Computing

The journey so far…

The Purple Mash Scheme for Computing was purchased in 2019 with the intention of raising the profile of the subject, increasing staff confidence and subject knowledge through a scaffolded, single platform system with clear progression. The crash courses available through this enabled staff to quickly fill any deficits in children’s knowledge and understanding particularly within the programming elements of the National Curriculum. Funding for a central bank of laptops was sourced and the redesign and repurposing of a library room into a multifunctional Computing Suite has also taken place.

The growth and development program has allowed the computing lead to support staff and pupil subject knowledge to a point where we are now able to increase the breadth of programs, software and hardware included within our curriculum offer through a new multiplatform scheme of work – the NCCE Teach Computing Scheme. This scheme was chosen due to the fact that it is constantly updated and rooted in the latest pedagogical research. In an ever changing technological world we find that our school’s vison “Never Presume” drives our ambition to prepare the children for a digital world beyond the one we currently know.

INTENT

What do we want our Computing curriculum to achieve?

To enable children to confidently engage in conversations about technology using subject specific / tier three computing vocabulary.
To teach children the necessary skills and knowledge to access a wide range of programs, software and hardware.
To teach the children how to use technology responsibly and stay safe within an ever growing digital world and how to access support when needed.

IMPLEMENTATION

The three strands of the National Curriculum Computing Curriculum: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy are all taught using the NCCE Teach Computing Scheme to ensure a systematic progression of knowledge and skills which are revisited through a spiral curriculum and underpinned by the principles of retrieval.
Unplugged elements of the curriculum allow the children to understand more abstract concepts by assimilating these with more familiar, concrete and real world experiences eg, understanding algorithms and code as a set of instructions prior to applying this understanding within digital technologies.
Problem solving and creativity where relevant within the computing curriculum are scaffolded to support and extend all children, regardless of ability, using the PRIMM system (Predict, Run, Interpret, Modify and Make).
All classes in KS1 and 2 receive weekly explicit computing lessons as part of their regular timetable to ensure coverage of this high profile subject.
Although not explicit, within the Early Years the disciplinary knowledge required to access the KS1 computing curriculum is taught through the wider Early Years Curriculum, where children develop the understanding of elements such as directional language, sequencing (basic algorithms) and input variables.

IMPACT

What do we want our children to become as a result of the Computing curriculum?

Creative and critical problem solvers who are viable contenders for job roles that may not even exist within the current world of work
Competent, safe and morally responsible users of digital technologies.
Experienced in using a wide variety of digital platforms to facilitate success in their secondary education and beyond.
Citizens equipped with the technological experience and expertise to compete with their more affluent peers on the global stage

What do we believe is right for our children to learn from the study of Computing?

To develop the ability to critically analyse and question the sources bias and motives behind information viewed online.
To develop both basic and aspirational information technology skills that will enable future success in everything from making everyday enquiries and bookings online through to creating code for a movie or major games production company.

computing long term plan

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