Intent

At Garden Suburb Junior School, we teach a high quality computing curriculum which aims to equip our children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand the modern world. Technology is the fastest growing job sector in society and underpins all aspects of our daily lives. We intend to teach children how to analyse, order and solve problems which will provide them with the skills to become digitally literate. We believe it is vital for our children to possess and understand these skills to enable them to be successful in their future lives. It is paramount that children learn to navigate technology safely, including where to seek help and advice when necessary. This is embedded throughout our teaching and learning within the computing curriculum.

Through our Computing curriculum we intend to:

• Develop children’s understanding within computing to become computer literate
• Support all children to be responsible and respectful members of the online community
• Encourage a collaborative work ethic and analytical thinking to deepen understanding
• Provide opportunities to develop an understanding of computing across a range of different contexts and curriculum areas
• Build on prior knowledge to enhance and develop skills year on year
• Give our children the independence and confidence to explore different skillsets and to understand that mistakes are an integral part of the process in computing

Implementation

Planning begins with the high expectation that every child can achieve. A thorough understanding of the children’s needs together with continuous formative assessments enable teachers to plan effective and progressive units. Medium term planning ensures that a range of software is used throughout the school and prior knowledge is built upon, giving children regular opportunities to remember and revisit key concepts and skills. Activities and tasks are planned to meet the needs of all the children in the class ensuring that they are willing and able to develop and consolidate their computing skillset and vocabulary. Computing skills are used across the broader curriculum further enhancing the children’s confidence and computational thinking.

To deliver our Computing curriculum we will:

• Plan opportunities for all children to access a range of software and hardware in computing lessons and the wider curriculum
• Focus on teaching children key concepts and skills across a range of computing programs
• Educate children on how to stay safe and behave appropriately online across all technological platforms (e.g. on the internet, mobile phones, gaming, social media accounts)
• Ensure children have a secure knowledge of the Microsoft Office package (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Coding software (Espresso, Scratch)
• Allow children to work in a range of groups giving them the opportunity to share their knowledge with each other
• Provide children with the ability to apply their skills in real-life contexts

As a school, we offer a range of computing enrichment opportunities to prepare children for navigating the world of technology safely. We offer children ‘Digital Leader’ roles in each class which are changed each term. This role includes developing a ‘pupil voice’ for computing, annotating and organising the class floor book, providing opportunities to arrange competitions and helping peers troubleshoot problems on the computer. Another key event is ‘Safer Internet Day’, where children develop their understanding of how to stay safe online and the dangers they may encounter when using technology. Robotics Club is offered where children learn to code robots with the ‘Lego We Do’ sets. Children use the iPads to develop an algorithm to program the robots to move in different directions. We are currently in the process of developing our access to ‘Virtual Reality’ (VR) technology across the school using the iPads to build an online ‘virtual world’.

Impact

As a result of a detailed and creative computing curriculum, our children are able to use a range a software effectively with confidence giving them a solid skillset on which they can continue to build throughout their academic life and beyond. We ensure children can navigate the internet safely and know what to do if they encounter an uncomfortable situation. The impact of our school computing curriculum can be seen in the class floor books, our online learning platform (Showbie) and across the wider curriculum.

The impact of our Computing curriculum is measured by:

• Children are competent in safely using and understanding technology
• Children are able to appreciate and reflect upon the impact computing has on their learning and development
• Children and staff have an understanding that technological skills are transferable to all aspects of our lives
• Children having mastered key computational skills and are able to demonstrate applying this knowledge to real life contexts
• Children are willing and able to accurately use computing vocabulary with confidence
• Children are willing and able to address and reflect on misconceptions and support their peers in addressing these

Assessment:

Children are formatively assessed throughout our computing lessons, enabling teachers to adapt their input to meet the children’s needs. At the end of each computing unit, children’s progress is assessed by consolidating their knowledge of a particular topic as shown through a summative task. Self and peer assessment are embedded in which children are given opportunities to share their successes and those of their peers.