Herewith are the materials used for the Core training about the Year 9 Case Studies.

The Case Studies exemplify a way in which to teach the three QCA Year 9 units. They are not intended to provide as much guidance as the Sample Teaching Units from Years 7 and 8. To emphasise this, two versions of 9.2 are provided, each approaching the work on a database in different ways, but addressing the same Teaching Objectives.

Each of the Case Studies shows how a particular teacher approached the work with their class. It is hoped that teachers will adapt these, making use of the materials provided, to suit their own classes and circumstances.

Teachers have also found the resources useful for pupils at KS4, particularly the project planning tools.

In order to make successful use of the Case Studies, your pupils will need to have addressed the Teaching Objectives for Years 7 and 8, through the use of the Sample Teaching Units or other lessons devised by teachers in the school.

You will find that there are references back to work done in previous units from Years 7 and 8, such as 8.4, 8.1 and 7.6. If you have not taught these units or equivalent lessons, pupils will not be able to cope with the Case Studies successfully.

Moreover, it is important that pupils have been prepared for the Year 9 work by doing Unit 8.5, which forms a bridge between the directed teaching of the other Sample Teaching Units and the more independent, extended work of the Case Studies.

There may also be a need to deliver lessons in preparation for doing 8.5 and the Case Studies, addressing additional skills and understanding that pupils may require to fulfil the projects and achieve their potential.

Schools that were supported last year are approaching Year 9 in a variety of ways, depending on the extent of their engagement with the KS3 Strategy. Generally, they are either teaching 8.5 first or working towards it in order to use it as a means of pupil assessment later in Year 9. Some schools are planning to teach versions of the Case Studies, aiming to complete one, maybe more, during the year.

How you make use of the Case Studies is very much up to you to decide and depends on the context within which you are working, but the resources provided and guidance about how to maintain lesson structure within planned project work offer a major opportunity to develop Year 9 ICT and help pupils fulfil their potential and achieve at higher levels.