Computing

Computing Curriculum Overview

" Inspiring us all to create a better world"

Matthew 5: 13-15 " You are the salt of the earth...you are the light of the world."

At Holmer C of E Academy, we believe that computing is integral to all aspects of life and with this in mind, we endeavour to ensure that children develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards computing that will stay with them beyond their time at our school. Computing has the power to make a significant contribution to teaching and learning across all subjects and ages. The key concepts of belonging, choice and influence are woven throughout our curriculum and are therefore within the four strands of Computing systems and networks, Creating Media, Programming and then Data and Information. Within Computer, pupils are taught the principles of data and and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through coding. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use Computing to create programs, systems and use a range of digital equipment. Computing also enables pupils to safely, responsibly and respectfully access portals into the internet through the World Wide Web due to their understanding of E-safety.

Children begin to develop their sense of identity in the wider world and how technology can influence this both positively and negatively and begin to recognise and discriminate information effectively to support their development of cultural capital. With technology becoming an increasingly profound aspect of the modern world, the computing curriculum provides opportunities for children to broaden their horizons and becoming fluent Digital Natives. At Holmer C of E Academy, we combine the curriculum with a range of teaching aids to ensure children are motivated, stimulated and up-to-date with the computing and technological world around them.

We encourage children to aspire to achieve, where progression of both skill and knowledge is vitally connected throughout the school. Computing lends itself to many opportunities of enquiry and experience as children take responsibility for their own learning. We facilitate independent learning within Computer Science and Information Technology, enabling child-led study and application of skills. This supports children in mastering their own knowledge and allows a deeper level of thinking.

Therefore, all of our computing lessons are designed to enable all pupils to:

•   understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation;
•   analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems through debugging;
•   evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems;
•   become responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

All year groups are taught computing lessons discretely, yet sometimes, skills lends themselves to particular topics so teachers integrate themed days with a particular focus to engage and excite the children.

Computing - Intent Implementation Impact.pdf

All lessons are differentiated and children work individually, as a pair and even as a group on their computing skills. This means teachers plan activities that enable the objectives to be met whilst all children learn including those who will find the objective challenging, through hard work and support will secure good progress and those children who can tackle extra stretch and challenge in this subject. The following is a guide to help you understand your child’s progression through school. The computing curriculum can be broken down further into the following areas:

DfE Recommended Apps for Early Years

The six apps are:

Lingumi (For two- to five-year-olds): Sets of learning games, speech recognition games and video-based games to help with a child’s grammar and getting them speaking their first words early on.
Kaligo (For three- to five-year-olds): Claims to be the first digital handwriting exercise book using a stylus and tablet, built using AI and co-created with teachers, occupational therapists and neuroscientists (pictured above).
Phonics Hero (For school-aged children): Over 850 fun, varied and motivating games take a child step-by-step through the 44 sounds, the reading and spelling of words, and how to conquer sentences.
Teach Your Monster to Read (For school-aged children): Covers the first two years of learning to read, from matching letters and sounds to enjoying little books, designed in collaboration with leading academics.
Navigo Game (For school-aged children): Focuses on developing skills that underpin reading, including phonics, letters and sounds, designed by UCL Institute of Education and Fish in a Bottle.
Fonetti (For school-aged children): The world’s first ‘Listening Bookshop’ interacting with children by giving visual cues in real-time as they read aloud and highlighting where the most support is needed