Subjects > ICT
Students at KEVICC are following in the footsteps of computer
pioneer alumnus Charles Babbage with the help of a credit card
sized computer called the Raspberry Pi.
The diminutive British-made £25 computer was designed
specifically to solve a crisis in computing education; as machines
become more advanced and user friendly more and more young
people lack a fundamental understanding of computers, and are
trapped as users, rather than creators of code. The Raspberry Pi
has been embraced by industry and hardware hackers as a cheap
and flexible computer, and schools like KEVICC are spearheading
its use in education.
Teacher William Manley said:
The Raspberry Pi is a perfect fit for KEVICC; its Linux operating system embodies the
cooperative values of the school as it is an operating system built by thousands of volunteers working worldwide
.
Year 7 and 8 students are being offered the opportunity to learn programming and computing with the Raspberry Pis
through the school's Challenge Pathways scheme. This allows students to pick from a wide range of courses to study,
many of which result in more specialist qualifications which would not otherwise fit in a standard timetable. In the
course, students will learn the PYTHON programming language; use linux command line; create code that controls
outputs such as motors and lights or uses inputs such as motion sensors, and much more. The use of the Raspberry
Pis is set to spread to other subjects including computing, DT and maths.
Page 8
Another angle on Pi ~ Raspberry Pi comes to KEVICC!
Features > Armistice Day and Remembrance
A group of Year 8 drama students from KEVICC marked Armistice Day with a difference this year. Our College was
invited to take part in the civic remembrance in the heart of Totnes on 11th November, along with members of the
public, The Grove School, and dignitaries.
Local author Valerie Belsey re-wrote the words of the well-known World War One marching song
It’s a Long Way to
Tipperary
to the following:
On 11.11.2014 we remembered both the outbreak of World War One
on 28. 07.1914 and 11.11.1918 when World War One ended.
We’re a long way from Totnes town; we’re a long way from home.
We’re a long way from Totnes town; but you wanted us to go.
Goodbye to The Somme and to Gallipoli.
We’ll be home in time for Christmas dinner; just you wait and see.
This was sung with great gusto and confidence by our students, who then roll-called some of the KEVICC dead from the
First World War. There were thirty eight fatalities in total and it is poignant to think, on this special 100th Anniversary,
whether their descendants attend KEVICC to this day?
Thanks to Jo Crook and Alex Harris of the Drama Department.
Wendy Newman
