Computing
Intent
At Walderslade Primary School we believe that Computing and the use of ICT are central to the education of all children and key to enabling them to access the ever-growing importance of technology in modern life. The aim of our Computing curriculum is primarily to develop confident digital citizens who understand the power of their own digital worlds.
We aim to give each pupil the opportunity to apply and develop their technological understanding and skills across a wide range of contexts. Pupils are encouraged to adopt a confident and safe approach to Computing and the use of ICT. With the knowledge that Computing and ICT will undoubtedly continue to form a major part in the children’s lives at home, in further education and in places of work, we aim to ensure that their Computing and ICT experiences in primary school result in effective and transferrable life skills.
Online Safety is an integral part of our Computing curriculum at Walderslade Primary and is taught at an age-appropriate level throughout the school. We are also committed to ensuring that all staff at our school, as well as our pupils’ parents, are continually educated about online dangers that exist in order that they can take an active part in safeguarding against them.
There are three core strands to the National Curriculum for Computing:
- Computer Science: The principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming
- Information Technology: How to create programs, systems and a range of content
- Digital Literacy: Children’s ability to express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology
Our school’s specific aims for Computing are to:
- Provide a broad, balanced, challenging and enjoyable curriculum for all pupils
- Develop pupils’ computational thinking skills that will benefit them throughout their lives
- Meet the requirements of the EYFS Technology Early Learning Goal and National Curriculum Programmes of Study for Computing at Key Stage 1 and 2 in an exciting and relevant way
- Respond to new developments in technology
- Equip pupils with the confidence and skills to use digital tools and technologies throughout their lives
- Enhance and enrich learning in other areas of the curriculum using ICT and Computing
- Develop children’s understanding of how to use the Internet, computers and digital tools safely and responsibly
- Use Year 6 Digital Leaders to support their peers’ ICT skills and help raise the profile of Online Safety
- Involve all staff and parents in the role of online safety and safeguarding
Implementation
Our school follows a computing scheme of work from Reception through to Key Stage Two – Teach Computing. The aim of this scheme of work is to ‘Inspire a lifelong love of play, design, code and invention with technology’. The scheme fully meets the requirements of the National Curriculum for Computing and the Technology Early Learning Goal, and covers all objectives for Computer Science, Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Online Safety in all year groups. All class teachers follow the planning guidance and sequence in the schemes of work to teach a discrete lesson of Computing per week (or a block of lessons per half term when more appropriate). The implementation of the units in this planning ensures that the children in every year group are taught at an age- appropriate level and are increasingly challenged as they move up the school.
Computing and ICT contributes to teaching and learning in all curriculum areas at Walderslade Primary School. Wherever possible, teachers will use technology across the curriculum in creative and diverse ways to enrich their lessons and excite their pupils to learn.
Computing also makes a contribution to our teaching of PSHE and citizenship as children learn to work together in a collaborative manner. They develop a sense of global citizenship by using the Internet and e-mail. Through the discussions of moral issues related to electronic communication and Online Safety, children develop a view about the use and misuse of technology. Children will also tackle important issues around safety on the internet and cyber bullying through their learning about keeping safe online.
We appoint year 5 pupils to be part of the Cyber Squad each year to assist with Online Safety education and ICT skills through assemblies, class visits and ‘drop in’ sessions. They regularly attend external training and events to further develop their skills and knowledge. Safer Internet Day is celebrated by all classes each year to help raise the awareness and profile of online safety at our school. Visitors and theatre companies are brought into school to enrich and give greater context to children’s learning about keeping safe online. Online Safety training is also provided for both staff and parents on an annual basis.
Our school uses a wide range of resources to ensure staff can effectively deliver the objectives of the National Curriculum and support the use of Information Technology, Computer Science and Digital Literacy across the school.
- Every classroom has a desktop computer or laptop connected to the school network and an interactive whiteboard with sound, DVD and video
- Wireless internet access is available in all
- There is set of desktop computers in the computing suite and timetable slots are booked weekly
- Teachers are able to book class sets of iPads for use throughout the week as part of Computing lessons and for cross-curricular
- All iPads are kept in a locked self-charging cabinet each
- Access within all classrooms to tablets
- Additional resources such as Bee-Bots, Green-Screen resources and headphones are available for use in lessons and are locked away
- Computer programs such as Clicker 7, 2Simple are used regularly to support the needs of SEN children.
- The school has an ICT technician who is regularly available to address any Computing questions or technical
Implementation
Teachers regularly assess their pupils’ Computing progress through observations and evidence of their work within expedition books. Each year group in KS1 and KS2 use expedition books to evidence learning in Computing lessons, cross-curricular ICT work and Online Safety learning. EYFS computing learning is evidenced through children’s Learning Journeys. Key objectives are taken directly from the National Curriculum to assess computing attainment on the WAT. Our school also uses the assessment criteria documented in the schemes of work as an additional guide for assessment.
The impact of children’s Computing learning is monitored by the subject leader through the book looks and online portfolios, data analysis, pupil voice, lesson observations and the moderation of teacher judgments.
The overall impact of the Computing curriculum at Walderslade Primary School can be seen more clearly through the pupils themselves. They continuously develop and build on the Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology skills they are taught each year. They also adopt an increasingly safe and responsible attitude towards Online Safety and technology as they progress through the school. The Walderslade Primary School Computing curriculum ensures that our pupils leave year six as responsible, digitally literate and technologically skillful young people who are able to use, express themselves and develop their ideas through a wide range of technology.
