Intent
At Milton Mount we recognise the huge value and impact that technology plays not only in supporting Computing and the whole curriculum but in all of our daily lives. We understand this and we want our children to be digitally literate and active participates in our digital world. Therefore, we want to model and educate our children on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely.
We want our children to be creators and our broad curriculum aims to fulfil the National Curriculum requirements whilst also providing enhanced and collaborative learning opportunities, engagement in rich content and supporting pupil’s conceptual understanding of new concepts which support the needs of all our pupils.
At Milton Mount our aim is that our children understand that there is always a choice when using technology and we believe that children need to be shown and taught how to use it positively. We are dedicated to ensuring our pupils understand how to stay safe online and we want to model how technology can be used positively. We know that the best prevention for a lot of issues we currently see with technology/social media is through education. We believe that it is vital that we work alongside parents to ensure that they also understand how to keep their children safe online.
Our Computing curriculum aims to develop the heart and mind of every child. Computing teaching at has links with mathematics, science and design and technology and our aim is to provide a broad and balanced curriculum whilst ensuring that pupils become digitally literate and digitally resilient.
We want our children to be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of technology who know how to keep themselves and others safe. We encourage children to become problem solvers in computational terms and provide repeated practical experience writing computer programs in order to debug programs. We want our pupils to understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
Implementation
In line with the 2014 National Curriculum for Computing, our aim is to provide a high-quality computing education which equips children to use computing skills and creativity to understand and change the world.
Our Computing Curriculum is taught through the Purple Mash Scheme of work from Year 1-6 ensuring consistency and progression throughout the school.
To ensure high standards of teaching and learning in computing, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. Our implementation of the computing curriculum is in line with 2014 Primary National Curriculum requirements for KS1 and KS2 and the Foundation Stage Curriculum in England. This provides a broad framework and outlines the knowledge and skills taught in each key stage. The Purple Mash Scheme of work is a progression model that is broken down into three strands that make up the computing curriculum. These are Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. Computer Science underlines the knowledge and skills relating to programming, coding, algorithms and computational thinking. Information Technology underlines the knowledge and skills relating to communication, multimedia and data representation and handling. Digital Literacy underlines the knowledge and skills relating to online safety and technology uses all of which are covered weather combined or discreetly.
We recognise that computing is a specialist subject and not all teachers are computing specialists. Computing lessons are taught by our teaching staff with additional support offered from our Computing Lead. The Purple Mash scheme of work enables clear coverage of the computing curriculum whilst also providing support and CPD for less confident teachers to deliver lessons.
Lessons are broken down into weekly units, usually with two units taught per half-term. Units are practical and engaging and allow computing lessons to be hands on. Units cover a broad range of computing components such as coding, spreadsheets, Internet and Email, Databases, Communication networks, touch typing, animation and online safety.
When teaching computing teachers can follow the children’s interests to ensure their learning is engaging, broad and balanced.
Through our Purple Mash subscription our teachers can deliver thematic, cross curricular lessons that also follow children’s interests and provide flexibility. Purple Mash has an online portal of age-appropriate software, games and activities as well as topic materials and materials to support children’s learning in other subject areas for all key stages.
Computing lessons will also use the Purple Mash software to ‘make music’ using the 2Sequence program, design and make using the 2Animate software and make links with maths through spreadsheets using 2Calculate.
Computing teaching is practical and engaging and a variety of teaching approaches and activities are provided based on teacher judgement and pupil ability. We have a wide range of resources to support our computing teaching. Pupils may use computers or iPads independently, in pairs, alongside a IT support or in a group with the teacher. Teachers and pupils are also aware of the importance of health and safety and pupils are always supervised when using technology and accessing the internet.
Computing and safeguarding go hand in hand and a main focus of ours is on internet safety inside and outside of the classroom. Additional to all pupils studying an online safety unit through their computing lessons, every year we also take part in National Safer Internet Day in February. The Computing Lead alongside class teachers will plan additional internet safety lessons and activities to take part in following a specific yearly theme. Internet Safety assemblies are also held as well as parent internet safety workshops.
Impact
Our aim is that our children will develop the skills they need to safely use technology during their schools’ lives and beyond. Through the delivery of our computing curriculum children will develop the following crucial skills:
- Problem solving
- Resilience
- Coding
- Debugging
- Researching
- Digital creating
- Logical reasoning
- Interpretation
- Designing
Our aim is that children all children, including those with SEND, will leave Milton Mount with the computing skills that they need. Technology is ever evolving and we aim to develop pupils who can use and express themselves, develop their ideas through, information and communication technology at a suitable level for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. We are committed to ensuring that all children leave Milton Mount knowing how to stay safe online and what to do if they are in a situation that they don’t feel comfortable in. We will measure the impact of our computing curriculum through pupil voice, careful work scrutiny and comparing skills across the school to assess whether they are progressive.