch System
   Systems Software, Application Software, Online Tools
   Coordinate live responses in a dispatch simulation - classifying software layers and modelling rapid decision flow.

What you get

Everything you need to deliver real-world computing - no coding, extra hardware, or specialist knowledge required.

• 6 inspection-ready lesson plans (fully structured)
• PowerPoint presentations with scripted speaker notes
• Interactive offline simulations (no software or login required)
• Student tasks with model answers and vocabulary banks
• Built-in SEND adaptations and classroom delivery guidance
• Optional cover lesson resources for every session
• Scheme Inspection Report (intent, implementation, and impact)

Built-in for inspection – without extra workload

Every ST1 scheme includes a complete inspection report with:

• Curriculum Intent – Ambitious, sequenced, and relevant to real-world systems

• Implementation – Clear teaching model, structured delivery, and adaptation strategies

• Impact – Evidence of progression, applied reasoning, and student outcomes

• Inclusion & Accessibility – Cultural capital links, scaffolds, and equitable access points

Gives subject leaders everything needed to demonstrate curriculum excellence in computer systems.

Why this scheme works

Real-world relevance

Students explore computing systems they recognise - from real-time rail networks to skyscraper diagnostics - linking theory to action.

High engagement
Learners simulate logic gates, interpret memory logs, plan emergency responses, and decode CPU operations - reflecting real system behaviours.

Teacher-ready
Everything is planned, scripted, and adaptable - designed for confident delivery by any teacher.

Future-ready
Builds a systems mindset - helping students understand how modern technology thinks, reacts, and improves our world.