Computing
Vision
‘I think it's fair to say that personal computers have become the most empowering tool we've ever created. They're tools of communication, they're tools of creativity, and they can be shaped by their user.’ Bill Gates
At Barrow Hill Primary Academy, we recognise that technology will be a pivotal part of the lives of the children. We aim for our Computing curriculum to empower our children in developing their understanding and skills in order to be proficient and articulate in an ever-growing technological world. We will do this by providing a knowledge-rich Computing Curriculum covering the three essential strands (Information Technology, Computer Science and Digital Literacy). We recognise that technology can allow children to share their learning in creative ways. We also understand the accessibility opportunities technology can provide for our children. Our rich curriculum has been balanced with the opportunity for pupils to apply their knowledge creatively, which will in turn help our children become skilful computer scientists and hopefully inspire the potential of a future career in computer science.
Computing Curriculum Intent
Our Computing curriculum offers a broad balance of the three essential strands of the Computing Curriculum, allowing children to explore and apply their conceptual understanding and skills in creative ways using a variety of different software.
Computing Curriculum Implementation
The National Curriculum is followed and provides a full breakdown of the statutory content to be covered within each unit.
Long Term Plans
The school Long Term Plan outlines the units to be taught in each year group as a two-year rolling cycle in order to ensure progression of the appropriate knowledge and skills throughout their primary school journey. The units covering skills in computer science, digital literacy and information technology are explicit and placed deliberately to ensure progression.
Teaching and Learning
Children will access to one hour of Computing as a discrete lesson per week alongside other Computing cross-curricular opportunities, where appropriate.
Teachers will use the key learning content in the DfE’s ‘Computing programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2’ to ensure that all necessary content is covered.
As a school, we predominantly use the ‘Teach Computing Scheme’ to plan lessons which will provide a high quality, enriching and immersive experience for the children in developing their knowledge and understanding through a variety of plugged and unplugged experiences.
Teachers are expected to use the scheme to support their planning and subject knowledge to deliver the lesson, which will highlight the journey of the steps of learning and essential vocabulary. High quality resources are included within the scheme to support teaching and learning. Teachers will adapt these resources to meet the needs of the children in their class as well as providing necessary scaffolds or challenges.
All lessons should have a clear learning objective which is shared and reviewed with pupils.
Lessons are engaging and inspire pupils to be inquisitive learners through discussion, key questioning, conceptual understanding, and a range of ways for pupils to record their work to suit pupils’ learning needs.
School has access to iPads and laptops which will be used to facilitate learning and apply their knowledge and understanding. The children will be exposed to a variety of different software throughout the units to understand how these concepts can be applied in different ways.
The children record their learning in Computing books, providing evidence of their learning throughout the units. Teachers will record the work in creative ways including: high quality worksheets and written work; images of unplugged activities; Screenshots/printouts of projects; QR Code links to the projects on a device.
Equal Opportunities
- All pupils will have equal access to the entire Computing Curriculum
- Gender, learning ability, physical ability, ethnicity, linguistic ability and/or cultural circumstances will not impede pupils from accessing Computing lessons.
- Where it is inappropriate for a pupil to participate in a lesson because of the reasons related to any of the factors outlined above, the lessons will be adapted to meet the pupil’s needs and alternative arrangements involving extra support will be provided where necessary.
- All efforts will be made to ensure that cultural and gender differences will be positively reflected in all lessons and teaching materials used.
- Barrow Hill Primary Academy aims to provide appropriate support and also challenge to extend computational thinking.
Cross Curricular Opportunities
Wherever possible and appropriate, the Computing Curriculum will provide opportunities to establish links with other curriculum areas, such as:
- English – Opportunities to present written work and presentations in digital form.
- Maths – Measuring and data handling; using data loggers; Recording findings using charts, tables and graphs and the ability to analyse this data.
- RHE – Creating videos or information posters about some of the content discussed; E-Safety
- Music – Programming opportunities relating to music creation, sound recording.
- Art – Creating digital art.
- D&T – Using physical programming kits to build moving or working models.
Additional Opportunities
- Occasionally, after-school Computing clubs will be organised for children to participate in.
- Some children will choose to apply for positions as digital leaders in school and will monitor the digital devices in school and lead presentations in E-Safety.
Progression
At Barrow Hill Primary Academy, we recognise that our curriculum planning must allow for children to gain a progressively deeper level of knowledge, understanding and skill competency as they move through school from EYFS to Year 6. Our Computing progression map and unit medium term planning documents enable teachers to view the Computing learning as a journey throughout school and adjust planning to meet the particular needs of individuals or groups of children and to build on their prior knowledge and understanding.
SEND
All SEND pupils will be able to access the full Computing Curriculum in an inclusive way and appropriate to their level of need through appropriately differentiated learning outcomes, support resources for scaffolding and pre-teaching of key concepts. This should be in accordance from advice from the school SENDCO and school provision map and should be appropriate for each child’s individual needs.
Computing Curriculum Impact
We encourage our children to enjoy and value the curriculum we deliver. We will constantly ask the why behind their learning and not just the how. We want learners to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and well-being.
Finding the right balance with technology is key to an effective education and a healthy life-style. We feel the way we implement computing helps children realise the need for the right balance and one they can continue to build on in their next stage of education and beyond.
The way pupils showcase, share, celebrate and publish their work will best show the impact of our curriculum. We also look for evidence through reviewing pupil’s knowledge and skills digitally through platforms such as Class Dojo and through the software that children use during their learning.
Progress in our computing curriculum is demonstrated through outcomes and the record of coverage in the process of achieving these outcomes.
The children take a shared responsibility for their learning and progress by having access to a pupil S play, which shows the journey of learning through a unit of work and a knowledge organiser, which provides the children with essential knowledge and vocabulary for the unit.
Each lesson details potential assessment opportunities, which can be used as a formative tool for teachers. Teachers should use summative assessment against the lesson learning outcomes. Some units also provide a written summative assessment.