Computing

Intent

At Raddlebarn Primary School, we strive to offer a broad and balanced curriculum for the teaching of Computing that prepares pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand the world around them. Our aims are to equip pupils with high level skills in using ICT, preparing them to apply these across the curriculum. 

We intend to build a Computing curriculum that prepares pupils: to understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation; to analyse problems in computational terms and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems; to evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems; and to be fluent and creative users of a range of tools to best express their understanding. We hope that by Upper Key Stage 2 our children have the independence and confidence to choose the best tool to fulfil the tasks and challenges set by teachers. 

We intend our children to become responsible digital citizens who can live and use technology safely and respectfully, recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviours and identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact. 

We will continue to value and embrace our role within the local community. Our aims are to provide opportunities to communicate and share best practice with the wider community. We will also continue to support parents / carers and give guidance about how to keep their children safe online and to use of a wide range of ‘new technologies’ responsibly. 

Implementation

At Raddlebarn, Computing is taught using a blocked curriculum approach, planned on our Curriculum Overviews. Our curriculum ensures a balanced coverage of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The core of Computing is computer science, through which our 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.  

We use the Purple Mash scheme of work that provides coverage in line with the National Curriculum. This scheme is made up of curriculum focused activities, creative tools, programs and games to support and inspire creative learning. It is a useful tool to establish a meaningful, productive cross-curricular link between the teaching of Computing and other subjects.  Through the Computing curriculum children complete a number of projects each year covering: programming, computational thinking, creativity, computer networks, communication and collaboration and productivity.  

Our high-quality Computing curriculum is designed to enable children to use computational thinking and creativity to further understand our world. It has deep cross-curricular links with Mathematics, Science, and Design and Technology.  

We also ensure that our 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. Children are given opportunities to develop their knowledge and understanding in each area from the Early Years Foundation Stage to Year 6. The teaching and learning of Computing facilitates progression across all key stages within the strands of digital literacy, information technology and computer science. 

The significance of online safety is taken very seriously as an important aspect of teaching Computing.  To develop better awareness of this issue, each year group starts with an ‘Online Safety’ topic at the start of the academic year. Reinforcement of learning about this continues throughout the year through celebrating ‘Safer Internet Day’, PSHE and RE lessons, visual displays, assemblies, monitoring and constructive feedback. Children have the opportunity to explore and respond to key issues such as digital communication, cyber-bullying, online safety, security, plagiarism and social media. As well as opportunities underpinned within the scheme of work, children will also spend time further exploring the key issues associated with online safety. Parents are informed when issues relating to online safety arise and further information/support is provided if required. Support and practical guidance in relation to tackling online safety issues are provided to the parents and carers through our website, newsletters, leaflets and via Purple Mash. 

Teachers assess and monitor children’s progress using various assessment tools, for example: Class portfolios on the Purple Mash Display boards, Manual Assessment Tools, marking 2Dos, interviewing pupils, etc. Children in the Early Years Foundation Stage are assessed within the ‘Understand the World’ section of the Development Matters curriculum and their progress is tracked by teacher’s assessment. 

As Purple Mash is an online space, children can continue their learning anywhere and anytime. Each user receives an individual login to save and retrieve their work. Therefore, children can self-assess, edit and improve their work beyond their scheduled lesson time. Children will have access to the hardware (computers, iPads, programmable equipment and interactive white boards) and software that they need to develop knowledge and skills of digital systems and their applications. Children can save and share their creative work and expertise to the wider audience in school through ‘Display Board’ in the Purple Mash online space.

Impact 

The teaching of Computing is increasingly getting a higher profile at Raddlebarn. Teachers try and embed Computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible. Due to the clearly planned curriculum overviews and the Purple Mash scheme of work, teachers are finding it easy to plan and deliver each aspect of the Computing curriculum (computer science, information technology and digital literacy).   

Children are becoming increasingly confident users of technology, able to use it to accomplish a wide variety of goals, both at home and in school. They are enjoying the progression within the strands of digital literacy, information technology and computer science because the learning in each year is based on their prior knowledge, but at the same time they are challenged with new learning.  

Pupils are motivated to complete their learning tasks because they are able to showcase, share, celebrate and publish their work on the Display Board in Purple Mash and school Padlets, and are getting constructive feedback from their teachers. Evidence can be drawn from class portfolios in Display Board and 2Dos in Purple Mash, Class Padlet posts, and through interviewing pupils. 

Due to rigorous online safety training, starting from the Early Years to Key Stage 2, children will have a secure and comprehensive knowledge of the implications of technology and digital systems. This is important in a society where technologies and trends are rapidly evolving, and in turn, this has had a positive impact on our children’s mental health and wellbeing.  Evidence can be found from various sources, such as: the ‘Teaching and Learning of Online Safety’ strand in the autumn term planning and archives of Safer Internet Day work. 

Children are able to apply the British values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law and liberty when using digital systems in this rapidly changing world. 

Key Concepts

The key concepts that are studied and revisited in computing in each year group are:

Supporting Documents:

Computing Overview

Computing-Progression-Grid

Online Safety for Children