Intent
In our teaching of Computing at Castor Church of England Primary School, we intend to instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology and to develop pupils’ appreciation of its capabilities and the opportunities technology offers to, create, manage, organise and collaborate. ‘Tinkering’ with software and programs forms a part of the ethos of the scheme as we want to develop pupils’ confidence when encountering new technology, which is a vital skill in the ever-evolving and changing landscape of technology.
Through our curriculum, we intend for pupils not only to be digitally competent and have a range of transferable skills at a suitable level for the future workplace, but also to be responsible online citizens.
Our chosen scheme of work is that written by The National Centre for Computing Education, which we confidently believe provides a structured computing curriculum based on the Computing National Curriculum and encompasses the 3 strands of Digital literacy, Information Technology and Computer Science.
This scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of Key Stage Attainment targets outlined in the National Curriculum and the aims align with those in the National Curriculum. In conjunction with our RSE and PSHE scheme, our Computing scheme of work also satisfies all the objectives of the DfE’s Education for a Connected World framework. This guidance was created to help equip children for life in the digital world, including developing their understanding of appropriate online behaviour, copyright issues, being discerning consumers of online information and healthy use of technology.
Implementation
We have created a comprehensive progression document (end-of-year expectations) for staff to follow to best embed and cover every element of the computing curriculum. The knowledge/skills statements build year on year to deepen and challenge our learners.
Children will have access to the hardware (computers, tablets, programmable equipment and software) that they need to develop knowledge and skills of digital systems and their applications.
Computing will be taught discreetly, using the ‘Teach Computing’ scheme written by The National Centre for Computing Education.
This includes detailed planning and is progressive, building on the previous year’s learning. Children are given the opportunity to continue practising these skills using websites, such as; Code.org and Scratch.
The rest of the computing curriculum is threaded through the other curriculum subjects. Teachers have spent time making relevant links to the topics they are covering, making sure they have covered all aspects of the computing curriculum.
Internet safety is taught within the PSHE scheme we follow, written by the Jigsaw Education Group. Children’s online safety learning will teach children an understanding of how to manage relationships online and recognize healthy versus unhealthy behaviours in digital communication.
Assessments are carried out half-termly by the class teacher, using the end-of-year expectations document.
Impact
The impact of our Computing Curriculum is monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives and each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which teachers can use at the start and/ or end of the unit.
Children will leave Castor equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their further education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world. Our Computing Curriculum enables the children at Castor C of E Primary School to:
- Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.
- Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and in their social and personal futures.
- Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy and appropriate manner.
- Understand that technology helps to showcase their ideas and creativity. They will know that different types of software and hardware can help them achieve a broad variety of artistic and practical aims.
- Show a clear progression of technical skills across all areas of the National curriculum – computer science, information technology and digital literacy.
- Be able to use technology both individually and as part of a collaborative team.
- Be aware of online safety issues and be able to deal with any problems in a responsible and appropriate manner.
- Have an awareness of developments in technology and have an idea of how current technologies work and relate to one another. We tie our learning together when appropriate at Castor to help the children to contextualise their learning. The key strands in Computing are as follows: Computer Systems and Networks, Programming, Creating Media, Data and information, and Online Safety.