Subject Leader - Miss Green

Intent

At St Paul’s we strive to construct and deliver a computing curriculum which is creative and ambitious but also resembles how technology is used in the outside world, equipping children with the skills they will need in the future. We hope to enable our children to have rich, long lasting learning experiences that balances all the aspects of computing. With technology playing such a significant role in society today, we believe computational thinking is a skill children must be taught if they are to be able to participate effectively and safely in this digital world. Building on their knowledge we intend for children to be able to use information and communication technology to perform basic skills such as writing emails and using search engines, in a safe and knowledgeable way as well as creating programs, systems and a variety of contents. Our pupils have access to a range of technology including laptops, iPads and interactive whiteboards which allows the children regular interaction, practice and exploration with different programs and software. We believe it is important for children to interact with technology in a range of subjects as it has core links with English, mathematics, science, design and technology and enables pupils to make connections and apply understanding across all areas of learning. At St Paul’s we aim to ensure that pupils become digitally literate, able to use and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. 

Implementation

National Curriculums aims for Primary computing.

The National Curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.
• Can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems.
• Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems.
• Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

At St Paul’s our ambition is to provide children with the opportunity to achieve these aims by:

In Key Stage 1 the children will:

• Receive a teaching block of computing each term, focusing on specific aims.
• Use technology in all subjects to enables pupils to make connections and apply understanding across all areas of learning.
• Learn 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 and use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.
• Be shown how to use a range of technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content as well as recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.
• Be taught to 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.

In Key Stage 2 the children will:

• Receive a teaching block of computing each term, focusing on specific aims.
• Use technology in all subjects to enables pupils to make connections and apply understanding across all areas of learning.
• 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, use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and correct errors in algorithms and programs.
• Understand computer networks, including the internet, and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.
• Use search technologies effectively, learn to appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content.
• Be taught to select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals.
• Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

Impact

Our approach to the curriculum results in an engaging, high-quality and practical computing education. The quality of children's learning is evident on from their use of software (Word, PowerPoint) and emails in and outside of school. We are encouraging the children to use technology for everyday task. For example, in English writing and editing their work in Word, to help their typing skills, understanding of saving and storing documents and being able to copy and edit pieces of work. Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed in our computing lessons equip pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces. With the use of presentation and creative tools and critical thinking, our computing lessons give children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives.