Computing
Subject Leader: Mr Taffinder
Our place in the world
The digital world is an essential part of our daily lives and through our computing curriculum we are teaching our children to be responsible digital citizens. During our computing lessons, they are developing a greater understanding of their place in the world and for them to experience a range of different computing activities. Including programming, graphic design, game development and website creation.
Language and oracy
A key aspect of our computing curriculum is around teaching how we communicate online. This is really important for our children as they navigate through a rapidly changing digital environment. Developing good online communication skills is key not just for them as children, but as they develop into adults.
Learning skills
We believe that our computing curriculum supports our children’s life skills by developing their creativity, confidence, independence, problem solving, perseverance, communication skills and working collaboratively. It also enables pupils to be a safe and active participant in a digital world.
Healthy body, healthy mind
Our computing curriculum includes lessons around online behaviour through social media and messaging apps. Our curriculum allows us to teach our children about the positives of this as well as the negative aspects, and how these can affect our mental health and wellbeing. It is important to help develop good online hygiene.
Intent
In these rapidly changing times, we teach computing to equip our children to take part fully in a world where school and home life are continually being transformed by technology. At St Mary Magdalen's Catholic Primary & Nursery School it is our intention to enable children to confidently and responsibly find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information. Our aim is to ensure that our children leave primary school computer literate and with a range of different skills, including:
- understanding what algorithms are and how they are implemented;
- design, create and debug computing programmes;
- use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly.
Being able to use a range of technology safely is a major factor in enabling children to be confident, creative and independent learners. It is our intention that children have every opportunity available to allow them to achieve this through both discrete teaching of skills and a cross curricular approach.
Implementation
Computing skills are taught both discretely and cross-curricular, supporting other areas of learning across the school. In Reception and Key Stage 1, children are taught to use equipment and software confidently and purposefully, to communicate and handle information and to support their problem-solving, recording and expressive skills. In Key Stage 2, our children extend their use of computing that they use for communication, investigation and programming and work to understand how to communicate safely. Our planned curriculum for digital literacy that includes online safety is broad in covering a range of issues.
Impact
Computing has a high profile at our school. Our children are confident using a wide range of hardware and software, and are diligent learners who value online safety and respect when communicating with one another. Children at our school are able to understand the impact that computing has on their learning, development and wellbeing. At St Mary Magdalen’s we want our children to be:
- secure and creative users of digital technologies
- able to apply their knowledge and skills in utilising information technologies to communicate their ideas to a range of audiences
- aware of the risks of digital technology and how they can mitigate these risks
- be well-equipped for jobs of the future
How to support your child at home.
The NCCE have provided a range of resources for parents to help their child with home learning:
- Barefoot (KS1 and 2)
Downloadable activities and games for children, links to live lessons and a guide for parents – includes cross-curricular lesson plans and resources that unpack computational thinking in a range of subjects - Code Club (KS2)
Projects and activities for home learning and a parent guide - Computing at School – Home Learning (KS1 and 2)
Information and links to a range of at home computing activities - Raspberry Pi Foundation – Digital Making at Home (KS2)
Join the weekly code-along using open projects based on a weekly theme, with different levels available for all abilities, allowing you to be open-ended with opportunities for making and creativity - Raspberry Pi Foundation – Projects (KS2)
Projects and activities for home learning. Programme computers and make things with technology and electronics - STEM Learning e-Library (KS1 and 2)
An online resource bank, which links to resources on external websites. The site features a live chat function offering support from subject experts. New home learning resources are being developed - UK Safer Internet Centre (KS1 and 2)
Online safety resources aimed at 3 -11 year olds