Gainsborough Primary School

Computing Curriculum Statement

Intent

Children attending Gainsborough Primary School have the right to have rich, deep learning experiences that balance all the aspects of computing. At Gainsborough, we believe that computing helps children develop the digital literacy skills they will need in the modern world, including problem solving, creativity, and critical thinking. Additionally, it can help to bridge the gender gap in technology fields as well as help prepare children for future careers in technology and other fields that rely heavily on technology. Therefore, the curriculum is designed and sequenced to provide a progressive introduction to the fundamental concepts and skills of computing.

Our computing curriculum is structured to build on previous knowledge and skills and planned so that it is in line with the national curriculum. From our pedagogical approaches of a review, teach, practise and apply lesson structure, down to delivering the knowledge, children are able to know more and remember more. This approach ensures that children are able to keep up.

At Gainsborough Primary School, the core of computing is Digital literacy, Computer science and Information technology in which children are introduced to a wide range of software and technology, including laptops, iPads and interactive whiteboards, allowing them to continually practise and improve the skills they learn.

The computing curriculum ensures that by the time the children leave in Year 6, they will be able to:

• Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals

• use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs - work with variables and various forms of input and output

• Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs;

• Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content

• Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information

• Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

• Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.

Implementation

Computing is taught weekly by the class teacher, making links to other subjects where appropriate, so that children achieve depth in their learning. Teachers are given the key knowledge and skills of each topic and consideration has been given to ensure progression across topics throughout each year group across the school. Teachers plan lessons using the medium term plans created by the subject leader. Topics are deliberately chosen to prepare children to be responsible and engaged citizens of the complex world they will live in.

We want to ensure that Computing is embedded in our whole school curriculum and that opportunities for enhancing learning by using technology are always taken.

We believe that all learners should primarily access the first quality teaching and be immersed in class discussions during computing lessons. Therefore, SEND learners access the same learning as all other children but will be given further support, adapted outcomes and a tailored approach to suit each individual’s needs. Strategies used to ensure all children can access the curriculum include:

• A pre-teach of topic specific vocabulary

• Seating children alongside good role models who can provide additional support

• Printouts of work/presentations to scaffold with independent tasks

• Instructions broken down into manageable chunks and more time given to process the information

We understand that children have missed opportunities of learning because of the COVID outbreak and the resulting distance and blended learning models that were used in the previous school years. Our current teaching model ensures that any missed opportunities are addressed before teaching new concepts and topics.

Impact

End outcomes ensure that children have the opportunity to apply the different components that have been taught to a composite piece of learning. As children progress throughout the school, they develop a deep knowledge and connect the study of computing to real-world applications and contexts.

The impact of our teaching is seen through:

• children who enjoy computing;

• children who are prepared to share what they’ve learnt in a variety of ways;

• children who are able to gain an insight into the digital world and the implications of this on their lives ( online safety)

Our computing curriculum contributes to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. It ensures that children are equipped to use computational thinking and creativity, enabling them to continue their learning journey in KS3 and for life as an adult - becoming active participants in the digital world.