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Bandon Hill Primary School

Computing​​​​​​​

Intent

Computing at Bandon Hill Primary School intends to develop ‘thinkers of the future’ through a modern, ambitious and relevant education in computing. Technology is ubiquitous and will play a pivotal role shaping and influencing pupils’ lives. When teaching computing, we equip children with the skills required to use computers effectively to enable them to maximise their potential.

We want to inspire our pupils to become active participants in the digital world through their thinking and their creativity. It is important to us that the children understand how to use the ever-changing technology to express themselves, as tools for learning and as a means to drive their generation forward into the future.

Whilst ensuring they understand the advantages and disadvantages associated with online experiences, we want children to develop as respectful, responsible and confident users of technology, aware of measures that can be taken to keep themselves and others safe online.

Our intention is to provide a computing curriculum that enables children to acquire a broad and deep knowledge whilst providing them with opportunities to apply skills in various digital contexts. We aim to instil an enthusiasm and appreciation of Computing via engaging and well-planned lessons, allowing children to use their skills to create and develop new ideas. Beyond teaching computing discreetly, we will give pupils the opportunity to apply and develop what they have learnt across wider learning in the curriculum.

Implementation

At Bandon Hill Primary, we follow the ‘Kapow Teaching’ scheme of work, which covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. The curriculum aims to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and understanding they need to thrive in the digital world of today and the future. The curriculum can be broken down into 3 strands: computer science, information technology and digital literacy.

Computer Science (CS) is the ‘foundation’ of the subject (i.e. the underlying principles that make up the subject).

Information Technology (IT) is how you ‘apply this knowledge’ and understanding to purposefully create and make things.

Digital Literacy (DL) is about considering the ‘implications’ of how you going about doing this. 

This scheme of work gives full coverage of the national curriculum for computing and aims to ensure all pupils:

  • Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation (Computer science)
  • Can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems (Computer science)
  • Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems (Information technology)
  • Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology (Digital literacy)

A key part of implementing our computing curriculum is to ensure that safety of our pupils is paramount. We take online safety very seriously at Bandon Hill and we aim to give children the necessary skills to keep themselves safe online. Online safety and responsible use of technology are topics covered in our weekly computing lessons, assemblies and during events such as Safer Internet Day.

All classes will have a scheduled Computing lesson each week. We want to ensure that Computing is embedded in our whole school curriculum and that opportunities for enhancing learning by using technology are always taken. All children are provided with Google Education Suite accounts and work can be accessed in school and remotely.

Impact

The success of the curriculum itself will be assessed via confuting regular pupil voice, lesson observations and skills audits. This will then inform future adaptions of the scheme of work and help to ensure that progression is evident throughout school.  

In order to demonstrate that we have accomplished our aims, pupils at Bandon Hill should:

  • Be confident and enthusiastic in their approach towards Computing.
  • Present as competent and adaptable ‘Computational Thinkers’ who are able to use identified concepts and approaches in all of their learning.
  • Be able to identify the source of problems and work with perseverance to ‘debug’ them.
  • Have a secure understanding of the positive applications and specific risks associated with a broad range of digital technology.
  • Transition to secondary school with a keen interest in the continuous learning of this subject.
  • Enjoy and value Computing and know why they are doing things, not just how.

Useful websites

https://www.busythings.co.uk/lgfl-login/

https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/editor/?tutorial=getStarted(Good for KS2)

https://www.j2e.com/jit5

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

With some of these websites, such as Busy Things and j2e you will need to login. You will be able to use your logins that you use to access Google Classroom to do this.