Curious' and 'Creative'...we are all becoming 'digital natives' through computing.

Computing

Computing prepares pupils to participate in a rapidly changing world in which work and other activities are increasingly transformed by access to varied and developing technology. We recognise that computing is an important tool in both the society we live in and in the process of teaching and learning. Pupils use computing tools to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information responsibly, creatively and with discrimination. They learn how to employ computing to enable rapid access to ideas and experiences from a wide range of sources.

At Betty Layward Primary School our aim is for all staff and pupils in our school to become confident users of computing technologies so that they can develop the skills, knowledge and understanding which enable them to integrate computing seamlessly into teaching, learning and administration.  Computing is a tool to create greater efficiency, more engaging learning and to prepare for life beyond school – it is not an end in itself.

At Betty Layward Primary School, we follow the national curriculum for computing, which aims to ensure that all pupils:

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

Subject content

Key stage 1

Pupils should be taught to:

• understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and 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
• 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

Key stage 2

Pupils should be taught to:

• design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
• 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
• understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration
• 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

We use the Teach Computing curriculum planning, developed by the National Centre for Computing Education. Our computing curriculum focuses on a wide-range of learning outcomes such as coding programs and games, creating multimedia presentations, app design, stop-frame animation, digital communication and hardware/software interaction. The pupils at Betty Layward thoroughly enjoy and challenge themselves with the use of technology in the school, not just in computing, but across all key learning areas.

Each class has daily access to a set of iPads to support their learning within the computing curriculum and across all subject areas.

Students across the school are being introduced to coding through the use of ‘Scratch’ and ‘Scratch Jr.’ coding applications on laptops and iPads. Our pupils have created some very interesting, unique and exciting games and programs from this unit of work. We also have a bank of hardware, Crumbles and Microbits, that the children learn to program in Key stage 2.

Betty Layward Primary School has signed up to National Online Safety, an online platform that has training and resources for the whole school community. It has been developed in line with the latest statutory safeguarding guidance for schools and enables staff, parents and governors to access the latest information on every aspect of online safety. We encourage parents and carers to access the resources and training to keep up to date on how to support children stay safe online. Parents can create a free account to gain access to all the resources.

At the beginning of the school year and throughout the year all classes cover online safety in a dedicated lesson, and a school assembly. Children sign an agreement for Safe Internet Use. Online safety is then highlighted at the beginning of each unit of work in computing, and children are regularly reminded of the importance of speaking to a trusted adult if they have any concerns about anything they have experienced or seen online.

National Curriculum: Computing Programmes of Study-please click here

National Online Safety-please click here

No Pens Day Wednesday

Every year, Betty Layward participates in the UK’s ‘No Pens Wednesday’, which allows students the opportunity to learn and communicate ideas through creative technologies instead of the traditional pen and paper.