'Computers themselves, and software yet to be developed, will revolutionise the way we learn.'

Steve Jobs.

Computing

Intent  

At St Matthews we want children to be safe and confident in the digital world. 

High quality computing education will equip children with the confidence and capability to use competitional thinking safely and effectively. We aim to enhance children’s learning and communication and how they respond to new developments throughout later life by offering a broad and balanced computing curriculum. Computing is an integral part to a child’s education and everyday life. Therefore, we intend to support our pupils to access and understand the core principles of this subject through engaging and cross-curricular opportunities.  Whilst ensuring children understand the advantages and disadvantages associated with online experiences, we want them to develop as respectful, responsible and confident users of technology. We provide children with the skills to be responsible online and we make sure they are aware of measures that can be taken to keep themselves and others safe. Our computing curriculum ensures children are digitality literate, able to use, express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology at a level suitable for their future and as active participants in a digital world. 

 

Implementation  

Our scheme of work for 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.  

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) 

E-Safety and Digital Citizenship 

A key part of implementing our computing curriculum was to ensure that our children are taught to be safe and confident in the digital world. We take online safety very seriously and we aim to give children the necessary skills to keep themselves safe online. 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. 

  

The impact of our computing curriculum is… 

  • Lessons are exciting and engaging 
  • It opens up new doors to endless opportunities  
  • It helps children to communicate & collaborate 
  • It is a great resource for widening children’s knowledge 
  • Children are taught skills for life 
  • Children are taught to be safe online 
  • Children are provided with opportunities to be resilient and solve problems 
  • Children are offered tools to record and manipulate information 
  • It helps us to bring ideas to life 

 Computing Long Term Plan

Celebrating Computing - Recommended Reads

If you want to learn more about Computing, why not try our recommended reads by following the link below...

Follow this link to find a range of computing themed books, including: coding, computer science and internet safety... 

 

https://www.booksfortopics.com/science