Computing
INTENT
Billinge St Aidan’s CE Primary School’s Computing scheme aims to instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology and to develop pupil’s 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.
The 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. When used in conjunction with Natterhub’s Online Safety courses (which every class, pupil and parent has access too), 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
The National curriculum purpose of study states:
‘The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems, and a range of content. Computing also ensures 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’.
Therefore, the St Aidan’s scheme of work is designed with three strands which run throughout:
Computer science
Information technology
Digital literacy
Our National curriculum mapping document shows which of our units cover each of the national curriculum attainment targets as well as each of these three strands.
Our Progression of skills shows the skills that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop year on year to ensure attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.
Our scheme is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning:
Computer systems and networks
Programming
Creating media
Data handling
Online safety
The implementation of our Computing scheme ensures a broad and balanced coverage of the National curriculum requirements, and our ‘Skills showcase’ units provide pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferable skills. Where meaningful, units have been created to link to other subjects such as science, art, and music to enable the development of further transferable skills and genuine cross- curricular learning.
Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as unplugged and digital activities. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles.
Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary.
Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust computing curriculum. Each of our units of lessons include teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Further CPD opportunities can also be found via our webinars with our Computing subject specialists. It has been created with the understanding that many teachers do not feel confident delivering the computing curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression.
Children will have access to a Knowledge Organiser which shows them the content of what they will be studying over the unit of work - it contains key skills and knowledge that we want them to learn. These 'I know' statements form our assessment in the subject, which is saved and tracked in our Insight Tracking system.
Each objective is assessed through quizzes, classwork and unit assessment tests and each child is rated for each objective covered on a 1-3 system. 1 - some evidence, but not yet secure; 2 - objective is secured; 3 - working at greater depth.
Each child is then given a score from 0 - 6 for the subject at the end of each term throughout the year. 0 - below age related expectations; 1 - emerging, 2 developing (working towards the age related expectation); 3 - progressing, 4 - secure (working at the age related expectation); 5 - exceeding, 6 exceeding with greater depth (working beyond the age related expectation). The aim is for every child to achieve 3 or 4 in every subject at the end of the year.
Natterhub online safety courses are constantly evolving and are assessed within the software package. Children, and their parents, have access to the site after lessons have been delivered where they can take part in a quiz and other home-based activities. Progress and attainment are assessed within the software package itself.
IMPACT
The impact of our scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities.
After the implementation of our scheme, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world.
The expected impact of following the scheme of work is that children will:
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 protocols 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.
Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Computing.