“Technology can become the ‘wings’ that will allow the educational world to fly farther and faster than ever before; if we will allow it.”
Jenny Arledge
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.”
Malcolm X
Intent
Computing at Bladon Primary School intends to develop ‘thinkers of the future’ through a modern, ambitious and relevant education in computing. We want to equip pupils to use computational thinking and creativity that will enable them to become active participants in the digital world. It is important to us that the children understand how to use the ever-changing technology to express themselves, as tools for learning and as a means to drive their generation forward into the future.
Whilst ensuring they understand the advantages and disadvantages associated with online experiences, we want children to develop as respectful, responsible and confident users of technology, aware of measures that can be taken to keep themselves and others safe online.
Our aim is to provide a computing curriculum that is designed to balance acquiring a broad and deep knowledge alongside opportunities to apply skills in various digital contexts. Beyond teaching computing discreetly, we will give pupils the opportunity to apply and develop what they have learnt across wider learning in the curriculum.
Implementation
Our scheme of work for Computing is adapted from the ‘123SOW Computing Curriculum’ by 123ICT, and covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. This scheme was chosen as it has been created by subject experts and based on the latest pedagogical research. It provides an innovative progression framework where computing content (concepts, knowledge, skills and objectives) has been organised into interconnected networks called units.
The curriculum aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to thrive in the digital world of today and the future. The curriculum can be broken down into 3 strands: computer science, information technology and digital literacy, with the aims of the curriculum reflecting this distinction.
The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure all pupils:
- can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation (Computer science)
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems (Computer science)
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems (Information technology)
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. (Digital literacy)
E-Safety and Digital Citizenship
A key part of implementing our computing curriculum is to ensure that the safety of our pupils is paramount. We take online safety very seriously and we aim to give children the necessary skills to keep themselves safe online. Children have a right to enjoy childhood online, to access safe online spaces and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring them, appropriate to their age and stage.
Our children build online resilience through the use of the 123SOW Online Safety framework. The framework aims to support and broaden the provision of online safety education, so that it is empowering, builds resilience and effects positive culture change. The objectives promote the development of safe and appropriate long-term behaviours and supports the shaping of our online safety culture within the school and beyond.
Within each year group topics include:
Self Image and Identity – Explores the differences between online and offline identity beginning with self-awareness, shaping online identities and media influence in propagating stereotypes. It identifies effective routes for reporting and support and explores the impact of online technologies on self-image and behaviour.
Online Relationships – Explores how technology shapes communication styles and identifies strategies for positive relationships in online communities. It offers opportunities to discuss relationships, respecting, giving and denying consent and behaviours that may lead to harm and how positive online interaction can empower and amplify voice.
Online Reputation – Explores the concept of reputation and how others may use online information to make judgements. It offers opportunities to develop strategies to manage personal digital content effectively and capitalise on technology’s capacity to create effective positive profiles.
Online Bullying – Explores bullying and other online aggression and how technology impacts those issues. It offers strategies for effective reporting and intervention and considers how bullying and other aggressive behaviour relates to legislation.
Managing Online information – Explores how online information is found, viewed and interpreted. It offers strategies for effective searching, critical evaluation of data, the recognition of risks and the management of online threats and challenges. It explores how online threats can pose risks to our physical safety as well as online safety.
Health, Well-being and Lifestyle – Explores the impact that technology has on health, well-being and lifestyle e.g. mood, sleep, body health and relationships. It also includes understanding negative behaviours and issues amplified and sustained by online technologies and the strategies for dealing with them.
Privacy and Security – This strand explores how personal online information can be used, stored, processed and shared. It offers both behavioural and technical strategies to limit impact on privacy and protect data and systems against compromise.
Copyright and Ownership – This strand explores the concept of ownership of online content. It explores strategies for protecting personal content and crediting the rights of others as well as addressing potential consequences of illegal access, download and distribution.
These themes are also supported and complemented by work and discussions in PSHE lessons and class assemblies.
Online Safety Day
Every year, as a school we take part in the national Online Safety day. We come together for a whole school assembly to introduce the theme, then each class undertakes activities at an age-appropriate level that promotes awareness of a particular aspect of online safety, producing an end-product that recognises and promotes this, too. Parents and carers are included in the day, drawing their attention to websites, documents or activities they can do at home to further reinforce what has been learnt at school, in order to help their children to stay safe online.
We provide children with the opportunities to complete computing tasks with real-life purposes, e.g. to design an online presentation about how to stay safe online, for younger children, which they then present to children in another class.
Opportunities to link computing skills to other areas of the curriculum are taken advantage of. This may be through digital art work; designing an online poster for Young Enterprise events; recording and presenting data required for their residential trip; creating digital comic strips and books to write, edit and present their writing, etc.
To help with our implementation of the computing curriculum we have a variety of hardware available, including:
- 18 iPads for use in Acorn and Chestnut class
- A class set of Google Chromebooks for Maple class
- A class set of Google Chromebooks for Orchard class
- Digital cameras
Each classroom is also provided with:
- A visualiser
- A teacher laptop
- An Interactive Whiteboard
- Some classrooms also have additional screens attached to the Interactive Whiteboards, to aid visibility
When a particular unit of work requires access to particular hardware, e.g. Microbits, we are able to use the equipment on loan from 123ICT.
To enhance the curriculum, we also bring in outside companies to provide specialist workshops for the children across the school, e.g. VR headsets to support history topic work, etc.
All children and adults within the school are provided with Google Education Suite accounts and work and materials can be accessed in school and remotely.
Both technical and curriculum support is provided by our experts at 123ICT.
Impact
Our children enjoy and value Computing and know why they are doing things, not just how to do it.
They will be able to:
- Use and manipulate a variety of hardware and software to create desired outcomes
- select appropriate pieces of hardware or software to perform a chosen outcome or task
- understand how to stay safe online, using a variety of hardware and software
- understand the impact of the use of technology on mental and physical health and wellbeing
- respect others online and understand the impact of not doing this
- know how to report disrespectful, inappropriate, hurtful or damaging behaviour or content online
- understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
- evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
- discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and well being.
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 tools like Google Drive and Seesaw and observing learning.
Progress of our computing curriculum is demonstrated through outcomes and the record of coverage in the process of achieving these outcomes.
The Computing curriculum will contribute to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. This would be seen in them being able to talk confidently about their work, and sharing their work with others.
Supporting documents:
National Curriculum Objectives – Mapped by unit and class
Key Skills – Mapped by unit and class