Computing

Intent:

Computing skills and knowledge progression

Computing Long Term Curriculum Plan

Online safety Long Term Plan

Click here for a link to our internet safety page

At St Michael’s, our Computing curriculum aims to instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology and to develop pupils’ appreciation of its capabilities as well as the opportunities technology offers in creating, managing, organising and collaborating. We want to develop pupils’ confidence when encountering new technology, which is a vital skill in the ever evolving and changing landscape. We intend for pupils not only to be digitally competent and have a range of transferable skills at a suitable level for the future workplace, but also to be responsible online citizens.

We have adopted the Kapow Primary Computing scheme of work for our Computing curriculum as it enables pupils to meet the end of Key stage Attainment targets outlined in the National Curriculum and also satisfies all the objectives of the DfE’s Education for a Connected World Framework.

Implementation

The Kapow Primary scheme of work, which we have implemented is designed with three strands which run throughout:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Digital Literacy

We have a clear skills and knowledge progression document which shows the skills that are taught within each year group and how these skills develop to ensure attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.

The Kapow Primary scheme, which we use, is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills revisiting and building on previous learning:

  • Computer systems and networks
  • Programming
  • Creating media
  • Data handling
  • Online safety

The implementation of The Kapow Primary scheme ensures a broad and balanced coverage of the National Curriculum requirements and provide pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferable skills. Units link to other subjects such as science, art, and music to enable the development of further transferable skills and genuine cross-curricular learning. Internet safety is of paramount importance and as well as being included throughout our teaching, it is taught explicitly in an internet safety day each year, following our online safety long term plan.

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as unplugged and digital activities. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiation is evident in every lesson to ensure that learning can be accessed by all pupils.

As a small school, Computing is taught to mixed age classes in two year cycles. We ensure this is progressive in terms of skills and knowledge and that pupils have the same opportunities by the end of Year 2, Year 4 and Year 6 as they would do if they were being taught in single year groups.

Impact

The impact of our Computing curriculum is constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson in our chosen scheme (Kapow Primary) includes guidance to support our teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives and teachers use these to plan next steps and to adapt learning as needed. Furthermore, each unit in our curriculum includes a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which is used at the start and/ or end of the unit to assess children’s knowledge and skills as they progress.

Following the implementation of our Computing curriculum, pupils should leave St Michael’s equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world.