Computing
Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in students' everyday lives as they grow. We therefore recognise the importance of teaching children the knowledge and skills necessary to be competent and confident users of technology. Here at Kingsmead Primary School, we want our pupils to be digital creators (not just consumers) and our broad curriculum, encompassing computer science, information technology and digital literacy, reflects and promotes purposeful and thoughtful use of technology to equip children for the modern world.
Although we recognise the importance of technology in our lives, we also want our pupils to understand that there is always a choice when using technology and as a school we utilise technology to model positive, thoughtful use. We recognise that the best prevention for misuse of technology/social media is through education. We have a focus on E-safety every year, allowing pupils to make positive choices regarding when to and when not to use technology.
The National Curriculum aims for computing ensure that all children:
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.
Within our computing curriculum, pupils will learn how to create, analyse, organise, programme, problem solve and think computationally. Our computing curriculum is designed and taught explicitly with weekly lessons and although our planning incorporates a wide range of fundamental skills, it also evolves constantly, to stay relevant and current. It is a working document that is updated regularly. Recently we have purchased new Microbit and Crumble technologies and our planning has been updated to include planning for this and although computing is taught explicitly, we also provide a wealth of opportunities in other subject areas to transfer the skills taught in creative ways. We encourage staff to embed computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and purposeful. We make creative links between Design Technology, Mathematics and Science by using code to programme moveable vehicles and to use the design software Tinkercad to create 3D designs and then print them, bringing their learning to life! In science we use data logging when looking at shadows and we create line graphs when examining heart rate and the impact of exercise. We make meaningful links to subjects like history, by using computers to crack codes and ciphers when looking at our WWII topic. This all helps bring purpose and creativity to the computing curriculum. Where possible we invite STEM ambassadors into school to show purposeful links between the work done in a classroom and jobs in the real world.
We have created a comprehensive progression document for staff to follow to best embed and cover every element of the computing curriculum. The knowledge/skills statements build year on year to deepen and challenge our learners. There is a balance each year so that children cover digital literacy, information technology and computer science and E-Safety is covered comprehensively in each year group.
We will be able to see children who know more and remember more in computing, through evidence in their learning journals, online folders and pupil voice. We will also see that they are able to recall prior learning and make connections with their new learning. Children will start each new year of learning with the necessary skills and knowledge to build upon.
The impact of our computing curriculum is that children at Kingsmead are able to talk confidently about technology and its uses in everyday life. They will also be able to select appropriate forms of technology to match the purpose of the task that they are performing, e.g. using excel when creating a spreadsheet and using a datalogger to track changes in light in science.
The children will be able to use technology to help them solve problems and reach solutions.
The children will be able to organise and present their work in a variety of ways.
The children will be aware of how to use technology safely.
