The purpose of the scheme of work is to provide an introduction to using databases and in particular Microsoft Access in key stage 3. This will be delivered through taught lessons where students work through exemplar materials and addresses a curriculum requirement for key stage 3 where understanding of databases and designing a system for other to use are national curriculum requirements. Needless to say a good grounding in database work at key stage 3 will lead to a better level of performance in GCSE and A level courses.

The target ICT skill level for these exercises is novice or beginner.

Teachers are provided with sufficient materials that can be used immediately in the classroom.

• Students will be able to understand and use basic database vocabulary such as record, data subject, field, field name, table, query, form and report.
• Students will be able to create simple queries where they select specified fields and only records meeting specified criteria and sort the displayed data into alphabetical or numerical order
• Students will be able to create more complex queries using multiple search criteria
• Students will be able to create and print customised reports
• Students will be able to create data storage tables and set appropriate validation rules
• Students will be able to create data entry forms

It should be noted that the order of this approach mat stray from the conventional in the sense that it focuses on the most important areas first queries and reports, table design and validation and then at forms. Data sets are provide so that students do not waste time filling in new data.