Computing
Computing Lead: Mr J Caswell
“Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or you just want to pursue a career in the 21st century, basic computer programming is an essential skill to learn.”
Stephen Hawking.
Intent
Computers are now part of everyday life. For most of us, technology is essential to our lives, at home and at work. ‘Computational thinking’ is a skill pupils must be taught if they are to be ready for the workplace and able to participate effectively in this digital world.
The national curriculum for computing aims to equip young people with the foundation skills, knowledge and understanding of computing they will need for the rest of their lives. Through the national curriculum programme of study for computing, they will learn how computers and computer systems work, they will design and build programs, develop their ideas using technology and create a range of content.
At Norton and West Chinnock, we provide pupils with a high-quality computing education which in turn equips them to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.
Implementation
At Norton and West Chinnock, we have implemented our Computing curriculum, through the following ways:
- Weekly computing lessons
- Lessons well-resourced through planning and equipment – i.e Bee Bots, laptops and iPads
- Key vocabulary included at the beginning of each lesson with definitions
- Progression in topics and across year groups building on previous skills learnt
- In Early Years, pupils are taught to recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They select and use technology for particular purposes – this is within the Understanding the World Early Learning Goal.
We teach computing using the 'Teach Computing Curriculum' which:
- Includes resources including lesson plans, slides, activity sheets, homework, and assessments
- Has clear curriculum maps and planning for teachers
- Is built around an innovative progression framework where computing content has been organised into interconnected networks we call learning graphs
- Is created by subject experts, using the latest pedagogical research and teacher feedback
- Has all content free to use, and in formats that make it easy for teachers to adapt it to meet the needs of our learners
Impact
Evidence of progression in computing learning is evidenced by teachers assessing the learning of pupils each session. At Norton and West Chinnock we believe that when assessing computing it is important to look for evidence of knowledge of understanding as well as technical skills. Asking pupils to talk about what they have learned as well as showing the work they have completed, will provide important evidence of learning.
Teachers use a range of assessment tools to monitor and identify progress, this includes:
- Termly assessments
- Quizzes
- Reflections and pupil voice in big books for each lesson
- Low Stakes testing
- Data
Please see these useful documents which provide an insight into the Computing Curriculum: