Our Computing vision statement
Computing is an integral part of our everyday life and will play an immeasurable part in our children’s futures. At Woodnewton a learning community, our computing curriculum aspires to provide children with the skills, creativity and enthusiasm to live and thrive in a world increasingly dependent on computing. As computing technology underpins today’s modern society it is fundamental that all children gain the confidence and ability to develop their skills and understanding in this subject, in order to prepare them when meeting new challenges in our rapidly developing and changing technological world. Computing has links with mathematics, science and design and technology and offers insights into both natural and artificial systems.
At Woodnewton a learning community, we recognise the importance of a high-quality computing education that equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. The use of IT will enhance and extend children’s learning across the whole curriculum whilst also developing their social skills.
Our aims and principles
It is our aim to develop children’s computing skills, knowledge, understanding and capability through taught computing lessons and to provide opportunities for pupils to apply and consolidate their capability across the curriculum. We aim to provide excellent experiences in computing so that all children:
- Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.
- Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems.
- Can analyse problems in computational terms and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems.
- Are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.
- Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
In order to achieve our aim, we will:
- Provide frequent, high quality experiences related to computing.
- Provide opportunities for children to use IT capabilities to support their learning across all curriculum topics.
- Provide opportunities and support for children to develop their computing skills and computational thinking, which will enhance logical thinking, problem solving and understanding of their role and responsibilities in the digital landscape.
- Provide well-maintained, organised and up to date resources, which will support learning.
- Provide opportunities for teachers to further develop their subject knowledge.
The end points in our Computing curriculum:
Early Years:
In the Foundation Stage the learning experiences are planned from the Early Years Foundation Stage Curriculum and Development Matters. Computing is encapsulated in the specific area of this curriculum known as Understanding the World.
Technology - By the end of this stage, children will recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They will be able to make sense of their physical world and their community through opportunities to explore, observe and find out about technology. They will be able to select and use technology for particular purposes.
The children are supported through play and guided activities to progress through these milestones and achieve these goals.
Key Stage 1: Years 1 and 2
By the end of this key stage, children will understand how to use technology safely and respectfully and keep personal information private by having the ability to identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies. Children will be able to understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented in programs on digital devices and have an awareness that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions. They will be able to create and debug simple programs and use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of the simple programs. Children will be able to use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content. They will be able to recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.
Key Stage 2: Years, 3, 4, 5 and 6
By the end of this key stage, children will develop an understanding of computer networks, including the internet, and how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web and understand the opportunities they offer for communitcation and collaboration. Children will be able to use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly and recognise acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. They will be able to identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact. They will be able to 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. They will use sequence, selection and repetition in programs, work with variables and various forms of input and output. Children will be able to design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems and solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts. They will be able to use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs. They will use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked and be discerning in evaluating digital content.