Computing

Computing Subject Leader: Mr Dennis

Intent

At Langwathby C of E Primary School, our computing curriculum aims to empower our students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in a digital world. Our curriculum is designed to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking while promoting responsible use of technology.

We strive to provide a comprehensive and inclusive computing education that prepares our students for the rapidly evolving technological landscape. We aim to develop computational thinking, problem-solving abilities, and digital literacy among our students.

Our curriculum focuses on three key areas: computer science, information technology, and digital literacy. In computer science, students will develop a deep understanding of algorithms, coding, and logical reasoning. They will learn to create, debug, and modify simple programs, nurturing their computational thinking skills.

In information technology, students will explore various digital tools and platforms, learning how to effectively use technology for communication, research, and data handling. They will develop skills in data representation, online safety, and cybersecurity, equipping them to navigate the digital world responsibly.

Digital literacy forms an integral part of our curriculum, fostering a critical understanding of technology's impact on society. Students will explore topics such as online etiquette, digital footprints, and the ethical implications of technology use. We aim to empower our students to make informed decisions, respect online privacy, and contribute positively to the digital community.

Through a range of engaging and age-appropriate activities, including coding projects, interactive games, and collaborative tasks, our curriculum encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity.

Implementation

We follow a broad and balanced Computing curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. In order to ensure that our curriculum meets the needs of our children, we invested in the online learning tool 'Purple Mash'. This ensures that children in our school have a full and varied computing curriculum that is fun and easily accessible. The curriculum aims to develop childrens' understanding as they progress through the school and improve their confidence and independence with computers. Children can access the rich assortment of resources from home to continue their learning beyond the classroom.

Threshold Concepts

The curriculum that we offer contains specific outcomes for each year group in the following areas: Code, Collect, Connect and Communication. We call these four areas 'Threshold Concepts' and they ensure a full coverage of all areas of the National Curriculum for computing. 

The 'Code' concept involves developing an understanding of instructions, logic and sequences.

The 'Connect' concept involves developing an understanding of how to connect safely with others.

The 'Communicate' concept involves using apps to communicate one's ideas.

The 'Collect' concept involves developing an understanding of databases and their uses.

Using these concepts allows us to create our long term plans to ensure all children have repeated access to all the different areas in Computing.

All classes have a scheduled Computing lesson each week as well as regular cross curricular lessons where computing skills are embedded through practical use. We have 30 laptops which can be set up to create a suite in the classroom.

Impact

The impact of our Computing curriculum is that our learners develop positive attitudes about Computing as an exciting and enjoyable subject.  

Through high-quality teaching and the careful scaffolding of new concepts, we ensure that our learners become resilient problem solvers, with a solid understanding of the fundamentals of computing and the ability to solve problems digitally.

Our learners accept they will make mistakes and understand this can strengthen their learning. They are confident to ‘have a go’ and strive to independently 'debug' code to answer questions and solve problems.

Our use of the Purple Mash platform allows us to deliver carefully planned teaching sequences that demonstrate good coverage of our key threshold concepts, based on the National Curriculum. Pupils complete set tasks and hand them in to be viewed by their teachers, ensuring all learners make good progress from their starting points and that a high proportion of our pupils are on-track or above age-related expectations.