Computing at All Saints’ allows children to be creative and explore their world for using technology safely

Intent: our aspirations for children confident to work with technology at All Saints'!

As with all subjects taught at All Saints', our school vision and school values are at the heart of our computing curriculum.

The National Curriculum for Computing aims to ensure that all children: 

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

Computing has deep links with maths, science and design technology, and provides insights into artificial systems. Computing also supports children to 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 world. 

At All Saints' we value the contributions that those with expertise in this field bring to learning for children. As such, all children, from year 2 to year 6, are taught computing by Technola, a forward thinking educational provider that specialises in technology. Our aim here is to ensure that we are providing a quality computing learning experience, with access to a wide range of technological devices that as a school we would otherwise be unable to provide. In reception, we ensure children are given plenty of opportunities to engage with using various technological devices and programmes, exploring a wide range of ways in technology is used. In year 1, we use the Teach First Computing scheme of work, to ensure that these early experiences and learning in computing support future learning delivered by Technola. We have worked with Technola to ensure that there is progression from reception and year 1, into and across year 2 to year 6. 

Each half term, years 1 to 6 are offered the opportunity to take part in an after school club led by Technola which provides additional engagement with technology and computing, again, led by the experts!

Implementation

Computing is taught every week at All Saints' and is timetabled as weekly slot of between 45 minutes and an hour. Our curriculum map for computing shows the progression and varied opportunities our curriculum offers. We know that developing confidence and competence in computing is about more than the weekly computing lesson. Each half term, every class has a dedicated online safety session, which ensures our children are clear about how to keep themselves safe online. This information is also regularly shared with parents as we know just how much access to online material children have outside of school. Online safety key messages are revisited in PSHE between these focus sessions. We work closely with our local policing team, who deliver twice per year online safety sessions to our children, and more frequently if we feel there is an arising need. Children in years 4, 5 and 6 all now have one to one devices, meaning they are able to make use of technology to enhance and support learning across the curriculum. AT present, we have a bank of Chrome books available for the other year groups to share, but our intention is to ensure that next year we provide one to one devices for our year 3 children also. 

Impact

Pupil voice has shown that our children are finding the updated approach to the teaching of computing, which we began to implement in September 2023, to be having a positive impact on their view of computing, their engagement with computing and on what they know. We are excited to see how implementing a new approach to computing, led by experts, impacts on outcomes going forward. Watch this space for updates!