Intent

At Helmdon School, we aim to teach a computing curriculum which:

· develops children’s confidence and competence in engaging with a variety of technology;

· encourages them to belong to a world shaped by technology and allows them to gain skills that will equip them for life;

· seeks to engage and enrich children’s experiences in school and allows them to become confident digital learners;

· makes children aware of risks online and how to remain safe, so that they can use technology safely and responsibly.

Implementation

Our curriculum puts a clear emphasis on three main areas of learning:

· Computer science - how computers work, how to write algorithms and solve problems to eventually create a computer program;

· Information technology - how data is represented and managed on computers;

· Digital literacy - How to understand digital information and interact with it safely and appropriately.

These areas are divided into threads which are revisited within and across years:

. Programming

. Computer Systems & Networks

. Creating Media

. Data & Information

In years 1-6, we use the NCCE’s TeachComputing resources to teach computing discretely, where possible in separate year groups, and is timetabled weekly throughout the year. Depending on the specific skills being taught or practised, the children will have access to laptops and/or tablets and will on occasion participate in ‘unplugged’ sessions that do not involve any hardware. Information technology skills will be revisited and practised across the curriculum to enhance learning in other subjects. In EYFS, we use BarefootComputing resources. Digital literacy, specifically online safety, is woven into many of the discrete Computing units. In addition to this, we use the Project Evolve resources and Jigsaw PSHE resources to deliver the Education for a Connected World curriculum in assemblies and in PSHE sessions.

Impact

We want learners to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and well-being. We measure the impact of our curriculum using the following methods:

· Summative assessment tasks at the end of units, where appropriate;

· Formative assessment by teachers of children’s work saved onto their individual Seesaw accounts;

· Interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice), asking the WHY behind their learning and not just the HOW;

· Regular lesson observations, focusing on the learning taking place;

· Scrutiny by the subject leader of class Seesaw portfolios, often followed by dialogue between teachers to understand their class’s work;

· Annual reporting of standards across the curriculum, to track progress year-on-year.

Progress through our computing curriculum is demonstrated through outcomes and the record of coverage in the process of achieving these outcomes.