GCSE Information &

Communication
Technology

Coursework Portfolio:
Communication,
Spreadsheets and
Databases.

Coursework Guidance and

Mark Scheme

GCSE Portfolio – Communication, Spreadsheets, Databases

1
Contents Page
GCSE Information & Communication Technology...............................................1
Contents Page.............................................................................................................2
Portfolio for WJEC GCSE .....................................................................................3
ICT Short / Full Course ..........................................................................................3
Introduction............................................................................................................3
What is the Portfolio?.........................................................................................3
Section 1......................................................................................................................4
Step 1 The Database...........................................................................................4
Step 2 Portfolio front cover...............................................................................4
Step 3 Background/Introduction (Page 2/3)..................................................4
Step 4 Designing the membership form (Page 4)..........................................5
Step 5 Designing the form in a Database........................................................5
Step 5 The database structure (Page 5).........................................................6
Step 6 Entering your data in Database............................................................7
Step 8 Testing your database ...........................................................................7
Step 9 Searching and Sorting............................................................................7
Searching.............................................................................................................7
Sorting.................................................................................................................8
Section 2 The Communicating Information Section.........................................9
Step 1 Planning on paper.......................................................................................9
Step 2 Your front cover for this section......................................................10
Step 3 Background..............................................................................................10
Step 4 Introduction............................................................................................10
Step 5 Contents table........................................................................................10
Steps 6/7 Designing your Poster......................................................................11
Finish the Poster..............................................................................................11
Step 8 Designing the second publicity item..................................................12
A Brochure........................................................................................................12
A Web Page.......................................................................................................12
A Presentation Presentation.........................................................................12
Spreadsheet Modelling section............................................................................14
Step 1 Front Cover..............................................................................................14
Step 2 Introduction............................................................................................14
Step 3 Data Needed...........................................................................................15
Heading: Data Collected................................................................................15
Step 4 Pupil Data Spreadsheet....................................................................16
Step 5 Sorting and searching the spreadsheet.......................................16
Step 6 Designing your Trip Spreadsheet.......................................................17
Step 8 Entering your Data................................................................................18
Step 9 Extension Work......................................................................................18
COUNTIF statements................................................................19
GCSE Portfolio – Communication, Spreadsheets, Databases
2
 Auto Sum statements.................................................................19
Macros...............................................................................19
Marks

Portfolio for WJEC GCSE

The initial
letter H
ICT Short / Full Course before each
mark stands
Introduction for the
You are required to present a portfolio of your ICT work which Handling
counts for 60% of your total GCSE mark. The other 40% is Data
made up by an end of year exam.
Section.
The course is half a GCSE but it carries the full range of
grades from A star to G. The Full Course involves an
The initial
additional Project and a second examination.
The exam is at two levels: - Foundation (1 hour) which letter C
covers grade C downwards and Higher (1.5 hours) which stands for
covers grade A star to D. the
The portfolio is the same for both exam levels. Communication
Section
You will be entered for this short course GCSE. To give you
the best chance of gaining a good grade in the time available
we recommend that your portfolio is based on an event or
small organisation or business. The initial
letter S
stands for
What is the Portfolio? the
Spreadsheet
You will design a database in Database, a spreadsheet model section
in Spreadsheet and some publicity using some of the
following software: - Print Artist, DeskTop Publishing, Word
processor, Presentation.
All sections
The topic will be based on an event or small business or are worth 20
organisation. The database will consist of membership marks each.
information. The Publicity will be about one of the events that This makes
will be staged. The spreadsheet will be a model of a school the whole
trip to the event. portfolio
worth 60% of
We will start with any of the database, Publicity and your final
spreadsheet sections and complete all three. mark.

GCSE Portfolio – Communication, Spreadsheets, Databases

3
Section 1 Marks

Step 1 The Database

First of all you must create a new folder in your My
Documents folder to hold all of your GCSE ICT work. It
should have a meaningful name that you will always
recognise.
E.G. My Documents\ictGCSE. This way you will instantly
remember where you saved your work.
The database will be a membership database of the
members of your event or organisation.
You do not have to include all the members for this project,
about 15 to 20 would be sufficient. Think for a few minutes
about the data that you are going to store in the members
database and what are you going to use it for.

Now start this part of the project in Word processor.

Step 2 Portfolio front cover

Make a front page by typing in a title. (Use Word Art)

and a sub heading to show that this part is the database
section.
Now type your name as the author in a text box and place
a border around it or fill with colour. Finally put the file
name and path at the bottom of the cover page and save
your work.
Insert a page break and start the introduction on the new File name
page.
HB 1
Put your name in a footer.

Step 3 Background/Introduction (Page 2/3)

Introduction:Type in a paragraph or two explaining what
you are going to use the database for. Insert a page break at
the end of this section.
E.g. to keep a record of all members so that you can write to
them or telephone them or Email them etc.
To keep a record of who has paid this year’s membership so
that you can send reminders etc Think of a few things then
type them in.
Background: Explain what and where the Your event or
organisation is and what it contains. Describe the place to
someone who has never seen it.
Step 4 Designing the membership form
(Page 4) Marks
You must design a membership form. You could do this on Design a
paper first and then type it into your Word processor membership
document. Try to think of the sort of questions you would form
be asked if you went to join a club.
HI 1
This form will have all the information that you want to
hold for each member.
It will be something like an A4 sheet of questions that you
would have to fill in to join a club.
E.g. First Name Surname etc.
There must be one question where everybody’s
answer must be unique.
Once you have decided what you want to include then
type it into you portfolio under the heading “Data
collection sheet” and insert a page break at the end of
the form. When you have finished this part of the portfolio
you should write in pen on this form to show how
someone who wanted to join the club would have filled it
in.

Step 5 Designing the form in a Database

You are now ready to start making the database.

Using the table that you have just designed in Word
processor start the Database and construct the
questions.
Arrange the questions neatly so that the questionnaire
looks professional.

There are help sheets for using Database.

To get high marks you should include questions that have

text, text with dropdown box, numeric, date and multiple
choice answers.

Make sure that you have a key field and that you have put
in all of the checks you want. Is it compulsory? Is there a
limit on the size of the numbers?
Ask your teacher to check the final questionnaire.
 Marks
Step 5 The database structure (Page 5)

Having designed your database in Database you now

have to type the structure of this form into your
portfolio under the heading “Structure” Here is an
example of what to do. You will not have all of these
entries but you should have quite a few and probably
some of your own.

E.G.
This is my database file. It is called p1234sky.abc and
it will be saved to my home directory on the network in
school. It will be created in the Database database.
The structure of the records will be like this.

Field Type Format Validation Comment

Member Numeric ### From 1 to Max Design of
Number 100 number of structure
members HJ 1
Surname Text Automatic Visual Must
check Answer
First name Text Automatic Visual Must A Format Input
check Answer Mask
Gender Multi Male Automatic Only 1
choice Female answer
HH 1
Address 1 Text Automatic Visual Must
check Answer
Address 2 Text Automatic Visual
Design of
check
Address 3 Text Automatic Visual validation
check column
Postcode Text Automatic Visual HK 1
check
Membershi Multi Adult or Automatic Only 1
p type choice Child answer
Date of A date Dd/mm/yyyy Automatic Must
Birth Answer
Age Numeric ## 6 to 18
Paid Yes or No Y or N Automatic Must
Answer
Telephone Text Automatic Visual
number check
Email Text Automatic Visual
address check

A format mask is what you set when you type in the

questions in Database: e.g. a two figure number has a
mask of ##.
Step 6 Entering your data in Database
Marks
You should start to input about twenty members. You can
either use a telephone book or get your friends to fill in a
Inputting 3
page each for you. Print out the whole database on one
different data
page when you are finished and put it in your folder.
types

If you asked your friends to fill in a printed membership HA 1

form then put these in your folder as evidence. HA 1
HA 1
Max 3 marks

Step 8 Testing your database

You must test the validation checks are working.

In your Word processor portfolio type the heading
“Testing” on a new page and then type in a test for each
question in your database. Make sure that each answer
Testing
has an error in it so that when you type it in it will be
rejected because it is the wrong format. HL 1
HC 1
E.g. put something like 123 in for a persons age where the HL 1
format is ##. HD 1
Max 4 marks
Now in Database do the test and type a comment in your
portfolio.
E.g. This line of data was not accepted by Database
because it was invalid.

Do this for each question then insert a page break into

your portfolio ready for the next section.

Step 9 Searching and Sorting

You are now ready to Search and Sort your database.

You could get one mark for simply searching the Your
event or organisation web site and printing out some
relevant information.

Searching.
You need to do two simple searches and two complex
searches and you must give the reason for each search. A
simple search is one that looks for one piece of
information.
E.g. Simple search: - List all the male members. Or List all
the Adult members.
In Database complex searches are done by using the
search tool Marks
Type up the reason for each search and print off the result
and place it all in your folder. Write on the sheet what the 2 simple
printout represents. searches
HF 1
E.g. Complex search: - List all male members who have not
paid. HF 1
To do this you must first search for male then search for
not paid
Again print off the results and write in a comment and file in
your folder. 2 complex
searches
Sorting HG 2
HG 1
You must print out two sorted lists and again write a
comment on them and file the list.
E.g. sorted list of members by surname to find names
quickly.

Finally pull all your database work together in order in your

folder, Print out the portfolio from Word processor and put
the two bits of work together. You should insert page
numbers on the portfolio.
Hand your finished folder to your teacher for safekeeping.
2 sorted lists
Make sure that all your database work is saved in case you HE 1
need to come back to it.
HE 1
You are now one third the way through your portfolio

Page numbers
inserted
HH 1

Total H
Marks
20
 Section 2 The Communicating Marks

Information Section.
You must produce two things in this section as well as an
introduction.

Step 1 Planning on paper

The task is to think of an event to be held at the your event
or organisation and then:-
1. Write an introduction about the event
2. Design and make a poster advertising the event
3. Make a booklet or web site or Presentation on the event
4. Produce a website for the event

Now think for a few minutes about an event that you would
be interested in attending. It does not have to be real but it
must be something that is sensible and reasonable. Make
some notes about the event in pen on paper. Write down
about a dozen things that first come into your mind and
write your name at the top and file in your folder. CD 1

Examples of things you could base your event on.

• A Disco at a City Centre venue
• A Boxing Title Fight
• An ice hockey final at the Ice Rink
• A World Premier film at the Odeon
• An exhibition at the NEC
• A Gig at a city venue
• A Karaoke Night at Chicago Rock
• A local sports event
• A Bowling Night

Once you have decided the topic you must then decide what
software you are going to use and what two items you are
going to produce. The easiest two are a Poster and a fold
over A5 Brochure.
Step 2 Your front cover for this section Marks
Start by opening Word processor and typing in the heading
"Communicating Information Section" (Use Word
CG1
processor Art)

Now make a text box and type your name in it in a large,

bold typeface.
Somewhere near the bottom of this page type in the file name CF1
and location.
eg File name and location:
home/HANDSWORTH/your_user_name/HOME/GCSEWORK/ CB1
CommunicationSection.doc

Insert a page break like you did in the last section. (Hold down
Ctrl and press Enter)

Step 3 Background
Now type in some background information about the event CE1
that you have chosen. Use the notes that you made earlier.
You should aim to have about two or three paragraphs of
useful background information.

Step 4 Introduction
You then need to write a paragraph or two about each of the
two things that you are going to do.
Eg The poster that I am going to design will be done in Draw
because …………………………
Eg The brochure I am going to make …………………………..

Place a heading before each new paragraph and format it as a

heading.
(Hint Click Format → Style and select a heading )
You must also insert page numbers by using Insert → Fields
→ Page Number. You will need both of these later on to get
full marks.

When you have finished this introduction you should have at CK1
least three pages of work.

Step 5 Contents table

On the next page (Ctrl + Enter), type the following.
“This Table of Contents was done automatically from
headings.”
Press enter and then
Insert → Index and Tables → Index and Tables → Table of
Contents CK1

Now choose the layout you want and click OK. This will give
you a table of contents based on the headings that you have
been making. CB 1
Steps 6/7 Designing your Poster Marks

There are two ways to do this. You can either design the
poster on paper first using pen and paper then make the
poster in Print Artist, Publisher, Paint or Draw, or you can
make the poster first and then do the design.
The correct way in real life is to do the design first and then
make it.

This is an example of a design of a Poster

Remember you do this in pen and pencil and put it in your
folder or you can use Writer or Draw.

Border Title of Event

Cost
Picture or
clipart
Times &
date
Info
CL 3

Address and phone

You may want to include a picture of the venue here. Get one
from the Internet or take one with a digital camera or scan
one in from a leaflet.

Finish the Poster

Now prepare and print the poster and place in your folder.

Remember to check that people will be able to find the

venue, know the cost, the time, the date and what the event
is about.

CH 1

CA 2
 Marks
Step 8 Designing the second publicity item

It can be any one or more of the following but by far the

easiest to gain full marks is the A5 Book Fold four page
brochure.
Hints are given on the next page.

A Brochure.
If you are doing a brochure think about including text, clipart,
text frames, digital pictures, Internet downloads, scanned
images. If the brochure is going to be done by a wizard in CA 1
Publisher will it be the folding type? CI 1
When complete save print and file to your folder. For making
the second
item
A Web Page.
Include hyperlinks to other sites and other pages. Include
moving graphics from the clipart gallery.
When complete save print and file to your folder.

A Presentation Presentation
Aim to produce about ten slides. Make sure that you
incorporate sound and movement. Try to get the text flying in
from various places. Make sure that one of your pictures
spirals in. Decide how you want the slide show to work and
write this on your thumbnail printout. E.g. move on mouse
click or move automatically.
When complete save print the thumbnails and write notes on
each showing what they do, then file to your folder.
 Marks
If you decide to do a folding brochure then you will need
to use a Desktop Publishing programme.

This part of your portfolio should include at least four of

the following. One mark
• Headers or footers for each
• A frame with a picture of the event or venue
• Different type fonts including Bold and Underlined
• Different size type
• Justified text. Some centred some justified some
aligned left etc.
CJ 1
• Bullet points
CJ 1
• Clipart pictures or borders, especially on the front
cover. CJ 1
• Word processor Art CJ 1
Max 4
It would be sensible to include your name in the header
so that your work does not get mixed up with anyone
else's when you print.

Spellcheck your work before you print and save it.

CC 1

Finally pull all your Communicating Information sheets

together in order in your folder, Print out the portfolio
from Word processor, put all the work in the plastic
wallet with your checklist and hand your finished folder
to your teacher for safe keeping.

You have now completed two sections of the Total C

portfolio. Marks
20
Spreadsheet Modelling section Marks

For this section you will design two spreadsheets to help

with a school trip to your event. The first spreadsheet will
consist of lists of people who will be going on the trip and
some data about them. The second spreadsheet will show
at a glance the various costs of a trip depending on the
number of children going. You will start by outlining the
problem in a word processor. You will then do the simple
spreadsheet of pupil data that you will import from the ICT
resources. Finally you will design and test a spreadsheet
showing the cost of the whole trip.

Step 1 Front Cover

Start by opening a Word Processor and typing in the
heading
“Spreadsheets and Software Modelling”

Type your name in a textbox on the cover and type the

file name and location.
Eg home\\p****\my documents\spreadsheettask.doc
You should also type in the file name and location of the SB 1
other two spreadsheets that you are going to do in this
section.
Eg home:\my documents\p****\spreadsheet1.xls
Eg home:\my documents\spreadsheet2.xls

Insert a page break.

Insert your name in a header.
Insert page numbers using the Insert Page Numbers Menu.

Step 2 Introduction
Now you need to describe what you are going to do.

Eg. “I am going to make two spreadsheets to help organise

a school trip to .............. (My Event)
I will start by making a spreadsheet of all the pupils going
on the trip and include some personal information about
them.
Then I will design on paper a spreadsheet to work out the
total cost of the trip and then make it in
…………………………………… spreadsheet”
 Marks
Step 3 Data Needed
Now still in a Word Processor, type in a heading Data
Needed or something similar.

Use bullet points to make a list of the data you will need
for the spreadsheet.

EG.
Pupil’s age to calculate entry costs.
Rules for the number of teachers required.
Eg 2 teachers for every 20 children.
How many pupils
Maximum number that can be accommodated at the
venue
Cost of entry for each age group
How many seats on a coach?
How much does it cost to hire a coach?
How much does it cost to have food, a programme or
hire something?

Heading: Data Collected SD 1

Is the
This information may be helpful. It is all in Yellow Pages. model
Cost for a 2-hour evening trip to the City Centre. plausible?
Allens Mini Coaches 8 or 12 seater £30
A Line Coaches 16 or 24 seater £35
Sprintliner Coaches 49 seater £55
Courts Coaches 53 seater £55
DeCourcey Coaches 57 seater £58
WMPTE 77 seater £80

You should find different coach company names and you

should change the prices – perhaps two or three times
the prices above.

You need at least 2 teachers and then for every 20 pupils

you need an extra teacher. The maximum number that
_____________ can take is ____ (number).

Something will need to be hired or bought during the trip

e.g. ice skates, programmes

When you have finished, spell check and save your word
processed document and start on the first spreadsheet.
Step 4 Pupil Data Spreadsheet Marks

Go to student resources and load up the

spreaddata.xls file. When this has been loaded save it
to “HOME – ICT Folder” using the name you decided in
Importing
step 1. Insert a new first row and type in the following:-
“Some of this data was imported from School data
Network Student Resources” SK 1

This data now needs to be edited.

• You must reduce it to between 50 and 90 students by
deleting some rows. You choose the ones to be
deleted. Input
• You must insert a new second row and put in column headings
headings to describe the data in the column. SA 1
• You should widen any columns that need it.
• You need to make a column for age, programmes, Widen a
food, hire, entry fee, transport and one for total entry Column
costs. You may have to text wrap some of these
headings in order to keep them inside the column SL 1
boundaries.
Wrap Text is in Format → Cells → Alignment
• You should put your name in a Headers or Footer. Text wrap
Format → Page → Header, Check Header on, SL 1
click Edit
• You need a simple if statement to calculate skate
hire from shoe size, or entry fee from age.
• You need to use a formula to calculate the total cost
for each student (Hint =SUM(………….)

Now print out this spreadsheet with gridlines and place Simple if
in your folder along with the spreadsheet structure that
SJ 1
you get from Tools Options View and tick the formula
box. It may help if you Simple
narrow the columns to make them fit the page. formula
SE 1
Step 5 Sorting and searching the
spreadsheet

Highlight the data that you want to sort. Remember to

highlight the rows of data only. Leave the headings
and totals un-highlighted. Now sort it into the order you
want and print out the spreadsheet again.
Write on this printout the reason you did this sort.

Record a Macro to do a sort for you then print out the

code and write what it does on the sheet. (hint final
page) SJ 1
 Step 6 Designing your Trip Spreadsheet
Marks
On the printed grid design your spreadsheet layout in
pen.
Draw borders around cells you want to highlight and
indicate those you want to have a border or a
background.
This is a simple example. Your model may be much
better.

Centre across
Heading selection
Total Pupils
Actual Cost
SL 1
Cost of a coach
Size of coach
Number of Teachers
If calculation
Number of Coaches
Border around cells
Total Transport
costs
Total entry cost
SL 1
From pupil
spreadsheet
Total Cost

Cost Per Pupil Auto Sum

Format cells as
currency
SJ 1

Step 7 Completing your Trip Spreadsheet

In your spreadsheet programme you should now make

the spreadsheet you designed in step 6. Use as many of
the following as possible.

• Bold, Italic, Underlined,

• Text wrap cells SI 1
• Widen and narrow columns
• Centre across selection
• Different fonts and type size and colour
• Shaded background to cells.
• Border around cells or around selection of cells
• Format → Page → Sheet, check Grid to Show Gridlines
Step 8 Entering your Data Marks

When you have finished designing your spreadsheet you SA 1

should start inputting your data. Remember that some of SA 1
the data should be taken from your pupil spreadsheet.
For two
You should now print out the spreadsheet showing all the different
formulae that you have used. To do this click data types
Tools → Options → View and tick the formula Eg ordinary
box. numbers and
Now print this sheet and place it in your folder.
money
Check that the data is correct and write on the £1.23
spreadsheet that you have checked it.

SC 1
Step 9 Extension Work
To gain higher grades you will have to change some of
the data and ask questions like "What if I do
this............" Eg change the size of the coach ……………
Write up your findings on the spreadsheet printout.

You should also try to change at least one formula or SG 1

IF statement. Write on the spreadsheet printout exactly
what you did and why. Eg. I wanted to see what happens
to pupil costs if I increased the hire costs by age
……………………….

Print each change in the spreadsheet and write your SH 1

findings.

Finally produce a graph or pie chart on the first

spreadsheet then print it out and write your reasons for
making it. You could use COUNTIF( ) statements on the
number of boys and the number of girls then use this
data to draw a pie chart.
SF 1

Total
Marks
20
Using If statements and formula in the Spreadsheet Section

These notes should help you to gain the higher grades.

If Statements.
1. Click in the cell where you want the if calculation to be shown
2. Press the equals sign to start a formula

Example
You want to work out the cost of entry based on the age of a person.
If the person is over 16 then the cost is £10 otherwise the cost is £5
Let’s say the age is typed into cell B2 and the answer will be in cell
D4

Click in D4 and type this statement =if(B2>16,10,5)

Try it and see what happens

COUNTIF statements
Type the heading Male and Female in convenient cells next to where
you want the totals to appear. Click in the cell where you want the
total number of females to appear and enter the formula
=COUNTIF( Now highlight the data you want to count then
complete the formula with ,“F”)
When you press enter your answer will now appear in the cell.
Now do the same for Male pupils.

Auto Sum statements

Click in the cell where you want the total to appear. Then click on
the AutoSum icon (∑). Then click in each of the cells you want to
total and press the plus sign before moving onto the next entry.
Finally press enter.

Macros
Macros help you do lots of things by clicking on one drop down
menu.
Using the first spreadsheet you should make a macro that will
automatically sort the data into alphabetical order for you at the
click of the mouse.
Load up the pupil spreadsheet.
Record a Macro
Tools → Macros → Record Macro
Highlight the rows you want to sort into order
Choose the sort order you require
Stop Recording the macro.
Click 'Stop Recording'
To run the macro Tools → Macros → Run Macro
Print out the code as evidence
Tools → Macros → Organize Macros → OpenOffice.org
Basic → Edit
Now File → print.