Computing
Computing at Tarporley CE
We enable children to use the digital world and its resources in a safe and creative way to enhance their learning and prepare them for the future. As well as developing subject knowledge and skills, Computing improves a child's metacognition through development of critial thinking, logic and problem-solving.
Intent
At Tarporley CE, our aim is that our pupils are able to use, express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology to enable them to be prepared for the transition to high school and to become effective members of the digital community of the future. We also focus on developing the skills necessary for children to be able to use information in a discriminating and effective way. Computing skills are a major factor in enabling children to be confident, creative and independent learners.
Aligned to our BOOKS curriculum approach, we encourage our children to explore the opportunities created by Computing, to find out about the breadth and depth of God’s world, to use technology to develop reasoning and logic, alongside new skills and knowledge and to be responsible and courageous in their approach.
Implementation
We will ensure, through specific teaching activities, that children are equipped with the underpinning knowledge and behaviours to navigate the online world safely and respectfully. We will:
- Ensure children understand how to use technology safely, responsibly and respectfully through application of the Internet Policy.
- Create activities which allow for differentiation and extension of skills.
- Use Computing to develop speaking, listening and communication skills.
- Develop skills progressively throughout the year groups.
- Monitor and record children’s progress to sustain a high level of development.
- Integrate Computing within other subjects as well as teaching independent activities.
- Ensure high quality resources (hardware and software) are available to develop appropriate Computing skills.
- Celebrate achievement in Computing in accordance with the school’s Behaviour Policy.
The school bases its curriculum on the national curriculum guidelines, which are taught primarily through the Purplemash resources scheme. This takes account of mixed year groups as lessons will be taught on a 2-year rolling cycle. Each strand will be taught at least once during every year group.Lessons may be discrete or taught as part of an integrated lesson with another subject.
Our full Computing Policy is attached below. Our Computing subject leader is Mrs Griffiths (Year 4 Foxglove Class) so please speak to her for further information about our curriculum.
Impact
The implementation of this curriculum ensures that when children leave our school, they are safe, competent and creative users of technology. They will have developed skills of logic and reasoning, be able to express their creativity with a range of digital media and be equipped to apply their skills in programming to new challenges and opportunities. Our children will know the risks of using digital technology and will be able to use it safely, respectfully and positively. This is crucial in a world where technology and trends are rapidly evolving.
Assessment and recording: Teachers assess children’s work in Computing by making informal judgements as they observe them during lessons. On completion of a piece of work, the teacher gives feedback as appropriate. Often, work is reviewed collectively so children can give and receive peer feedback, as well as teacher comments. This enables children to learn from each other. At the end of a unit of work the teacher makes a summary judgement about the work of each pupil in relation to the curriculum strand objectives. We use this as the basis for assessing the progress of the children and to pass information on to the next teacher at the end of the year. Samples of children’s work are stored electronically but may also be shown through a range of media or printed, if appropriate.
Monitoring: The monitoring of the standards of the children’s work and of the quality of teaching in Computing is the responsibility of the subject leader. The Computing subject leader is also responsible for supporting colleagues in the teaching of Computing, for keeping informed about current developments in the subject and for providing a strategic lead and direction for the subject in the school. The Computing subject leader will maintain a long term plan which will be reviewed as appropriate with the headteacher to determine areas for further improvement.
What our children say:
“It (computing) makes you think about the steps. You have to be logical.” Year 6 pupil
“Every action has consequences and when you find out what they are, you can solve the problems yourself.” Year 5
“We did some work about emails with Barnaby Bear. It was about how to do emails and how to send nice messages back.” Year 2
“We shared top tips in a blog so everyone in school could see.” Year 4
“There’s sometimes a quiz at the end of a piece of work so we can test what we know.” Year 5
“You need a good password. We went on a site that shows how quickly you can be hacked and we learned how to make a good one. “ Year 3
“I use purplemash (scheme of work) to do my own projects too and you can practise times tables.” Year 3
“We know how to change the font and add colours and highlight boxes or speech bubbles, so we can attract attention. I used it on my poster about the whales.” Year 4
Curriclum Overview
At Tarporley C of E Primary, we deliver a two-year planning cycle carefully tailored to the needs of our pupils and following our BOOKS approach. We have designed an inspiring and exciting curriculum that fosters BRAVERY, is OUTWARD-FACING, provides OPPORTUNITIES, develops the appropriate KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS and nurtures a sense of SPIRITUALITY all with high quality books at the heart of our teaching and learning. Our aim is that all children will know, understand, do and remember more during their journey with us.
The attached progression document outlines the specific knowledge and skills from the National Curriculum in England (2013) which pupils are expected to learn in each phase over a two-year period. Where appropriate, we have indicated which statements refer to the substantive content of our curriculum (the specific, factual content for the subjects, which must be delivered in a careful sequence) and those relating to the disciplinary content (the action taken within a particular subject to gain knowledge i.e. how we gain substantive knowledge).
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.
Our curriculum for the Early Years Foundation Stage reflects the areas of learning identified in the EYFS Statutory Framework (2021). The areas of learning are split into two different areas; prime and specific. The prime areas of learning are: Personal, Social and Emotional Development, Communication and Language and Physical Development. The specific areas include essential skills and knowledge and provide contexts for learning: Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding of the World and Expressive Arts and Design. We recognise that pupils’ learning in EYFS provides the foundations for their future, so the progression document also highlights the objectives that are the building blocks for learning in Year 1 and beyond.
Curriculum Enhancement
In addition to the school curriculum, we run Code Clubs and Physical Computing for KS2 in the Spring term. In Summer, we have Digital Wizards club, which is run by an external provider. These clubs mainly cover aspects of the Computer Science strand, with elements of Digital Literacy.
Here's a recent article from Tarporley Talk with more information.
