Intent

At Ellison Boulters, we believe that teaching a broad and balanced curriculum will enable all children to acquire the skills and knowledge to flourish and be active participants in the digital age. We intend to provide children with a range of opportunities to explore discover and learn about a number of programs and technologies.

Through these opportunities, children will be equipped with skills and knowledge in the three areas of the Computing curriculum: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy.

Computer science is the core of computing and aims to teach children the principles of information, and computation, teaches how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.

Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content.

Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Across the three strands of the curriculum, pupils will use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.

Technology is everywhere and plays a pivotal part in students’ lives and we intend to model and educate our pupils so they develop as respectful, responsible and confident users of technology, aware of measures that can be taken to keep themselves and others safe online.

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

In order for this intent to be achieved, the delivery of Computing and E-Safety is planned in line with the National Curriculum. We have adapted our Computing curriculum from the ‘Teach Computing’ curriculum, which covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. The scheme has been chosen as it has been created by subject experts and is based on the latest pedagogical research. The scheme supports teachers in their planning and delivery and caters for all children including those with additional needs. The curriculum provides a clear and innovative progression framework where computing content (concepts, knowledge, skills and objectives) have been organised into interconnected networks called learning graphs.

Each year, children are taught the three main strands of computing (Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology); the curriculum reflects this distinction. This allows children to build on and progress from their prior learning, developing their skills, vocabulary and understanding within each strand in order to be active, responsible digital participants who will thrive in the digital world of today and the future.

The National Curriculum for computing 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)

The Academy has identified key skills that are needed in order to access and achieve key objectives in the Computing curriculum. These skills are progressive and listed in our key skills document on the Google drive.

For the teaching of Online Safety, we use the ‘Project Evolve – Education for a Connected World’ framework. This framework describes the knowledge, understanding and skills that children and young people should have the opportunity to develop at different ages and stages. It highlights what a child should know in terms of current online technology, its influence on behaviour and development, how to get support, and what skills they need to be able to navigate it safely.

The areas of the framework for each year group are as follows: Self-Image and Identity, Online Relationships, Online Reputation, Online Bullying, Managing Online information, Healthy Well-being and Lifestyle, Privacy and Security, Copyright and Ownership.

These are covered throughout the year. Children are asked key questions relating to the topics and the areas that appear the weakest will be prioritised in each year group’s planning along with issues arising from the requirements of pupils and any need to address a particular area.

Our PSHE curriculum also contributes to the delivery of Online Safety along with Google’s Be Internet Legends scheme and National Online Safety (NOS) resources.

These resources are maintained, updated and developed on a regular basis to ensure they are effective and meet the National Curriculum objectives.

Impact

At the end of each unit, children will be assessed using key questions in line with the National Curriculum. These assessments will be kept and recorded in a central place and a judgement will be made on their progress.

Children will:

• Be equipped with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a digital world
• Demonstrate an enthusiastic approach to Computing
• Be computational thinkers
• Have gained knowledge and skills across the three areas of Computing
• Have a bank of transferrable skills and  knowledge ready to be applied at secondary school
• Be digitally literate
• Be respectful and responsible online
• Be able to apply their skills to other areas of the curriculum