Intent

Why is Computing important?
At St Bede’s RC Primary School, we have a clear and simple vision: the children should be technology-safe, technology-inspired and technology-confident. To achieve this our children, need a curriculum based on the

foundations of technology. Computing is central to our day-to-day lives and is imperative for our children’s futures. As a crucial skill in today’s world, our curriculum aims to engage our children in a creative and enthusiastic manner. As well as learning skills crucial to Computing, we also ensure that Computing enhances and extends our children’s learning across the entire curriculum. We aim to ensure that children develop the skills needed to stay safe online and what this looks like.

In our school, we use ilearn2 to support the planning and teaching of computing lessons as this program has been created with progression of skills in mind. The intent of the iLearn2 Computing scheme of work is to help pupils become independent, creative, safe, respectful and problem-solving digital citizens with a broad and transferrable skillset. iLearn2 makes computing fun for pupils, inspiring them to develop skills beyond the classroom and building an awareness of all the opportunities the subject provides.

Throughout all units, skills are repeatedly revisited to ensure that our pupils leave with a secure understanding of all elements of the curriculum.  Units have been selected carefully to ensure progression is evident throughout the key stage with children building upon skills learnt in previous year groups. Some units do stand alone, but the key computing skills the children will be learning will continue to progress through these units too.

We use iLearn2 to help us to ensure we appropriately cover the National Curriculum objectives in our Computing lessons. The key to iLearn2 is that pupils can access activity packs online. Each pack includes video tutorials, tasks, challenges and extension activities which allow the pupils to learn digital skills at their own pace. Teachers can assign activity packs to the children to ensure the correct level of challenge.

Children are regularly encouraged to use Computing across the curriculum for example, , creating Mother’s Day Cards with WordArt tools, typing up a great piece of writing or practicing times tables using an online site subscription.

At present, each teacher has a laptop that is capable of being linked to the interactive whiteboard. There are also 60ipads (30 in KS1 and 30 in KS2), 30 Chromebooks and 30 Desktop PCs available in the Computer Suite. Each class is assigned a designated slot for Computing lessons but classes are encouraged to use the suite at other times too. We subscribe to a range of online subscriptions to enable children to develop their computing skills across the entire curriculum. Every computer in the school is linked to the school’s filtered broadband connection.

Threshold Concepts

Computer Science (highlighted orange in the progression) – this covers programming (both block-based and text-based), including computational thinking using web-based software such as Scratch. Pupils across Key Stage 1 and 2 will write code to program physical and on-screen objects, interactive games and use text-based language, such as HTML by the end of Key Stage 2.

Information Technology (highlighted purple in the progression) – this covers the use of applications to create digital content, including document creation and editing, video making, digital art, graphic design, animation, 3D modelling and website building.

Digital Literacy (highlighted green in the progression) – covers skills to find, evaluate, utilise and share using technologies and the Internet. This includes important e-safety and internet research skills, as well as an understanding of computer networks in Key Stage 2.

Implementation

What does Computing look like in our school?
We have identified four main areas in our computing curriculum: To Code; To Connect; To Communicate; To Collect.  These strands ensure that our children will leave primary school able to achieve the aims outlined in the National Curriculum.

We follow the iLearn2 curriculum which ensures that our curriculum is broad and enriching for our pupils. The units have been arranged to allow for each class to cover the whole curriculum objectives and deepen their understanding through consolidation. We believe that clear and effective progression planning is needed to break down the National Curriculum coverage into small progressive steps to meet the requirements of the children in each year group. This enables them to make links to previous learning and quickly build upon it. We also believe strongly that this begins with pupils in EYFS through their curiosity before they enter KS1 and needing to have the opportunity to develop their curiosity about technology and how and why things work.

iLearn2 makes clear how each activity meets the expectations of the national curriculum programmes of study for Key Stages 1 and 2. It has been designed to make sure pupils learn computing skills from the three recognised aspects of computing (above) within each year of their primary education. This means that pupils will build upon skills and concepts they established from the previous year and develop them further in the current and subsequent year.

E-Safety plays a very large part in the Computing curriculum. Children need to understand general internet safety before moving into the elements of what they use the internet for, therefore E-Safety is the first main unit we will cover in each year group. We know that our children are more often corresponding with each other through chat and instant messaging with many of them using social software including online gaming.  We ask that teachers spend the first lesson of each half term with a focus on E-Safety.

How is Computing Taught?

o         Weekly lessons throughout KS1 and KS2

o         EYFS children have access to digital resources throughout their creative play.

o         Following the detailed and comprehensive iLearn2 units

o         Using the skills progression to ensure full coverage

o         Pupils are assessed throughout each lesson and lessons are adapted to ensure objectives are met before moving on

Impact

Every child will:

• have the opportunity to develop skills both independently and collaboratively
• have misconceptions challenged to deepen their understanding
• use their feedback to further develop their understanding
• develop their understanding in each unit and ensure that units are not repetitive by following the schools overview

By the end of each phase…
Each child will be able to access the Internet and use the World Wide Web in a safe and respectful way.  They will understand the necessary precautions to take, to stay safe and know where to seek help. No child will feel threatened or unsafe whilst online at school or at home. Children will also utilise the Web efficiently to enhance their learning of all subjects. The school will provide a rich bank of curriculum-based resources for children and parents to access at home

By the end of Reception

• Children can login to a computer with little or no support and can use a mouse and keyboard with increasing confidence. They are familiar with a range of different hardware and can use touch screen devices independently. They can tell an adult if something worrying happens when using technology.

By the end of Key Stage 1

• Children can save and retrieve work and use programming software to make objects move. They understand how to protect their passwords and know how to ask for help online. They use a variety of different technology to collect data and can identify the benefits of using technology.

By the end of Key Stage 2

• Children can compose emails with attachments, and can explain the consequences of oversharing online. They can explain and program each of the steps in an algorithm and can debug when needed. They can select the correct tool for a specific purpose and understand that not all websites are reliable.

Computing will be monitored regularly to ensure that pupils are receiving high quality lessons which allow them to make good or better progress. Pupils will be fully supported by staff and challenged to allow them to reach their full potential.