Computing

At Loscoe, we aim to fulfil the requirements of the National Curriculum for computing, as we believe that the knowledge and skills developed are essential for our pupils to thrive and succeed in the digital age. Though following the National Curriculum and shaping this to our own sequence, we believe that computing will help our children to flourish in the technological age.

Intent

We strive to teach a broad and balanced computing curriculum, which provides the children with the skills they need to flourish in the digital age. We aim to develop their skills and knowledge until all children have mastered the skills they need to access digital information, use a variety of online communication tools and make safe choices for themselves and their peers. Through our computing curriculum, we would like to develop children’s confidence in using a variety of technologies, and develop the skills to recognise when and how to find further support or advice when they need it.

Our subject intent is to:

Provide a rich environment which inspires children to explore, discover and learn about technology, the internet and their place in a digital world.
Provide opportunities for children to get hands-on with technology and software that they will need to master to be successful members of society - including exploring financial skills, developing safe communication and booking essential services.
Encourage children to question the reliability of information they find online - to have a good knowledge of fake news and how to check the credibility of information and software they are accessing.
Teach about modern and historical computer scientists, coding developers, analysts, designers, testers and programmers.

Always maintain high expectations of pupil’s abilities, allowing them to be inspired to invent and innovate now and in the future.
Encourage a passion for sustainability by considering the environmental impacts of our technologies and exploring how to make more eco-friendly choices into the future.
Ensure computing is accessible, ambitious and provides children with the skills they need to stay safe, recognise cybercrimes and reduce the risk of becoming a victim of online crimes.
Provide children with opportunities to meet and visit people and places of inspiration, including people who keep us safe online, people from further educational institutes and role models who have computer-based vocations.

Implementation

Whilst delivering this curriculum, we ensure computing is progressive throughout the primary school years, providing the pupils with new, more complex challenges as their primary age progresses. We implement our intent through:

Using a wide variety of quality technologies, and unplugged computing resources.
Staff following the Kapow planning structure, alongside the knowledge and skills progression document and whole school overview to plan for the year.
Staff will adopt an adaptive curriculum to take account different learning needs; meaning all pupils access an ambitious computing curriculum. Teachers will consult the SENCO and refer to the Inclusion Strategies document for guidance.
Teachers critically evaluate the needs of their class in relation to the skills and progression grids.
Teachers developing lesson sequences that are challenging for each child and adapting their teaching to meet the needs of all children.
Opportunities for educational visits and external visitors to school to enrich the computing curriculum.
Computing planned into other elements of the curriculum and enrichment activities to provide further opportunities for children to develop their schools.

Impact

At Loscoe, we will see individuals who are confident in using a variety of technologies for a diverse range of purposes. Children will be able to articulate how to stay safe online and evaluate the credibility of online resources. Children will be ambitious about what they can achieve and show genuine interest in the ways computers and technology help us in our day to day lives. We will know our impact has been effective through:

Monitoring children’s understanding, knowledge and skills, by class teachers and subject leaders. This is then used to inform differentiation, challenge and support.
Children demonstrating their computing skills and knowledge through creative outcomes across the wider curriculum.
Assessing formatively which informs future delivery of computing.
Children exhibiting confidence when discussing how to stay safe online, cyber crime and digital footprints.
Children feeling motivated when discussing technological innovations, inspiring individuals and the future of sustainable technology.
Children knowing the career paths available in computing and naming a variety of skills needed to pursue other careers and vocations.

Wider Curriculum

In Computing, we strive to provide a well-planned enrichment programme which promotes a passion for computer science and technology. At Loscoe, we pledge to work with local software development organisations and higher education institutes to give our children opportunities to develop a love for computing and inspire them to strive for excellence.

We pledge to provide a coding club to our KS2 pupils throughout the year, which compliments our curriculum and enables children to further develop their computing skills. Within coding club, they will explore robotics, coding, programming and software development. We work with a local expert to provide this exciting opportunity for our pupils.

Careers

There are so many amazing careers in the field of computing. Some of the main skills needed for these roles are development, innovation, programming, design and coding. Careers in computing can span many different specialist areas.

The teaching and learning of computing supports careers, such as:

Games designer
Programme tester
Robotics engineer
Application developer
Computer scientist
Website designer
Data manager
Systems programmer
Computer Security Consultant
Software Developer

SMSC

Students are continually reflecting on their own lives and the lives of others as they look at various computing case studies. Students debate and formulate their own set of values and beliefs through case studies as they share their own experiences. Computing provides opportunities for reflection of awe and wonder about the achievements in computing today and the possibilities for the future. Computing lets students have the opportunity to reflect on how computers can sometimes perform better in certain activities than people. To promote students’ spiritual development, their sense of self and their will to achieve, the computing department continually takes the opportunity to praise students for their contribution in lessons.

Through real life case studies, students consider issues surrounding the misuse and access rights to personal data. The use of case studies in computing encourages students to draw conclusions through evidence rather than their preconceptions whilst allowing the students the time to reflect on the origins of their own personal perceptions of a topic. Students consider the effects of social networking and the consequences of cyber bullying; they also consider the legal aspects of computing including the Data Protection Act, Computer Misuse Act and Copyright legislation. They consider the implications of file sharing and downloading illegally and the penalties for engaging in this type of activity. Students also consider the moral aspects of developments in technology including the use of CCTV cameras, Speed Cameras and Loyalty Cards to balance up people’s rights and responsibilities.

Computing helps students to explore aspects of real and imaginary situations and enables them to reflect on the possible consequences of different actions and situations. It can raise issues such as whether it is morally right to have computer games whose aim is killing and violence, and whether it is fair that some people in this country and in other countries cannot use the internet. Other moral issues surrounding the topics of e-waste and the digital divide are also explored through case studies. The use of case studies in ICT encourages students to draw conclusions through evidence rather than their preconceptions whilst allowing the students the time to reflect on the origins of their own personal perceptions of a topic.

As part of the computing curriculum students are taught to think and produce work that reflects the needs of diverse audiences within our community and the wider community. As students develop their skills in a range of software they are challenged to work in groups to find solutions whilst developing respect for the ideas and opinions of others in their team. This is particularly prevalent in the design phase of tasks given. In addition students are encouraged to develop their team working skills through collaborative work and research. The students also explore the concept of teams and the roles that individuals have to play. Computing can also help all students to express themselves clearly and to communicate. As students’ progress through their learning they will consider more complex social needs and are encouraged to research and work collaboratively to find appropriate solutions to issues that may affect particular groups within society.

Computational thinking encourages students to develop and explore their problem solving skills. Computing Empowers students to apply their ICT and computing skills and to gain knowledge of how programming links between subjects for instance maths. Students explore how developments in technology have changed our culture, particularly the rise in social networking sites and the ability to communicate instantly across National and International borders. Computing involves the breaking through of linguistic and cultural barriers. It is possible to e-mail or chat across the world and to word process in the mother tongue. Whilst studying various aspects of computing students are asked to reflect on how different cultures are portrayed on the internet and why or who is portraying them in this way. Students are also challenged to think about how differing cultures access and use the internet and what implications this has on the individual and the culture.

British Values

In computing we are learning to understand and be considerate to the views of other internet users. We understand that we are each part of the democracy of the internet and that we can each, in our own small way, affect the way the internet exists. We understand the use of rules on computers and the internet, such as when we are allowed to use social media and what we are allowed to post and share. We understand that rules are to keep others and ourselves safe and to help the internet to be an enjoyable and engaging place.

In computing we understand how to use our right to freedom of speech in a respectable and thoughtful way, being considerate of how this speech will affect others. We understand the freedom the internet and computers offer us in discovering information and connecting us with the world. We appreciate and understand the views of others, our right to challenge, question and discuss opinions and views, and to do this in a respectable and thoughtful way. We understand that as we are connected with the world while accessing the internet, we are exposed to the widest range of views, and we are learning to respect them. We understand that we are connected to people across the whole world. We understand that these are people from different communities, cultures, faiths and beliefs. We use the opportunities offered in computing to question, challenge and understand people with these different characteristics to support and develop our tolerance of them.

Protected Characteristics

At Loscoe C of E Primary, we want to give our children an open, respectful and realistic mindset towards the wonderful world we live in and how this relates to computing. We strive to expose them to a range of significant individuals from all different backgrounds related to the protected characteristics, and have planned for this in our varied curriculum.

We also want our children to understand how computing is working to help eliminate barriers, spread messages of acceptance and enable communities from across the globe to come together. We hope our children will continue to be the innovators of the future who with continue to stretch the realms of technology to help make the world a better place for everyone.

Useful links and websites

Things you can do with your child in the local area related to computing include: