We aim to prepare our children for their future by giving them the opportunity to gain knowledge and develop the skills that will equip them to live in and influence an ever-changing digital world. Knowledge and understanding of Information and Communication Technology (I.C.T.) is now, more so than ever, becoming increasingly important for our children’s futures: both in their continuing education as well as future employment. Computer Science, the ability to code computer programs, is an important part of literacy in today’s society too. When our children learn to code, they learn important strategies for solving problems, designing projects, and communicating ideas.
Therefore, our Computing curriculum focuses on developing knowledge in four key areas: Computer Science, digital literacy, I.C.T. and e-safety, to ensure that our children become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. Within these four areas, we cover all statutory aspects of the National Curriculum for Computing, with clear skills and knowledge progression throughout Key Stages One and Two - the four key areas are revisited within each school year and built upon in subsequent years to ensure the children have the opportunity to remember past learning and maximise new learning. Arranging our Computing curriculum in this way, enables all of our children, regardless of background, ability and additional needs, to flourish.
The core of our Computing curriculum is our Computer Science provision, which promotes computational thinking and problem solving skills, creativity, self-expression, collaboration and equity in computing. Our children are taught the principles of computational thinking, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through a block based programming language developed specifically for primary school children, 2Code. 2Code allows all of our children to take part in teacher led lessons within a child friendly integrated development environment whilst also allowing children with a particular interest in Computer Science to develop their own code, ‘free’ code, outside of school. 2Code is provided to our children through our online subscription to Purple Mash (https://www.purplemash.com/sch/yorkmead), along with a diverse range of digital content that the children are free to access and explore.
Learning about information technology and developing digital literacy, enables pupils to use I.C.T. to express themselves and communicate their ideas as active participants in a digital world whilst also supporting their wider learning.
Throughout our lesson sequences, children are taught the vocabulary related to Computer Science and I.C.T., which supports children in their understanding of the subject and gives them the tools necessary to articulate their learning.
Consequently, when our children leave us, they will be confident and competent computer programmers, able to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned; they will be creative computational thinkers, able to take a complex problem, deconstruct it and develop possible solutions and will therefore, be well prepared to access the Key Stage Three Computing curriculum. Furthermore, they will have developed the I.C.T. skills and digital literacy to fully participate in today’s online world safely.
Mr R.Eustace (Computing Subject Leader)
Computing_Curriculum_Overview
Introduction to 'Teach Computing'
