The Computing Curriculum

Intent:

Computing at Trinity should Provide an exciting, rich, relevant and challenging Computing curriculum for all pupils. Teach pupils to become responsible, respectful and competent users of data, information and communication technology. Provide technology solutions for forging better home and school links. Enthuse and equip children with the capability to use technology throughout their lives. Teach pupils to understand the importance of governance and legislation regarding how information is used, stored, created, retrieved, shared and manipulated. Utilise computational thinking beyond the Computing curriculum. Give children access to a variety of high quality hardware, software and unplugged resources. Equip pupils with skills, strategies and knowledge that will enable them to reap the benefits of the online world, whilst being able to minimise risk to themselves or others. Instil critical thinking, reflective learning and a ‘can do’ attitude for all our pupils, particularly when engaging with technology and its associated resources. Use technology imaginatively and creatively to inspire and engage all pupils, as well as using it to be more efficient in the tasks associated with running an effective school. Exceed the minimum government recommended/statutory guidance for programmes of study for Computing and other related legislative guidance (online safety).

Implementation:

Early Years

We aim to provide our pupils with a broad, play-based experience of Computing in a range of contexts. We believe the following:

Early Years learning environments should feature ICT scenarios based on experience in the real world, such as in roleplay. Pupils gain confidence, control and language skills through opportunities to ‘paint’ on the interactive board/devices or control remotely operated toys. Outdoor exploration is an important aspect, supported by ICT toys such as metal detectors, controllable traffic lights and walkie-talkie sets. Recording devices can support children to develop their communication skills. This is especially useful for children who have English as an additional language.

Key stage 1

Understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following a sequence of instructions. Write and test simple programs. Organise, store, manipulate and retrieve data in a range of digital formats. Communicate safely and respectfully online, keeping personal information private, and recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.

Key stage 2

Design and write programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts. Describe how Internet search engines find and store data; use search engines effectively; be discerning in evaluating digital content; respect individuals and intellectual property; use technology responsibly, securely and safely. Use sequence, selection and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output; generate appropriate inputs and predicted outputs to test programs. Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information. Use logical reasoning to explain how a simple algorithm works and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs. Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the worldwide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.

Impact:

At Trinity, we believe that every child should have the right to a curriculum that champions excellence; supporting pupils in achieving to the very best of their abilities. We understand the immense value technology plays not only in supporting the Computing and whole school curriculum but overall in the day-to-day life of our school. We believe that technology can provide: enhanced collaborative learning opportunities; better engagement of pupils; easier access to rich content; support conceptual understanding of new concepts and can support the needs of all our pupils. Work produced shows achievement, progression and is aspirational across pupil groups. Learning produced and presented should increase in the demonstration of skills and knowledge the children can show as they move up through the school. Children are systematic in their approach to computing and problem solving, understanding the term algorithm. They are able to debug and problem solve when there are issues with programs. Children are ready for the next stage of their education.

The Computing Curriculum

The computing curriculum covers 3 strands

1. Information technology – communicating ideas in different ways using applications and devices throughout the curriculum.
2. Digital literacy – an ability to connect with others safely and respectfully, understanding the need to act within the law and with moral and ethical integrity.
3. Computer science. – understanding how devices connect, coding for practical and inventive purposes. The ability to collect, organise and manipulate data effectively.

Milestones