Computing
"Achieving Together in God's Love"
Intent
Our aim as a School of Excellence, Creativity and Confidence, is to provide a high-quality computing education which equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. The curriculum will teach children key knowledge about how computers and computer systems work, and how they are designed and programmed. Learners will have the opportunity to gain an understanding of computational systems of all kinds, whether or not they include computers. By the time they leave Our Lady of Victories, children will have gained confidence in the key knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum: computer science (programming and understanding how digital systems work), information technology (using computer systems to store, retrieve and send information) and digital literacy. As a School of Virtues we will help children in digital literacy sessions to evaluate digital content and use technology safely and respectfully. The objectives within each strand support the development of learning across the key stages, ensuring a solid grounding for future learning and beyond.
As a School of Love and Opportunity, we believe that all learning should be adapted to the needs of all children (SEN, EAL, more able, disadvantaged) and that the curriculum should be carefully planned to take account of everyone in the class so that all can succeed.
Implementation
In key stage 1 computing is taught throughout the year in either discrete lessons or through a cross curricular approach.
In key stage 2 computing is taught in units across each term. . This ensures children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills within these. Teachers use Purple Mash as a starting point for the planning of their computing lessons, which are often richly linked to engaging contexts in other subjects and topics. Knowledge and skills are mapped across each topic and year group to ensure systematic progression. We have a class sets of ipads and two sets of chromebooks to ensure that all year groups have the opportunity to use a range of devices and programs for many purposes across the wider curriculum, as well as in discrete computing lessons. Employing cross-curricular links motivates pupils and supports them to make connections and remember the steps they have been taught.
Every child has a google log in and uses google classrooms for homework and remote learning.
Impact
Our approach to the curriculum results in a fun, engaging, and high-quality computing education. The quality of children’s learning is evident within their files, a digital platform where pupils save and evaluate their own work, as well as that of their peers. Evidence such as this is used to feed into teachers’ future planning, and as a topic-based approach continues to be developed, teachers are able to revisit misconceptions and knowledge gaps in computing when teaching other curriculum areas. This supports varied paces of learning and ensures all pupils make good progress.
Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed in our computing lessons equip pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces. From research methods, use of presentation and creative tools and critical thinking, computing at Our Lady of Victories gives children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives.
Please click here to see our Computing Long Term Plans to see what your children will be learning and when.
Our Computing Learning
