Computing at St Oswald’s C of E Academy

Digital Literacy

• Digital literacy is the ability to use information and communication technologies to find, evaluate, create, and communicate information, requiring both cognitive and technical skills.
• Digital literacy means having the skills you need to live, learn, and work in a society where communication and access to information is increasingly through digital technologies like internet platforms, social media, and mobile devices. ... Communication is also a key aspect of digital literacy.
• Digital literacy is about safe and responsible use of technology, including recognising its advantages for collaboration and communication.
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Information Technology

• Information technology (IT) is the use of any computers, storage, networking and other physical devices, infrastructure and processes to create, process, store, secure and exchange all forms of electronic data. ... The commercial use of IT encompasses both computer technology and telecommunications.
• Information technology is about the use of computers for functional purposes, such as collecting and presenting information, or using search technology.

Computer Science

• Computer science is the study of computation, automation, and information. Computer science spans theoretical disciplines, such as algorithms, theory of computation, and information theory, to practical disciplines including the design and implementation of hardware and software.
• Computer science will introduce children of all ages to understanding how computers and networks work.  It will also give all children the opportunity to learn basic computer programming, from simple floor robots in Year 1 and 2, right up to creating on-screen computer games and programmes by Year 6.

E-safety

• E-Safety at a simple level means being safe on the internet. Some people also include the safe use of technology in this as well. The pace at which technology is evolving can make it difficult to know what to include when talking about the safe use of the internet.

E-Safety Days

Autumn Term –  Autumn 2 Week 3 – to coincide with Anti Bullying Week

Spring Term – 7^th February 2023 is Safer Internet Day 

Summer Term – Summer 2 Week 3

Computing Curriculum Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent 

At St Oswald’s we want pupils to be MASTERS of technology and not slaves to it.  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 creators not consumers and our broad curriculum encompassed computer science, information technology and digital literacy reflects this. We want our pupils to understand that there is always a choice with using technology and as a school we utilise technology (especially social media) to model positive use. We recognise that the best prevention for a lot of issues we currently see with technology/social media is through education. Building our knowledge in this subject will allow pupils to effectively demonstrate their learning through creative use of technology.   We recognise that technology can allow pupils to share their learning in creative ways. We also understand the accessibility opportunities technology can provide for our pupils. Our knowledge rich 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 encourage staff to try and embed computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible. We want our pupils to be fluent with a range of tools to best express their understanding and hope by Upper Key Stage 2, children have the independence and confidence to choose the best tool to fulfil the task and challenge set by teachers.

Computing is an invisible footprint across all aspects of a child’s life. A high-quality computing curriculum equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has links with mathematics, science and design and technology with insights into both natural and artificial systems. Computer Science is the core of computing where children are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. From here pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that our children are digitally literate; able to use, express themselves and develop ideas through ICT as participants in the digital world and in the future workplace.

Implementation 

The comprehensive planning, pedagogy and curriculum resources help us to effectively implement the computing curriculum.  iCompute is fully mapped to the National Curriculum for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 and is designed for mastery.  The curriculum provides rich and varied learning experiences for pupils throughout the school with progressive, sequences of lessons from EYFS to Year 6.  The Step-by-step lesson plans support teachers to develop expertise and skills, which ensures that the curriculum has impact.  

Computing is taught using a blocked curriculum approach with discrete lessons, this ensures children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of their computing topics. iCompute and Purple Mash Computing schemes are used as a starting point for the planning of their computing lessons, which can be richly linked to engaging contexts in other subjects and topics. We have laptops, iPads and interactive whiteboards to ensure that all year groups have the opportunity to use a range of devices and programs for many purposes across the wider curriculum. Employing cross-curricular links motivates pupils and supports them to make connections and remember the steps they have been taught.

Our curriculum also ensures a balanced coverage of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The children will have experiences of all three strands in each year group, but the subject knowledge imparted becomes increasingly specific and in depth, with more complex skills being taught, thus ensuring that learning is scaffolded and all National Curriculum requirements are covered.

Internet safety is taken extremely seriously and is embedded within our curriculum. We have an E-Safety Policy that provides guidance for teachers and children about how to use the internet safely. Each year group participates in lessons on e-safety, children understand how to stay safe when using technology and Internet safety days are held regularly to address current issues.  As part of iCompute, all classes teach iSafe lessons across the year. 

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. We want learners to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and wellbeing. Finding the right balance with technology is key to an effective education and a healthy life-style. We feel the way we implement computing helps children realise the need for the right balance and one they can continue to build on in their next stage of education and beyond. We encourage regular discussions between staff and pupils to best embed and understand this. The way pupils showcase, share, celebrate and publish their work will best show the impact of our curriculum.  

Our Computing curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression and prepare children for their life ICT journey. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Children can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation;
• Children can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems;
• Children can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems;
• Children are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure all pupils:

• can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation (Computer science)
• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems (Computer science)
• can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems (Information technology)
• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. (Digital literacy)

Computing Long Term Plan 2022 - 2023