Computing
Intent
At Butler’s Hill Infant and Nursery School, our computing curriculum is designed around the four key areas, as outlined in the National Curriculum. These are computer science, information technology, digital literacy and online safety.
Our aim is to deliver a high quality, progressive computing curriculum to thrive within a technology dominated world. The computing curriculum is designed to ensure that pupils become digitally literate at a level suitable to prepare them for the next stage in their education, the future workplace, and as active participants in a digital world.
Online safety is at the heart of the computing curriculum, ensuring that pupils are equipped with strategies that enable them to make confident and safe judgements about their online activity at school and home.
Implementation
At Butler’s Hill Infant and Nursery School our children begin their journey with technology in the Early Years, with access to a range of technological devices and programmes e.g. IPads, Beebots, remote control cars, talking postcards, torches, metal detectors, interactive whiteboards, 2simple, MiniMash etc. Teachers facilitate children’s curiosity with challenge and model how to use the equipment carefully and safely.
In KS1 computing is taught in discrete computing lessons. Teachers use the ‘Purple Mash’ scheme, published by 2Simple. Every lesson in the scheme has an individual plan to ensure it meets the needs of all pupils. The scheme has been closely referenced against the 2014 National Curriculum attainment targets, in order to ensure progression and coverage. Having discrete lessons means that the children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of their computing topics. Where appropriate, meaningful links are made between the computing curriculum and the wider curriculum. Employing cross-curricular links motivates pupils and supports them to make connections and remember the steps they have been taught.
Impact
Assessment is ongoing throughout the year through teacher observations during pupil tasks, contribution to class and peer discussions. Teachers also use an assessment document for each end of unit to assess the final outcome of each unit. Evidence is collated in a number of ways. Work is collected in named school files on the server where pupils save their work, classroom displays/ portfolios and learning walks. The computing lead monitors the evidence through work scrutiny, learning walks, discussions with teachers regarding observations and pupil interviews/questionnaires. The computing lead also tracks the progress using the assessment documents to identify how many children are WT or ARE and any gaps in learning.