Vision

All children will leave Lynsted equipped with computational thinking skills, confident in their digital creativity and prepared to lead a life in an ever-changing digital world.

Computing Intent

At Lynsted, we provide children with a modern, ambitious and relevant education in Computing. Children are taught how to use technology in a positive, responsible and safe way as well as a tool for learning and as a means to express themselves. Our aim is to provide a Computing curriculum that is broad and balanced, encompassing computer science, information technology and digital literacy. In our curriculum, children use technology in a range of contexts including music, photography and art. Children learn about Online Safety to ensure that they feel confident and safe when using computers and the Internet; we educate them to know what to do if they come across something inappropriate or something that makes them feel uncomfortable

Implementation

In order to ensure that our children have a balanced curriculum which builds on prior learning, we use the Teach Computing programme. Units of work are taught termly and children have access to lap tops and ipads to access the curriculum. Teachers demonstrate a high level of enthusiasm for the subject content and their expectations of the pupils are driven by the subject progression maps.

The curriculum is divided in to 4 progressions with the teaching of each area varying per year group with some areas being covered primarily in KS1 and others primarily in KS2. 

Coding 

EYFS: “Children recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools.”

KS1: “Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital

devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions.”

KS2: “Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling

or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts."

E-safety 

We consistently update our curriculum in line with developments online and advice.

EYFS: “All schools are required to have regard to the government’s ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ statutory guidance.”

KS1: “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.”

KS2: “Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

Using Technology

Early Years: Children can identify key components of a PC and can save their work on a word document.

KS1: Children can recognise common uses of information technology in the home and school environment, and can use technology purposefully to create digital content.

KS2: Children can Independently select, use and combine a variety of software to design and create content for a given audience, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

Using technology in the wider world

Lower KS2: Children will use and understand simple search technologies. Understand how results are selected and ranked by search engines,  recognising that some sources are more reliable than others.

Children will have a basic understanding of what servers are and how they provide services to a network and that computer networks enable the sharing of data and information. They will recognise familiar forms of input and output devices and how they are used.

Upper KS2: Children will use filters in search technologies effectively and be increasingly discerning when evaluating digital content.

Impact

The implementation of this curriculum ensures that when children leave our school, they are competent and safe users of technology with an understanding of how it works. They will have developed skills to express themselves and be creative in using digital media and be equipped to apply their skills in Computing to different challenges going forward.

• The teaching of Computing is consistent and of a high quality across the school.
• All children have access to a high-quality Computing curriculum, regardless of their starting point in other subjects.· Children across the school are enthusiastic about their Computing learning.
• Children have a secure and robust knowledge of Online Safety and how to keep themselves safe online.
• Children will have a secure and comprehensive knowledge of the implications of technology and digital systems.
• This is important in a society where technologies and trends are rapidly evolving. 
• Children will be able to apply the British values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law and liberty when using digital systems.

Scheme

We use Purple Mash to support our planning and ensures we achieve the aims set out in the National Curriculum.

Assessment

Computing is continually assessed by the teacher and data harvested twice a year. Children’s digital literacy, understanding of computer science and computing skills are assessed. Using the unit assessment, the children are identified as working towards, expected and greater depth. Assessment in computing is purposeful and ensures that it informs future planning including vocabulary, pre-teaching and revisits.

Inclusion

Our Computing curriculum is designed to ensure that all children can achieve and make progress in developing their computational skills. To reduce cognitive load, concepts in computing are introduced in small steps and work is modelled so that children understand what they need to do in order to complete a task successfully. Children are able to use a tablet to access many of the tasks, thus reducing the need to use a mouse and accessing work on a device which most children are familiar with using

SMSC

Our Computing curriculum helps children to develop socially by learning how to respect people and property. They learn about how to behave safely and socially online and what to do about misuse of technology for example cyber bullying. Our children learn to distinguish between right and wrong and that actions have consequences. They understand that people have different viewpoints learn to develop tolerance. Children learn how to use technology creatively through units of work featuring photography, composition and animation. They learn the language to discuss their creations and reflect on their experiences.