Computing at St Thomas’
Intent – Our vision for Computing
We believe computing is a crucial part of children’s learning, as technology is now essential to navigating our present world and innovating for the future. We follow the Kapow scheme of work for computing as a robust and rigorously sequenced curriculum that breaks learning into small, sequential steps that become progressively more complex and challenging over time. The Kapow scheme ensures that pupils meet the end of Key Stage attainment targets outlined in the National Curriculum.
Across a rich range of units, children master content related to computer science, such as writing algorithms, using logical reasoning to explain how algorithms work and debugging algorithms that do not meet the intended purpose. Children also learn content related to information technology such as how to use search technologies effectively, how to navigate information online and how to collect, evaluate and present data and information. Within digital literacy learning, we ensure that children are equipped with the tools to stay safe online.
We place a strong emphasis on e-safety through yearly online safety units, regular retrieval of online safety knowledge in lessons, inclusion of e-safety in our annual ‘Stay Safe’ week, assemblies and communication with parents and carers at home. Our curriculum teaches children the knowledge, understanding and skills they need to balance the advantages offered by technology with a critical awareness of their own and other's online behaviour. We equip every child with effective strategies for staying safe and making a positive contribution online.
Implementation – How we plan for, and teach Computing
The Kapow scheme of work is designed around the three strands referenced in the National Curriculum: computer science, information technology and digital literacy.
Throughout KS1 and KS2, children revisit knowledge and skills in five key areas linked to these three strands: computer systems and networks; programming; creating media; data handling and online safety. The cyclical route through the curriculum ensures that prior knowledge and skills are revisited to ensure retention in long-term memory and built upon to develop increasingly sophisticated understanding.
Computing is taught weekly throughout the year. Lessons take place in classrooms using laptops, iPads or other devices such as Beebots. Computing lessons at St Thomas’ incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks to group and paired work, explicit teaching of new vocabulary to teacher modelling and questioning. Knowledge organisers for each unit support children to build a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. In addition to strategies specific to Computing, teachers will incorporate St Thomas’ ‘Be Statements’: Be Curious, Be Knowledgeable, Be Creative, Be Compassionate, Be Reflective, Be Courageous.
Each unit of learning includes teacher videos to develop excellent subject knowledge and support teachers’ ongoing professional development. All teachers at St Thomas’ are robustly supported to have strong subject knowledge across the computing curriculum and to know how new learning builds on prior understanding and towards future knowledge and skills.
Impact - How we evaluate learning in Computing
Teachers continually evaluate children’s learning through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. In each lesson, teachers ensure children are assessed against the learning objectives and planning is responsive to gaps and misconceptions. Each unit has a unit quiz to assess the retention of new knowledge and vocabulary, which can also be used at the start of the following lesson to encourage ‘sticky learning’.
The impact of our computing curriculum can clearly be seen in projects that children create as well as presentations created as digital content. Children will be encouraged to self-assess the content they have created, as well as peer-assess. In each year group, children use previously learned skills and apply them to new software and coding programs. Our pupils leave St Thomas’ equipped with a range of knowledge and skills that enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the digital world.
The expected impact of this curriculum is that children will:
- Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.
- Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and their social and personal futures.
- Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy an appropriate manner.
- Understand that technology helps to showcase their ideas and creativity. They will know the different types of software and hardware can help them achieve a broad variety of artistic and practical aims.
- Show a clear progression of technical skills across all areas of the National Curriculum – computer science, information technology and digital literacy.
- Be able to use technology both individually and as part of a collaborative team.
- Be aware of online safety issues and protocols and be able to deal with any problems in a responsible and appropriate manner.
- Have an awareness of developments in technology and have an idea of how current technologies work and relate to one another.
- Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National Curriculum for Computing.
Internet Safety - Useful Websites
https://www.childnet.com/resources/looking-for-kidsmart
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/net-safety.html
https://www.childnet.com/parents-and-carers
https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbbc/findoutmore/help-me-out-staying-safe-online