Computing

Curriculum Coverage

computing curriculum overview 2024 25.pdf

  

 Subject Roadmap

road map computing bromham 2024 25.pdf

   

 Progression of Skills

computing progression of skills march 2022.pdf

 Progression of Knowledge

computing subject knowledge overview march 2022.pdf

 

 How do we teach Computing?

Computing Intent:

At Bromham Primary School we understand how important it is that our pupils are prepared for the future so that they can be active participants in a digital world.  Our core aims are to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for Computing, and whilst providing pupils with technology-based knowledge and understanding we aspire to them being able to express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology.

“A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world…core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.” National Curriculum

Computing teaching at Bromham Primary School has close links with Mathematics, Science and Design and Technology and our aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum whilst ensuring that pupils become digitally literate and digitally resilient. Pupils will show a true understanding and enjoyment across three core strands: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy (including online safety).

Pupils will demonstrate bravery when using new software or hardware and when voicing their views and opinions with their peers. All children will learn to think innovatively to problem solve and, by collaborating with others, will develop resilience and their critical thinking skills. Through their developed sense of ownership, pupils continuously reflect on their learning and achievements in computing.

The aims of our Computing curriculum are to develop pupils who:

• Are responsible, competent and creative users of a range of information and communication technology.

• Have a clear understanding of online safety and know how to keep themselves safe whilst using technology, including the internet, and be able to minimise risk to themselves and others.
• Become respectful and competent users of data, information and communication technology.
• Can analyse, evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies analytically to solve problems.
• Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.

• Become digitally literate and are active participants in a digital world.
• Are equipped with the capability to confidently use technology throughout their lives.
• Understand how information is used, stored, created, retrieved, shared and manipulated.
• Have a ‘can do’ attitude when engaging with technology and its associated resources.
• Utilise computational thinking and ICT skills beyond the Computing curriculum, at home and at school.

 Implementation:

To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in Computing, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Computing is a foundation subject in the National Curriculum and at Bromham Primary Computing is taught in line with 2014 Primary National Curriculum requirements for KS1 and KS2 and the Foundation Stage Curriculum in England. This provides a broad framework and outlines the knowledge and skills taught in each key stage.

As a school we have brought into KAPOW, which integrates Key Stage requirements from The National Curriculum using themed units of work for Computing. Teachers follow the Bromham Primary whole school Curriculum Planning Map which outlines particular KAPOW units to be taught in specific weeks of each half term. Each year group would usually cover one or two units in each half term, focusing on Computing for a whole week, making it a key foundation subject to be studied in afternoon sessions for that short burst of time. This allows for focused learning of that unit and also ensures that hardware can be timetabled exclusively for the necessary class or year group that needs it. The KAPOW planning is provided to teachers but is complemented with other resources, adapted and refined for the needs of the class or year group. It highlights the knowledge, skills and vocabulary for each year group and is progressive from year to year, covering all three strands that make up the Computing curriculum. These are; Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. The core of Computing is Computer Science, which underlines the knowledge and skills relating to programming, coding, algorithms and computational thinking. Information Technology relates to the knowledge and skills of communication, multimedia and data representation and handling. Digital Literacy involves the knowledge and skills relating to online safety and technology uses, all of which are covered at Bromham Primary, whether explicitly or discretely.

We recognise that Computing is a specialist subject and not all teachers are Computing specialists. Part of the reason for using KAPOW planning guidance is to support staff and to enable the children to get the best Computing teaching they possibly can. We aim to develop our teachers as experts where we can and KAPOW offers CPD videos which can be used prior to teaching.  By using KAPOW, key concepts are revisited and progression in Computing is coherent, challenging and age appropriate. In addition, subject specific vocabulary is introduced and developed throughout each unit of work, over the course of a year and across each key stage. Where appropriate, staff will follow the children’s interests to ensure their learning is engaging, broad and balanced. They should also ensure that ICT and Computing capability is incorporated and developed through foundation subjects.

Computing teaching at Bromham Primary is practical and engaging and a variety of teaching approaches and activities are provided across the school. All classrooms have an interactive whiteboard and we have a range of other resources to support our Computing teaching including iPads, laptops, bee-bots, visualisers and digital cameras. Pupils may use laptops or iPads independently or with others. Teachers and pupils are aware of the importance of health and safety and online safety and pupils are always supervised when using technology and accessing the internet.

Computing and safeguarding go hand in hand so we ensure that online safety is embedded into the Computing curriculum and is regularly highlighted to children in order to keep themselves and others safe. As a school we annually recognise Safer Internet Day in February and every child will have extra online safety activities to help them fully understand how to be respectful and responsible users of ICT. Parents are made aware of online-safety issues or signposted to useful resources through newsletters and the school’s website, facebook and twitter pages. Individual log-ins are used by children on iPads and laptops. The school also uses a robust online filtering and monitoring system.

Parents and pupils at Bromham Primary are fully encouraged to engage with ICT and technology outside of school. In Key Stage 1 and 2, each child can access a personalised or whole-school log-in for Accelerated Reading, Dojo, My Maths, TT Rockstars, Curriculum Visons and SATS Companions (Year 6 only), giving them a wealth of opportunity to access further learning and achieve the main aims of our Computing curriculum.  All of these things can be accessed in school but can support pupils beyond the classroom when working at home. In school each child can save and access their own work in a personal area and children can also post work on their TEAMS page for their teachers to see and comment on. Communication with parents and homework can be set via TEAMS also.

In years 2-6, each class has at least one nominated Digital Leader. These children provide additional support for class teachers and peers in lessons by using their knowledge and expertise. They also meet with the Computing Subject Leader to discuss topical matters, what’s working, what can be improved and to plan how to make Computing better in the school generally. Digital leaders may change as and when class teachers see fit.  

Special Educational Needs Disability (SEND) / Pupil Premium / Higher Attainers

All children will have Quality First Teaching. Any children with identified SEND or in receipt of pupil premium funding may have work additional to and different from their peers in order to access the curriculum dependent upon their needs. As well as this, our school offers a demanding and varied curriculum, providing children with a range of opportunities in order for them to reach their full potential and consistently achieve highly from their starting points.

Impact:

Our Computing Curriculum is planned to be high quality, ambitious and coherent.  It is planned to allow progression and build on and embed current skills with every child in mind.

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).
• Photo evidence and images of the pupils’ practical learning (book study)
• Children’s personal Computing folders (years 2-6) which show units of work covered, subject specific vocabulary, evidence of completed work, a self-assessment of objectives covered at the end of a unit and self-review of what went well and even better if.
• Floorbooks (currently beig trailed in year 1)
• Observing children’s skills whilst using technology.
• Afl tasks – informative and summative, such as hinge questions, vocabulary retrieval activities (evidence could be shown in Computing folders)
• End of unit quizzes which can be used as a summative assessment of knowledge.
• Learning walks and reflective staff feedback (teacher voice).
• Writing, developing and monitoring a Computing action plan
• Evaluating the school’s needs, strengths and weaknesses via a termly subject report.