Computing
Intent
At St.Swithun’s Primary School, through our computing curriculum, we want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in their lives and we want our children to understand that there is always a choice with using technology.
Building knowledge in this subject will allow pupils to effectively demonstrate their learning through creative use of technology. We recognise that technology can allow pupils to share their learning in creative ways. We also understand the accessibility opportunities technology can provide for our pupils.
We want our children to understand the potential of technology and start to build computing skills for the future. We want them to become digital creators, using technology to support other areas of their work and lives and also to understand the responsibilities of being digital consumers on their time, relationships and wellbeing. We know the digital workplace is continuously evolving and want them to grow up wanting to a part of that as software engineers, video game designers, web developers or IT consultants. At St.Swithun’s our Computing curriculum strives to engage our children, through the creative use of technology, to prepare children for the demands of the future and the technological world that awaits them.. As well as the huge potential of technology, we teach our children to understand the challenges and problems it can create. We will teach them to become good digital citizens, to know how to stay safe and keep others safe online, to be aware of the need to test out what and who they see and the importance of what they share in creating their own digital footprint.
Implementation
At St.Swithun’s, computing is taught mainly in discreet computing lessons but the use of technology is encouraged to support learning across all curriculum areas. We adapt and use the N.C.C.E. (National Centre for Computing Education) Computing Curriculum scheme of work to cover the three areas of the Computing National Curriculum: Digital literacy, Computer Science and Information Technology. Our curriculum covers 4 distinct concepts, which are taught through computing lessons in the following terms in all year groups.
- Connect and Communicate - Autumn
- Collect and Communicate - Spring
- Coding - Summer
Having discreet computing lessons means that the children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of their computing topics. Where appropriate, meaningful links will be made between the computing curriculum across the wider curriculum. Therefore, some weeks computing can be covered by using technology to demonstrate learning in other subjects. For example: If a class were learning about the Tudors in Year 6 and were exploring the impact of Henry VIII, the children could be set the task of creating a video explaining this.
Computing is also used as an additional tool within lessons to help children become creative thinkers and access learning in a variety of ways. For example, a Year 4 class might use ‘Audacity’ to create and record their own compositions in a music lesson. Where appropriate, we try and embed computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible. For example, using tools such as Google Classroom and MyMaths to support homework.
The range of programs and apps children access throughout their time in the school allow them to build a bank of resources to support them in developing their learning and expressing their creativity. Children become digitally literate.
In computing lessons the children will use either IPads or laptops in order to access a range of apps and software.Children have access to either iPads and Chromebooks to support other areas of the curriculum.
Online safety is taught regularly at an age appropriate level, mainly using ‘Gooseberry Planet’ and is highlighted during ‘Anti-bullying Week’ and ‘Safer Internet Day’ – in particular.
Teachers follow a clear progression of skills which ensure all pupils are challenged within their year group expectations and are given the opportunity to build on their prior knowledge.
Computing and Online Safety Overview
Impact
By the time children leave St.Swithun’s School, they will:
- be able to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and wellbeing
- have developed the knowledge, skills and understanding to help them access and use a range of technology in a safe and creative way
- have developed skills that equip them to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world
- enjoy using technology to develop knowledge and ideas as well as express themselves safely and creatively as responsible citizens
- be fluent with a range of tools to best express their understanding, having the independence and confidence to choose the best tool to fulfil the task
- know how to explain how search engines work and how results are selected and ranked
- know how to publish documents online regularly
