Computing Menu
Intent
At Coalbrookdale & Ironbridge CE Primary School, we believe that computing is an integral part of modern-day life, and we aim to equip all pupils with the knowledge and skills required to thrive in a rapidly changing technological world. We want our children to be masters of technology and not slaves to it, whilst still recognising the pivotal part in our pupils’ lives that it will play.
By the time they leave our school, pupils will have gained key knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum: computer science (programming and understanding how digital systems work), information technology (using computer systems to store, retrieve and send information) and digital literacy (evaluating digital content and using technology safely and respectfully). We hope that due to regularly being exposed to ‘computational thinking’ in how to approach devices in a logical way, pupils will be able to apply their understanding to any technology that they encounter either now or in their lives after leaving our school.
Implementation
At Coalbrookdale, we believe that children should be using computers from an early age to help improve their skills when navigating and using devices. As a result of this belief, all classes – from reception to Year 6 – have access to Chromebooks and iPads. G Suite for Education is used for a variety of different tasks throughout the school for documenting and presenting work.
As a school, we believe that a clear and effective scheme of work, that is in line with the National Curriculum, is essential to meet the requirements of our children to enable them to flourish. To ensure that the pupils are being exposed to high-quality lessons, focusing on the skills and knowledge required to be successful ‘computational thinkers’, we have invested in Purple Mash. This scheme of work ensures that all key areas of the computing curriculum are taught and revisited during the pupils’ primary school years. This allows our pupils to build on their learning year after year, building on their vocabulary, knowledge and skills.
An integral element of computing at Coalbrookdale, is teaching pupils how to use the internet safely and responsibly both in the school and in the wider community. We have a Safeguarding Board who meet regularly, hold termly assemblies and share any concerns with parents in our newsletters. In classrooms, we follow the Education for a Connected World framework. This is taught discretely in every year group as well as being integrated into other curriculum areas. In addition, we have a whole school E-Safety week – which is usually held in February – where we study in detail how to keep safe online and positively reinforce the key messages with pupils and parents. This allows us to implement an effective and engaging approach to online safety while meeting our safeguarding duties as outlined in the latest KCSIE (Keeping Children Safe in Education) guidance.
As pupils move up through the school, their access to various types of technology increases and it stands to reason that their exploration and curiosity increases too. The positives of the digital world far outweigh the negatives, but children, schools and parents all need to be aware of various online risks.
Our online safety themes include:
• Self-image and identity
• Online relationships
• Online reputation
• Online bullying
• Managing online information
• Health, well-being and lifestyle
• Privacy and security
• Copyright and ownership
Impact
Finding the right balance with technology, is key to an effective education and a healthy lifestyle. As a school, we feel the way we implement computing helps children realise the need for the right balance and one they can continue to build on in their next stage of education and beyond. We encourage regular discussions between staff and pupils to best embed and understand this. The way pupils’ showcase, share, celebrate and publish their work will best show the impact of our curriculum. We also look for evidence through reviewing pupil’s knowledge and skills digitally in Purple Mash, Google Classroom and Seesaw and observing learning regularly. Progress of our computing curriculum is demonstrated through outcomes and the record of coverage in the process of achieving these outcomes.
