Computing
“We're changing the world with technology.” - Bill Gates
Intent
Stanley Primary School aims to develop ‘thinkers of the future’ through a challenging, modern and relevant education in computing. We intend to give pupils the opportunity to use computational and creative thinking to allow them to become active participants in today’s digital world. We hope to drive the next generation of digital users to allow them to use technology safely, responsibly and respectfully whilst understanding the advantages and disadvantages associated with their online experiences. At Stanley, we aim to provide a comprehensive computing curriculum accessible to all pupils to enable them to learn, apply and develop their technological skills.
Implementation
Computing begins in the EYFS where the children explore and identify technology at home and in school. They have the chance to discover how technology works and get to grips with the basics of coding through identifying, continuing and creating patterns.
Our scheme of work for Years 1-6 in Computing is adapted from the ‘Teach Computing’ Curriculum and covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. This scheme was chosen as it has been created by subject experts and based on the latest pedagogical research. It provides an innovative progression framework where computing content (concepts, knowledge, skills and objectives) has been organised into interconnected networks called learning graphs.
The curriculum aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to thrive in the digital world of today and the future. The curriculum can be broken down into 3 strands: computer science, information technology and digital literacy, with the aims of the curriculum reflecting this distinction.
The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure all pupils:
- can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation (Computer science)
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems (Computer science)
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems (Information technology)
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. (Digital literacy)
In addition to the scheme, Stanley Primary subscribe to Discovery Education and Scratch Junior, providing all children with access to Block Coding, Python and HTML resources. Block coding lessons provide a graphical approach to coding where pupils drag and drop events, objects and actions to make things happen in a program, progressing to building their own games.
E-Safety and Digital Citizenship
A key part of implementing our computing curriculum was to ensure that safety of our pupils is paramount. We take online safety very seriously and we aim to give children the necessary skills to keep themselves safe online from EYFS to Year 6. Children have a right to enjoy childhood online, to access safe online spaces and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring them, appropriate to their age and stage.
Children build online resilience through the use of the ‘Project Evolve – Education for a Connected World’ framework. The framework aims to support and broaden the provision of online safety education, so that it is empowering, builds resilience and effects positive culture change. The objectives promote the development of safe and appropriate long-term behaviours, and support educators in shaping the culture within their setting and beyond.
Within each year group topics include:
- Self Image and Identity - This strand explores the differences between online and offline identity beginning with self-awareness, shaping online identities and media influence in propagating stereotypes. It identifies effective routes for reporting and support and explores the impact of online technologies on self-image and behaviour.
- Online Relationships - This strand explores how technology shapes communication styles and identifies strategies for positive relationships in online communities. It offers opportunities to discuss relationships, respecting, giving and denying consent and behaviours that may lead to harm and how positive online interaction can empower and amplify voice.
- Online Reputation - This strand explores the concept of reputation and how others may use online information to make judgements. It offers opportunities to develop strategies to manage personal digital content effectively and capitalise on technology’s capacity to create effective positive profiles.
- Online Bullying - This strand explores bullying and other online aggression and how technology impacts those issues. It offers strategies for effective reporting and intervention and considers how bullying and other aggressive behaviour relates to legislation.
- Managing Online information - This strand explores how online information is found, viewed and interpreted. It offers strategies for effective searching, critical evaluation of data, the recognition of risks and the management of online threats and challenges. It explores how online threats can pose risks to our physical safety as well as online safety. It also covers learning relevant to ethical publishing.
- Health Well-being and Lifestyle - This strand explores the impact that technology has on health, well-being and lifestyle e.g. mood, sleep, body health and relationships. It also includes understanding negative behaviours and issues amplified and sustained by online technologies and the strategies for dealing with them.
- Privacy and Security - This strand explores how personal online information can be used, stored, processed and shared. It offers both behavioural and technical strategies to limit impact on privacy and protect data and systems against compromise.
- Copyright and Ownership - This strand explores the concept of ownership of online content. It explores strategies for protecting personal content and crediting the rights of others as well as addressing potential consequences of illegal access, download and distribution.
Impact
Within Computing, we encourage a creative and collaborative environment in which pupils can learn to express and challenge themselves. The success of the curriculum itself will be assessed via reviewing pupil’s knowledge and skills digitally on Seesaw, pupil and staff feedback and formative assessment. This will then inform future adaptions of the scheme of work and help to ensure that progression is evident throughout school.
In order to demonstrate that we have accomplished our aims, pupils at Stanley Primary should:
- Be enthusiastic and confident in their approach towards Computing.
- Present as competent and adaptable ‘Computational Thinkers’ who are able to use identified concepts and approaches in all of their learning.
- Be able to identify the source of problems and work with perseverance to ‘debug’ them.
- Create and evaluate their own project work.
- Have a secure understanding of the positive applications and specific risks associated with a broad range of digital technology.
- Transition to secondary school with a keen interest in the continued learning of computing.