Computing at St Swithun's

Our St Swithun's Curriculum for Computing.

Out Subject Leader for Computing is Mr Charly.

Technology is changing the lives of everyone. Through teaching Computing we equip children to participate in a rapidly-changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology.

It is our intention to enable children to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information. We also focus on developing the skills necessary for children to be able to use information in a discriminating and effective way. We want children to know more, remember more and understand more in computing so that they leave primary school computer literate.

Computing in the curriculum:

• We plan using the Kapow Primary’s Computing Scheme and the National Curriculum.

• We cover online safety with a comprehensive, progressive unit of work which is taught every half-term through the children’s time at school.

Intent

Our Primary Computing scheme aims to instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology and to develop pupil's appreciation of its capabilities and the opportunities technology offers to, create, manage, organise, and collaborate. Tinkering' with software and programs forms a part of the ethos of the scheme as we want to develop pupils' confidence when encountering new technology, which is a vital skill in the ever evolving and changing landscape of technology. Through our curriculum, we intend for pupils not only to be digitally competent and have a range of transferable skills at a suitable level for the future workplace, but also to be responsible online citizens. The scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of Key Stage Attainment targets outlined in the National curriculum and the aims align with those in the National curriculum. When used in conjunction with Kapow's RSE & PSHE scheme, our Computing scheme of work also satisfies all the objectives of the DfE's Education for a Connected World framework. This guidance was created to help equip children for life in the digital world, including developing their understanding of appropriate online behaviour, copyright issues, being discerning consumers of online information and healthy use of technology.

Implementation

Our primary curriculum is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning: 

• Computer systems and networks

• Programming

• Creating media

• Data handling

• Online safety. 

The implementation of our Computing curriculum ensures a broad and balanced coverage of the National curriculum requirements, and our 'Skills showcase' units provide pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferable skills. Where meaningful, units have been created to link to other subjects such as science, art, and music to enable the development of further transferable skills and genuine cross- curricular learning. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as unplugged and digital activities. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils' learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust computing curriculum. Each of our units of lessons include teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Further CPD opportunities can also be found via our webinars with our Computing subject specialists. Kapow has been created with the understanding that many teachers do not feel confident delivering the computing curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression.

Impact

The impact of Kapow Primary's scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives and each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at the start and/ or end of the unit. After the implementation of Kapow Primary Computing, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world. The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Computing scheme of work is that children will: 

• Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.

• Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and in their social and personal futures.

• Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy and appropriate manner.

• Understand that technology helps to showcase their ideas and creativity. They will know that different types of software and hardware can help them achieve a broad variety of artistic and practical aims.

• Show a clear progression of technical skills across all areas of the National curriculum - computer science, information technology and digital literacy.

• Be able to use technology both individually and as part of a collaborative team.

• Be aware of online safety issues and protocols and be able to deal with any problems in a responsible and appropriate manner.

• Have an awareness of developments in technology and have an idea of how current technologies work and relate to one another.

• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Computing.

 Computing in the curriculum 

• We plan using the National Curriculum.
• We use Key Learning and Progression in skills to ensure that the teaching sequence is progressive and build on prior learning.
• We use the Kapow 'Computing' resource to ensure our children are exposed to a progressive and detailed curriculum.

Computing in the Early Years

The EYFS framework is structured very differently to the national curriculum as it is organised across seven areas of learning rather than subject areas. The aim of this document is to help subject leaders to understand how the skills taught across EYFS feed into national curriculum subjects. This document demonstrates which statements from the 2020 Development Matters are prerequisite skills for computing within the national curriculum. The table below outlines the most relevant statements taken from the Early Learning Goals in the EYFS statutory framework and the Development Matters age ranges for Three and Four-Year-Olds and Reception to match the programme of study for computing. The most relevant statements for computing are taken from the following areas of learning:

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development

• Physical Development

• Understanding the World

• Expressive Arts and Design