Intent

At Preston Candover C of E Primary we want pupils to be masters of technology who are articulate, resilient and empowered. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in students' lives. Therefore, we want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely. We want our pupils to be confident creators and our broad curriculum encompassing computer science, information technology and digital literacy reflects this. We want our pupils to understand that there is always a choice when using technology and as a school we utilise technology to model positive use. Our Computing curriculum is designed in progressive blocks to equip pupils with the knowledge and skills necessary for them to be safe and empowered citizens who can make a positive difference to others. We encourage staff to embed computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible for every child. This interconnected approach empowers our pupils to be digitally literate in readiness for the future workplace and as active citizens in a digital world. Building our curriculum in this way allows pupils to effectively demonstrate their learning through creative use of technology. We recognise that technology allows pupils to share their learning in creative ways. We also understand the accessibility opportunities technology can provide for every child. Our high-quality curriculum has to be balanced with the opportunity for pupils to apply their knowledge creatively which will in turn help our pupils become skilful computer scientists. We want our pupils to be fluent with a range of tools and aim that by Upper Key Stage 2, pupils have the independence and confidence to choose the best tool to fulfil their task, both safely and responsibly. The impact of our computing curriculum will be measured by the computing subject leader through pupil conferencing, work sampling and learning walks (see separate impact statement).

Implementation

The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content There are many aspects of computing: digital devices, search engines, applications, programming, multimedia, digital art, data handling, sharing data, algorithms, digital content and safety. Computing has the flexibility to be woven throughout the curriculum making links within all subjects. The teaching and learning of computing has been seen to have a positive impact on children’s ability to make sense of and contribute to their world and we do not underestimate its importance. The school regularly engages in whole school projects such as, Online Safety Week and Cyber Ambassador Training in collaboration with Hampshire’s Police Crime Commissioner. The school works with experts to inspire and challenge our children to express them themselves through a variety of experiences. A long-term plan is in place with a two-year rolling programme as we have vertically grouped classes. Classteachers plan their own medium term computing planning using the Computing progression of skills document for their year groups. Where possible, content is linked to class termly projects and the big enquiry questions. Throughout the week each class has access to the computer suite and a variety of computing equipment (IPad, bee-bot, blue-bot, data collector, recorder, camera, green screen). After learning about a particular strand of computing, pupils will invest time in developing their computing skills, saving their work on the network and taking screenshots/photographs of their learning. All our computers and Ipads are networked, giving every pupil access to their own work on any device. During each strand, pupils may plan and create work based on their topic and reflect on the skills they have developed throughout their learning journey. Opportunities to share their work and outcomes with members of the school community and experts are planned for.

Please use the links below to explore our computing curriculum further: