Computing

Intent

Our children are growing up in an increasingly technological world. The ability to use and understand all aspects of IT is an essential life skill. The majority of children coming to our school arrive with a lot of ICT knowledge and hands on experience. Our task is to equip them to have the skills, knowledge and understanding of ICT, alongside the ability to use it appropriately and safely.

Intent: All pupils at Our Lady of Mount Carmel have the right to have rich, deep learning experiences that balance all the aspects of computing. With technology playing such a significant role in society today, we believe ‘Computational thinking’ is a skill all children must be taught if they are to be able to participate effectively and safely in this digital world. A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use 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.

Pupils are introduced to a wide range of technology, including desktops, laptops, iPads, coding equipment and interactive whiteboards, allowing them to continually practice and improve the skills they learn. This ensures they become digitally literate so that they are able to express themselves and develop their ideas through information and computer technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. Progression booklets have been produced to enable children and staff to plan their curriculum with progression in mind. They will be used to recap prior learning, explain the new learning and give an insight into where this learning will take them periodically.

We teach a curriculum that enables children to become effective users of technology who can:

• Understand and apply the essential principles and concepts of Computing, including logic, algorithms and data representation.
• Analyse problems in computational term and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems.
• Evaluate and apply information technology analytically to solve problems.
• Communicate ideas well by utilising appliances and devices throughout all areas of the curriculum.

Implementation

Our Computing Curriculum has been designed following the skills outlined by the National Curriculum. This ensure that all children develop a range of skills and gain knowledge in a progressive manner. The Cornerstones curriculum has been chosen to provide a vehicle to teach and practise these skills ensuring the children are given a purpose for their learning and an enthusiasm in the subject.

At Our Lady of Mount Carmel, children have access to a range of Computing Equipment within our computing suite and classrooms. This ensures that children can use ICT for a range of purposes within our topics, wider curriculum and also discrete teaching.

Progression booklets will be shared with the children at the beginning of their lesson to enable them to revisit their prior learning, be confident articulating their new learning and see what their learning will take them as they move through school. This will develop a knowledge of the purpose of their learning and where they sit upon their journey.

At the core of computing is computer science, in which children are taught the principles of:

• Understanding what algorithms are and how they are implemented as programs on digital device.
• That programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions.
• Create and debug simple programs.
• Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
• Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.
• Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school and use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private.
• Identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

Impact

At Our Lady of Mount Carmel, our Computing curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. It also ensures that children 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.

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

• A reflection on standards achieved against our skills progression document.
• 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.
• A celebration of learning which demonstrates progression across the school.
• Pupil discussions about their learning.