Computing makes a significant contribution to teaching and learning across all areas of the curriculum at our school. Our aim is to equip children with the skills and experience they need to access technology and use it purposefully and appropriately.

 

Our Computing Scheme of Work follows the National Curriculum which incorporates both specific skills based lessons and lessons which use Computing as a tool for learning other curriculum subjects. We teach children to:

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• understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions

• create and debug simple programs

• use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs

• use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content

• recognise common uses of information technology beyond school

• use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other technologies.

 

In Early Years the children love to use educational software on the computers to develop and extend their mouse control and co-ordination. Activities include counting objects and sorting shapes, moving objects and characters around the screen, and creating pictures using different tools and effects. They begin to explore using remote control vehicles and programmable toys. They also have access to use devices for educational apps and for taking photographs.

 

In Year One emphasis is placed on gaining keyboard familiarity and improving mouse control. Children are guided how to use the Internet to find images and facts about a topic, they enjoy creating simple Coding, programming a floor robot to follow a specific route. They are taught to save their work, edit it and print it out. In the classroom they use iPads for educational apps (such as Mathletics) and to create simple animations.

 

In Year Two the children become more independent in researching information from the Internet. They begin to make simple presentations incorporating objects, animations and moving text to share their learning. They develop their Coding and debugging skills to create their own apps and use the programmable robots to sequence their own routes and shapes using angles of turn.

 

Children have access to a wide range of technology including touchscreen devices, Interactive Panels, printers, remote control vehicles, programmable robots, digital cameras and video cameras. The school is well resourced and we aim to keep the equipment up to date.

 

We have recently purchased Windows 10 Chromebooks for each year group that cater for the curriculum and are maintained by our own IT Technician. In addition to this we use a piece of software called Purple Mash which caters for a very large range of exciting and progressive computing resources. Each child has their own safe login and is able to access materials remotely. 

 

The children are taught about e-safety. They only use the Internet with a supervising adult. Our school Internet is filtered by the South West Grid for Learning, which aims to filter the internet for our age of children.

 

The Computing Subject Leader runs training for staff and details regarding Online Safety are publicised frequently and can be found on our dedicated page. 

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