Computing

Intent

Our curriculum teaching of computing at William Harding aims to produce learners who are able to confidently and safely use technology to engage with the world around them and to promote a love of using information technology.

We aim to encourage all pupils to:

  • Understand how to keep themselves safe when using technology

  • Have the knowledge and skills that they need to take them forward in computer programming and computational thinking

  • Think critically and develop their problem solving skills

  • Explore everything that technology has to offer and to develop the skills to use it to enhance their learning across the curriculum and outside of school

  • Understand how computers are programmed

  • Consider how computers can be used to solve problems

  • Understand how computers interact with one another and how networks are managed

  • Develop a broad understanding of information technology and its applications

  • Access a wide range of different technologies

  • Utilise technology for research and to support their learning

  • Develop their understanding of how to use computers to present and organise information

  • Understand how their use of technology impacts upon those around them

Implementation

Our curriculum has been designed to both meet the objectives set out in the National Curriculum and to give pupils a chance to see a wide range of different applications of technology. Our work across all areas of computing builds on what pupils have learned in previous years and supports them to develop a deep understanding of the key skills. We plan our computing topics to support our learning in other subject areas and to ensure that our pupils appreciate the cross-curricular applications of computing.

The teaching of computing is separated into two key areas: information control technology and computing. In ICT focused topics we work with pupils to enhance their understanding of how technology can be used to find, present, store and organise knowledge, both in school and in day to day life. Computing focuses on the programming of computers and understanding the languages which are used to input and extract information from them. Our computing scheme of learning is ICompute. We teach computing once a week, for an hour from Year 1 to Year 6. In reception, the children have opportunities to explore and use technology through choosing and adult led activities.

Impact

Our computing curriculum supports pupils to;

·         Pupils will understand the importance of online safety, how to deal with situations which they encounter online and know how to access support should they need it,

·         Pupils will build their understanding and confidence with using technology and apply their learning to real-life experiences,

·         Pupils will understand how computers work and of how they can be used in daily life,

·         Our pupils will become powerful learners and will have knowledge and experience to become the next generation of computer engineers.

Click here for our whole school Computing long term curriculum overview

If you would like to find out more about our Computing curriculum, please email the office FAO Miss Beaney, Mr Irwin, Mr Fuller and Miss Toft.