Computing

At Sheddingdean Community Primary School, we strive to provide students with a high standard of education in in computing that will equip them to use technology, computational thinking and creativity to navigate a changing world. It is now more important than ever that we model and teach our children to understand how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely. We want our pupils to be creators and our broad curriculum encompassing computer science, information technology and digital literacy reflects this.

By the time they leave Sheddingdean, we believe that children will have gained key knowledge and skills in the three main strands of the National Curriculum for Computing (2014). These strands are: computer science (programming and understanding how digital systems work), information technology (using computer systems to create, store, retrieve and send information) and digital literacy (evaluating digital content and using technology safely and respectfully).

Our knowledge-engaged curriculum enables children to understand how computers and computer systems (such as the internet) work, and how they are designed and programmed. It ensures they know what to do if they have concerns about anything they encounter online, and how to be safe, responsible and respectful when using the internet. Equally, our offer provides many opportunities for learners to apply their evolving knowledge imaginatively, becoming fluent and creative in their mastery of computing. The depth and breadth of our coverage aims to provide all our children with a solid grounding for future learning and the ability to become active digital citizens in the modern world.

Implementation

At Sheddingdean, computing is timetabled once per week. Teachers use units of work from the ‘Teach Computing Curriculum’, published by National Centre for Computing Education, as a starting to plan and teach their computing lessons. The key knowledge and skills that must be taught within each unit have been identified and carefully mapped to support the progression of children’s learning across the primary phases, building towards the end of key stage objectives from the National Curriculum.

Impact

Our approach to the curriculum provides fun, engaging and meaningful learning for all pupils, in which the children understand not only the content that is taught but the opportunities offered to them by their computing education, enabling them to become creators and change-makers in our digital world. The impact of our curriculum and the quality of children’s learning is evident in their work. Through cross-curricular uses of computing in other subjects, teachers are able to revisit learning in other curriculum areas.