Computing
At Great Orton Primary School, we understand that through computing, we not only learn to use technology purposefully and effectively, but become aware of the underlying processes involved, helping us to understand how best to apply skills safely and ethically.
Learning about control systems and robots increases awareness of many of the operating systems we use to manage our everyday lives.
The internet helps us to rapidly access ideas and experiences from a wide range of individuals, communities, countries and cultures.
In computing, we develop essential skills for life in a digital age, learning to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
We focus greatly on Safeguarding. Children are taught how to keep themselves and others safe when online.
Please follow this link to see our Safeguarding Policies.
Intent
What is our school’s vision? Our vision is to support children in becoming creative, independent learners and ensure they develop a healthy relationship with technology. At our school we value and recognise the contribution that technology can make for the benefit of all pupils, staff, parents, governors and society. We strive to provide safe opportunities in computing to motivate, inspire and raise standards across the curriculum. Everyone in our school community will be equipped with the digital skills to meet developing technology with confidence, enthusiasm and prepare them for a future in an ever-changing world.
We want our children to be creators and innovators not just mere consumers of digital content. The idea of the children as digital creators is what underpins our planning and computing units. Our children are taught to understand that technology is an integral part of modern life and the key to the future is to harness and understand technology’s potential. Computing is a constantly evolving subject that involves solving complex problems, being able to collaborate with others, learn from mistakes and refine solutions.
Our computing curriculum is designed to be easy to follow, with logical sequenced steps that will equip all children with the essential skills and knowledge they need to use technology safely and creatively. It has numerous cross circular links with art, mathematics, science and design and technology. When planning we ensure that children can build on their understanding, as each new concept is taught with opportunities for children to consolidate and reapply their skills and knowledge throughout the year. Each computing unit is planned to provide new challenges and variety, to ensure we keep the child’s interest at a maximum. There is a strong emphasis on improving computing/digital vocabulary, core fundamental digital skills and computational concepts. Our computing units are organised into a series of hour long whole-class lessons, with the children working together on the same lesson content at the same time. Every unit have reflection and assessment points, this ensures that all children can process and articulate the concepts within the lesson before moving to the next activity, with no pupil left behind. The children create their own digital learning journals that record their understanding and tell their own story of the content they create. These journals and the content the children create illuminate their progression as digital storytellers, problem solvers and showcase mastery of computing. The journals are shared with parents, carers via tools like Seesaw.
Here at our school we believe safety is paramount. We promote and model a balanced digital life, recognising that amongst the many positives that technology has to offer, risks exist and children need to be taught to manage their digital lives properly. We strive to model and educate our children to use technology creatively, positively, responsibly and safely. Our curriculum supports the key aims of the government’s Internet Safety Strategy (Digital Literacy / UK Council for Child Internet Safety (UKCCIS) framework) of supporting children to stay safe and make a positive contribution online, as well enabling teachers to develop effective strategies for understanding and handling online risks.
Implementation
At our school the requirements of the Computing Curriculum are taught through half-termly units, where the children have access to their own iPad. The curriculum at our school is carefully mapped out to ensure that pupils acquire knowledge, vocabulary and skills in a well-thought out and progressive manner, with each teacher following the Knowsley Computing Scheme of Work and progression document. The Knowsley scheme highlights the knowledge, skills and vocabulary for each year group and is progressive from year to year. New learning is based upon what has been taught before and prepares children for what they will learn next. Every unit has a clear end point and an end product which children work towards on their learning journey. The teaching style that we adopt is as active and practical as possible although at times we do give children direct instruction on how to use hardware and software. We teach computing both discretely and cross curricular when clear links with other subjects are present.
Our Computing units and progression model is broken down into four strands that make up our computing curriculum. These are Essential Skills, Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy.
Essential Skills: ensure the children have the core basic skills to use multiple devices, this is designed to promote independence.
Computer Science: underlines the knowledge and skills relating to computational thinking, coding, algorithms and networks.
Information Technology: underlines the knowledge and skills relating to digital communication, creating multimedia content and data representation/handling.
Digital Literacy: underlines the knowledge and skills relating to online safety and technology in society.
We participate in annual events such as national Safer Internet Day, anti-bullying week and technology themed competitions.
Impact
In our Computing curriculum the children revisit each objective several times, via different themes helping to ensure the best results are achieved. We have developed ‘What to observe in learning’ grids to support the monitoring of our children’s learning expectations. A sample of the Year 3 ‘What to observe in learning’ grid can be found on the next page. Our school encourages discussions between staff and pupils to help the children best understand their progress and their next steps. We also encourage pupils to document their own learning in pupil journals. These journals can also be used to showcase and celebrate computing work as well as providing evidence of the pupil’s knowledge and digital skills.
We constantly monitor to ensure the children have learnt the things we’ve taught them and if they are struggling, we can introduce additional support the next time they encounter that objective. Impact is about how we know what you do is making a difference. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress.
We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:
• Pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice).
• Pupil journals and assessment/feedback on content creation.
• Governor monitoring with our subject computing link governor.
• Moderation staff meetings with opportunities for dialogue between teachers.
• Photo evidence of the pupils practical learning.
• Video analysis through recording of performance or practical learning in lessons.
• Pupil self reflection.
• A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes (progression/what to observe in learning).
• Learning walks and reflective staff feedback (teacher voice).
• Dedicated Computing leader time.
• Formative and summative approaches.
