Computing
End Point
Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in all students’ lives. Therefore, we want to educate our pupils on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely, ensuring a solid grounding for future learning and the world beyond.
Intent
At Harbour, it is our aim to provide a high-quality computing education, which will equip children to make advancements in our rapidly developing digital world. Children will be taught to use a range of technologies safely, respectfully and responsibly and will know how, as well as who, to report problems to if they arise.
The curriculum will ensure that all children will be equipped to use computational thinking and creativity to solve problems and to develop ideas. All children will develop their understanding of computational vocabulary, becoming more confident in using this to discuss their thinking.
Children will have gained knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum.
- Computer Science: children will understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. They will be able to analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems. Children will also develop an understanding of how computers and computing systems work.
- Information Technology: Children will be able to use computer systems to store, retrieve and send information as well as evaluating their effectiveness. They will develop an understanding of the underlying principles of software or applications, so that they can develop confidence, resilience, flexibility and curiosity when accessing new or unfamiliar technologies. Information and computing technologies will provide opportunities for cross curricular learning and enable children to embed their learning across many areas of the curriculum.
- Digital Literacy: All children will become more confident at expressing themselves and developing ideas through using information and computing technologies, so that they have preparedness for the real world. They will become responsible, competent, confident and creative users who will be able to evaluate digital content and use technology safety and respectfully.
Implementation
Computing is taught mainly through discrete lessons using the Purple Mash scheme of work. This ensures children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of their computing topics.
We have a computing suite with touch screen technology, banks of laptops and computer in some year groups, banks of iPads (some year groups have 1:1 iPads), as well as interactive whiteboards to ensure that all year groups have the opportunity to use a range of devices and programs for many purposes across the wider curriculum. In addition to this, children will have some access to Beebots and VR headsets. Employing cross-curricular links, motivates pupils and supports them to make connections to prior learning and remember the steps they have been taught as they apply their learning.
The implementation of the curriculum also ensures a balanced coverage of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. In addition to using a range of technologies, some year groups will explore computer science technologies through accessing supplementary, unplugged activities. Subject knowledge becomes increasingly specific and in depth, with more complex skills being taught, thus ensuring that learning is built upon.
In addition to our blocked curriculum approach, we participate in events such as Safer Internet Day. Internet safety is taken extremely seriously and is embedded within our curriculum. Our Motto for staying safe online is: Zip It, Flag It, Block It. We have an E-Safety Policy that provides guidance for teachers and children about how to use the internet safely Each year group participates in termly lessons on internet safety, making use of Education for a Connected World and the Project Evolve lessons. Children across the school engage in the whole school topic each term, and termly assemblies are held to ensure internet safety remains a high priority. Children understand how to stay safe when using technology.
Entitlement
EYFS
The EYFS staff team will plan for children to experience creative opportunities and develop computing skills within the EYFS curriculum. Our youngest learners will have the opportunity to explore, experiment and communicate their ideas and explore technologies through roleplay such as phones. Being exposed to and playing with technology is an important first-step, before using them with greater intent and skilfulness.
KS1 and KS2
Each year group will complete several units of work throughout the year. These units cover each of the three strands of the Computing Curriculum (Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy) and will build upon skills, knowledge and understanding, and enable the children to apply what they have learnt when accessing unfamiliar software. For example, children in Key Stage 1 learn what algorithms are, which leads them to the design stage of programming in Key Stage 2, where they design, write and debug programs, explaining the thinking behind their algorithms.
Curriculum coverage:
Year 1: Online safety and exploring Purple Mash, Grouping and sorting, Maze explorers, Lego Builders , Animated story books, Coding, Spreadsheets , Technology outside of school
Year 2: Coding, Online Safety, Spreadsheets, Questioning , Effective Searching , Music Making, Creating pictures, Presenting ideas,
Year 3: Coding, Online Safety, Spreadsheets, Branching databases, Graphing, Email - including online safety, Simulations, Presenting with Microsoft PowerPoint
Year 4: Coding, Online Safety, Effective searching, Spreadsheets, Writing for Different Audiences, Logo, Music Making, Animation, Hardware investigators
Year 5: Coding, Online Safety, Concept Maps, Spreadsheets, Databases, 3D modelling, Game Creation, Word processing (using Microsoft Word)
Year 6: Coding, Online Safety, Spreadsheets (including Microsoft Excel), Blogging, Networks, Text adventures, Quizzing, Understanding Binary
Impact
Our approach to the curriculum is starting to result in an engaging, high-quality computing education. The enthusiasm and children’s engagement in learning is evident when talking to children. They are able to discuss work, explain choices and are starting to evaluate their own work, as well as that of their peers. Children enjoy computing lessons and are increasingly able to discuss ways to stay safe online.
Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed in our computing lessons equip pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces. Computing at Harbour gives children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives.
