Computing
“The most important skill for a computer scientist is problem-solving. Even if you don’t know all the details of the technology you are using, if you can solve the problem, you can figure out how to do it.”
– Bill Gates
Through our Computing Curriculum at Stanton Road, our children become responsible, creative and adaptable users of technology, allowing them to benefit from all the opportunities that living in a connected world brings. We want our children to leave Stanton Road prepared for an ever-changing digital future, knowing and applying skills in the three main areas of:
computer science
information technology
digital literacy
Computing consists of both declarative knowledge (knowing that) and procedural knowledge (knowing how).
Children at Stanton Road will learn how to navigate the online world safely, using a range of devices, in order to become confident and competent users of a range of technology for both work and pleasure. We strive for all of our children to have a critical awareness of their own and other’s online behaviour, and use effective strategies for staying safe and making a positive contribution as active participants in a digital online world.
What are the aims for our Computing Curriculum?
● To be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology
● To be able to use technology and the internet safely and responsibly including methods to reports inappropriate material/content
● To understand and apply the fundamental principles of computer science
● To analyse problems in computational terms, write algorithms to create a process and then be able to debug them
● To understand and be aware that media, data and information can be manipulated in a variety of ways
At Stanton Road, lessons are designed to be fun and engaging, and meet all requirements of the National Curriculum for Computing. The National Centre for Computer Education (NCCE) ‘Teach Computing Curriculum’ Units of work are our vehicle for delivering the three main areas of our Computing Curriculum: Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology. The units provide clear planning documents and excellent supporting materials for teachers, as well as plentiful opportunities for children to apply their new knowledge and skills in bespoke, creative tasks.
To deliver high quality and relevant internet safety lessons, Project EVOLVE resources are delivered.
The curriculum is organised with the intent to build on prior learning year-on-year, in order to secure children’s knowledge and understanding of key concepts and skills in each area. Units are progressive ensuring skills and knowledge can be built upon and embedded, whilst the level of challenge and complexity of tasks develop. As a result of our carefully constructed curriculum, children are expected to make good progress in their understanding and application of computing, including applying what they have learnt beyond the classroom. Every half term, a unit of e-safety is taught, at an age appropriate level using relevant and appropriate materials to promote discussion.
By building on their knowledge of computer science and how digital systems work, children are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Our computing curriculum 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.
At Stanton Road, children record their learning in a variety of ways, which is recorded within their whole class computing books or in class/pupil folders on our system. Evidence of the learning is dependent on the lesson outcome, year group and the knowledge and skills being developed. This can be in the form of: shared learning folders, posters, photographs of practical activities/use of programs and speech bubble comments relating the learning.
Assessment
Teachers assess children’s learning throughout each lesson to ensure understanding of skills and knowledge before building onto future learning. Teachers use a range of questioning and retrieval practice to assess children against the aims of the lesson. In addition, children will also complete end point assessments at the end of each unit to assess their declarative and procedural knowledge.
Curriculum Champions
The Computing curriculum champion will conduct regular evaluations of our Computing Curriculum, which include lesson drop ins, pupil panels and book looks to measure the impact of our teaching, by assessing whether our children know more and can remember more.