Computing

What does this look like in Computing?

At Our Lady and St Teresa’s Catholic Primary School, we equip our children with the skills and talents to become lifelong learners; and prepare them for a world that increasingly includes technology in all areas. We offer a curriculum that is aspirational, achievement driven and inclusive for all learners. This is achieved through the fulfilment of statutory requirements coupled with rich and purposeful learning opportunities.

Computing is an important, creative discipline that features heavily in our day-to-day lives. At Our Lady and St Teresa’s, we want all pupils to experience the power and enjoyment of Computing and develop a sense of curiosity about the subject; making links between different contexts and to be able to use technology in a safe way.
At Our Lady and St Teresa’s, we foster a learning environment that does not limit our children, believing all children can achieve in Computing, and we work alongside our children to secure deep understanding of concepts and techniques. We use mistakes and misconceptions as an essential part of learning and provide challenge through rich and sophisticated problems.

Curriculum Intent

Through our broad and balanced curriculum planning pupils at Our Lady and St Teresa’s engage with a variation of opportunities, in every lesson. We use the Kapow scheme to teach the fundamental skills and supplement with other materials where appropriate.

We aim for all pupils to:

• Become confident in using a variety of types of technology and use correct vocabulary
• Become proficient in the fundamentals of Computing (computational thinking, algorithms,, data representation and logical thinking ), develop conceptual understanding and make links between their work and how this applies to the real world.
• Be able to recall knowledge learnt and further it with new information
• Solve problems by applying their Computing to a variety of contexts.
• Understand and explain how to safely use a variety of internet-linked applications to further their learning and interactions for both social and educational purposes.

Curriculum Implementation:

Each lesson focusses on a manageable step of new learning, based on the National Curriculum.

What a typical lesson looks like:

• Anchor Task: a chance for children to recall previous learning
• Teach It: whole class learning of a new concept with examples of where we see this in our lives. Opportunities for discussions to gauge understanding and different experiences of the learners
• Practise: children use the new skill in context. This may be individual work or group work.
• Evaluate: pupils have the opportunity to consider how successfully the new skill was implemented and the effect on the outcome. They will also be encouraged to offer supportive comments to their peers.
• Context: work around where this concept is seen in the real world

Children’s own experience of technology, devices and computing concepts is taken in to account when planning and delivering Computing lessons.

Children have access to different devices, including but not limited to, ipads, Beebots, Chrome books and digital cameras. They

Assessment
The termly data drop on Bromcom is informed by the three assessment procedures below:

• On-going formative assessment, within every lesson, through the episodic teaching approach.

• End of unit Kapow assessments where appropriate
• Knowledge quizzes

Curriculum Impact:

Learners experience a structured learning approach and use a variety of devices to support their understanding of Computing concepts. They can use specific vocabulary to explain their work and that of others and articulate how concepts relate to our lives. 

Monitoring, Evaluation and Review

Our Lady and St Teresa’s implement a systematic approach to Monitoring, Evaluation and Review in Maths which comprises of the following:

• Learning walks and formal lesson observations
• Floor book look
• Pupil interviews
• Data analysis and pupil progress meetings.

Computing Rationale

The Computing curriculum aims to develop the key skills of computational thinking, digital literacy and an understanding of how to stay safe on the internet. The curriculum in designed to ensure pupils meet the attainment targets of the National Curriculum at Key Stage one and Key Stage two. We teach a rich and varied curriculum in all year groups based on the Kapow and Teach Computing scheme from the National Centre for Computing Excellence. We aim to develop our pupil’s skills in critical thinking and problem solving using a range of Information Technology. Pupil’s work both independently and collaboratively to gain the skills needed for their future lives and careers in an increasingly digital world. In addition we are working through the Quality Curriculum Framework to support subject development in Computing.