Barlby Bridge Community Primary School

Curriculum: Computing

Computing Curriculum Statement of Intent

Computing integrates the full range of media through which successful learning takes place: sound, vision, text and number.  Computing permeates all aspects of life in a modern technological society.  Technology is an every day part of life. We hope to prepare our children for a future in an environment which is shaped by technology. We endeavour to provide computing opportunities throughout each area of the curriculum to provide a stimulus for learning. 

 

Continuity and Progression

At Barlby Bridge CP School we plan activities in Computing so that they build on the children’s prior learning. Whilst we give children of all abilities the opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and understanding, we ensure that there is an increasing challenge for the children as they move up through school. Individual learners are able to make progress in the acquisition of concepts, knowledge and skills at the rate most appropriate to their ability and stage of development. 

Early Years Foundation Stage

Pupils are taught to: 

∙ Know how to operate simple equipment, e.g. turn on a CD player and use a remote control. 

∙ Show an interest in technological toys with knobs or pulleys, or real objects such as cameras or mobile phones. 

∙ Show skill in making toys work by pressing parts or lifting flaps to achieve effects such as sound, movements or new images. 

∙ Know that information can be retrieved from computers 

∙ Complete a simple program on a computer.

 ∙ Use ICT hardware to interact with age-appropriate computer software. 

∙ Recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. ∙ Select and use technology for particular purposes. 

 

Key Stage One

Pupils are taught to: 

∙ Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions 

∙ Create and debug simple programs 

∙ Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs 

∙ Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content 

∙ Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school 

∙ Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

 

Key Stage Two

Pupils are taught to: 

∙ Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts 

∙ Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output 

∙ Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs 

∙ Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the World Wide Web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration 

∙ Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content 

∙ Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information 

∙ Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

Intent

We aim to develop confident, independent learners who are able to plan, design, create, program and evaluate information through the use of ICT. We do this by:

Delivering a high quality computing education.

  • Developing computational thinking (the ability to solve problems in a creative, logical and collaborative way) through repeated programming opportunities and opportunities to build understanding and apply the concepts of computer science. 
  • Encouraging our pupils to become responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
  • Developing pupils’ awareness of how technology is used in the world around them and of the benefits that it provides. 
  • Supporting them to evaluate and use information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies. 
  • Providing opportunities for communication and collaboration and develop an understanding of the purposes for using technology.
  • Ensuring that technology is used imaginatively to engage all learners and widen their learning opportunities.
  • Giving our pupils access to a variety of devices and resources and to encourage them to reflect on the choices they make to use them.
  • Expecting our pupils to become computational thinkers by developing the following Concepts: logic, algorithms, decomposition, patterns, abstraction and evaluation and Approaches: tinkering, creating, debugging, persevering and collaborating

Online –Safety

As well as the benefits of ICT, we are also aware of the risks. This is why we prepare our children to stay safe online through the use of e-safety awareness sessions and safer internet days. Pupils will be protected from having access to undesirable materials by:

Close adult supervision 

    • Using only web sites which have recently been checked for content by an adult 
  • Working off-line (sites will have been downloaded by adults, prior to use by pupils) 
  • Working on-line, with an understanding that they will be held accountable for their own actions, as outlined in the ‘Online Safety Policy’ document.
  • Knowing that if they see something which upsets them that they immediately switch off the monitor and tell an adult
  • A progressive online safety curriculum ensures that all pupils are able to develop skills to keep themselves safe online.

 

 ∙ Opportunities for learning about online safety are part of PSHE, discretely every half term and reinforced whenever technology is used. 

∙ Parents and pupils sign an acceptable user policy together when a pupil first starts at the school. 

∙ The school has a social media policy in place that details how the principles of online safety will be promoted and monitored by staff. 

∙ From time to time, we offer online safety workshops for parents.

∙ Further guidance can be found in the school’s online safety and safeguarding policies. 

Implementation

Planning for computing is implemented using two core documents: the National Curriculum Programme of Study for Computing and the Statutory Framework for Early Years Foundation Stage. In the Early Years Pupils build confidence to use technology purposefully to support their learning for all Early Learning Goals as appropriate. Pupils in the early years will have experiences of using technology indoors, outdoors and through role play in both child-initiated and teacher-directed time. Pupils will be encouraged to use computational thinking across different areas of learning. The ‘approaches’ to computational thinking link closely to the three ‘characteristics of effective learning’: Tinkering, collaboration and abstraction – ‘playing and exploring’. Debugging, persevering – ‘active learning’. Creating, logical reasoning, algorithms – ‘creating and thinking critically’.

For Key Stage One and Key Stage Two Long term planning has been developed using Twinkl Schemes of Work. This demonstrates coverage and progression of the attainment expectations from year 1 through to year 6 as identified in the National Curriculum Programmes of Study. Planning takes account of differentiation and progression and is based on 7 areas of computing: Computer Science, Multimedia, Visual Media, Music and Sound, Data Handling, Digital Literacy and Online Safety. Computing will be included at all levels of curriculum planning to support, extend and enhance teaching and learning. Teachers will plan to use computers, where appropriate, when teaching other areas of the National Curriculum. Computing is taught weekly, allowing staff and children to develop a thorough grasp of the skills, knowledge and understanding required. Staff will choose which area of learning fits best alongside topic and other subjects being taught and add to the medium-term plans. They will use the outline planning to plan creative lessons for their year group. They may use planning ideas from other areas and other schemes of work as long as the lesson objectives are covered.

The school maintains its policy of equal opportunities as appropriate for computing. Computers and related technology are made available to all pupils regardless of gender, race or abilities. The class teacher differentiates work by task, resource or support, to ensure the individual needs of more able and SEN pupils are met. The school is aware that not all pupils have the same access to computers at home and this is considered by staff in the planning and delivery of the curriculum.

 

The school has a range of resources to support the delivery of the computing curriculum, the early years’ framework and learning across all areas of the national curriculum.  The school accesses online resources which are part of the experience of pupils. Hardware and software faults are reported by the class teacher in a log book and every two weeks a member of staff from the school’s managed service provider comes in to address any problems or needs. Governors and senior management ensure that they achieve value for money by implementing the principles of best value in evaluating, planning, procuring and using technology.

 

The school community works together to ensure the implementation of the computing policy. The subject leader is responsible for monitoring curriculum coverage and the impact of learning and teaching; and assists colleagues in its implementation. Subject leaders in other curriculum areas are responsible for recognising the links between computing and English, mathematics, science and foundation subjects; and planning to use these to support learning across the school. Governors may include computing in their learning walks around the school. The class teacher is responsible for delivering an effective computing curriculum and integrating this into their planning for other subject areas where this is appropriate. The school receives technical support from ‘Schools ICT’ and the technician is responsible for the maintenance of computers, printers, the school network and keeping software up to date. The subject leader liaises with the technician to ensure that the systems are running efficiently. 

 

Impact

 

It is the entitlement of every child to have access to computing, in order to enrich his/her learning. We believe that an engaging and motivating computing curriculum will enable our learners to:

  • Use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. 
  • Make deep links with mathematics, science and design and technology.
  • Build knowledge of principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.
  • Become digitally literate – able to use, express themselves and develop ideas through information and communication technology.
  • After the implementation of this computing curriculum children will be equipped, not only with the skills and knowledge to use technology effectively and for their own benefit, but more importantly – safely.  The biggest impact we want on our children is that they understand the consequences of using the internet and that they are also aware of how to keep themselves safe online. As children become more confident in their abilities in Computing, they will become more independent and key life skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking and self-evaluation become second nature.

Computing assessment is ongoing to inform teachers with their planning, lesson activities and differentiation.. Children’s confidence and difficulties are observed and used to inform future planning. Open questions are used to challenge children’s thinking and learning and children are encouraged to evaluate their own and others’ work in a positive and supportive environment, including peer assessment. Summative assessment is completed at the end of each unit to inform leaders of the improvements or skills that still need to be embedded. Computing is monitored throughout all year groups using a variety of strategies such as folder/book scrutinies, lesson observations, learning walks and pupil interviews. Teacher’s judgements will be supported through work in books and an electronic portfolio of evidence which will provide examples of age-expected attainment. Information is shared with the school community through the school website, display, celebration events, newsletters, and end of year reports.

Finally, equipment is maintained to meet agreed safety standards. From the foundation stage, pupils are taught to respect and care for technology equipment. Further guidance can be found in the school’s health and safety policy.

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