A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. 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. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. 

National Curriculum 2014 

Curriculum Intent 

At St Patrick's Catholic Primary our computing curriculum aims to ensure that all pupils: 

• gives our pupils the life-skills that will enable them to embrace and utilise new technology in a socially responsible and safe way. 

• develops our pupils confidence and competencies in a range of technologies to help equip them to be positive and successful members of our community   

• Seeks to engage and enrich children’s experiences in school through digital literacy, IT and computer science. 

• can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation 

• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems 

• can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems 

• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. 

Curriculum Implementation 

Our teaching and implementation of the Computing Curriculum is based on the National Curriculum alongside the Teach Computing program of study, ensuring a well-structured approach to the subject. We want to ensure that they have a strong grounding in the 3 strands of the computing curriculum.  We recognise the important of quality instead of quantity and want children to be able to talk confidently and enthusiastically about their computing work to teachers, parents and their peers. 
 
Detailed long and medium planning is in place to ensure engaging curriculum content and there is systematic revisiting of key concepts and bodies of knowledge to deepen learning across key stages. Vocabulary is explicitly taught in all units to ensure that key computing terminology is understood.  

 
Each term, classes focus on a different strand of the computing curriculum which allows for children to build on their prior learning as well as making connections between different subjects. Throughout each block of study, teachers carefully plan to embed and assess the children’s knowledge using a range of retrieval strategies which are uploaded into individual pupils Seesaw folders. These include quick quizzes, vocabulary lists and self and peer assessment. 

Enrichment weeks such as Internet Safety Week are planned into our calendar to raise awareness as well as allowing children to develop their understanding of computing in the real world. To ensure that our children are responsible and confident computer users, at the beginning of each academic year, we share our age-specific acceptable use policies with the children. These policies are our online safety rules and children are quizzed on them regularly to ensure safe usage of school technology. Throughout the year, during our computing lessons, children follow Project Evolve – Education for a Connected world where they are taught about health, wellbeing and lifestyle; managing online information; copyright and ownership; and privacy and security as well as self-image and identity; online relationships; online reputation; and online bullying 

Below is on outline of our curriculum offer in Computing from EYFS to Year 6. 

EYFS 

Despite computing not being explicitly mentioned within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework, which focuses on the learning and development of children from birth to age five, there are many opportunities for young children to use technology to solve problems and produce creative outcomes. In particular, many areas of the framework provide opportunities for pupils to develop their ability to use computational thinking effectively, such as through undertaking projects involving the concepts and approaches suggested by Computing at School’s (CAS) Barefoot Computing resources.  

Topics are enquiry based and include: 

• Amazing Autumn  – Making a Scarecrow 

• Spring Time – Seed Sequencing   and Rabbit Mazes 

• Summer Fun -Boats Ahoy 

Key Stage 1 

Computing systems and networks - recognise the role of programming, a fundamental understanding of how computers work and the impact they have is needed 

Y1 Technology around us

Y2 IT around us

Creating Media - these skills will allow our pupils to develop the digital skills that they can use across the curriculum 

Y1 Digital painting

Y2 Digital photography

Programming- To understand algorithms, how to implement them as code, and that the main constructs (and variables) have been introduced. 

Y1 Moving a robot

Y2 Robot algorithms
 

Key Stage 2 

Computing systems and networks - recognise the role of programming, a fundamental understanding of how computers work and the impact they have is needed 

Y3 Connecting computers

Y4 The internet

Y5 Sharing information

Y6 Communication

Creating Media - these skills will allow our pupils to develop the digital skills that they can use across the curriculum 

Y3 Desktop publishing

Y4 Audio editing

Y5 Vector drawing

Y6 Web page creation

Programming- To understand algorithms, how to implement them as code, and that the main constructs (and variables) have been introduced. 

Y3 Sequence in music

Y4 Repetition in shapes

Y5 Selection in quizzes

Y6 Variables in games

Curriculum Impact 

We encourage our children to enjoy and value the curriculum we deliver. We will constantly ask the why behind their learning and not just the how, to enable them to be critical thinkers in an ever changing world . We want learners to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and wellbeing.  

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: 

• Reviewing work saved onto Seesaw  

• Virtual Book looks  

• Interviewing the pupils about their learning  

• Staff meetings  

• Professional dialogue  

• Learning walks and Lesson observations.  

• Engagement in CPD