Computing is important because as digital citizens it helps us to develop our thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills. It also helps us to become safe and responsible users of the internet.

INTENT

At Arno Vale, we recognise that our children are growing up in a rapidly changing digital world. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in our pupils’ lives. We want our children to become confident, responsible users of computers and IT, readily equipped to take an active, positive and safe role in the increasingly digital world. To do this, we have developed a Computing curriculum which is: relevant, inspiring and challenging for the children.

Our Computing curriculum aims to develop the Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy skills of our children to allow them to become effective learners.  Beyond teaching computing discreetly, we will give pupils the opportunity to apply and develop what they have learnt across wider learning in the curriculum. We want to develop our pupils as confident digital citizens who use digital technology effectively for a wide range of purposes, allowing them to gain skills that will equip them to belong to a world shaped by technology.

IMPLEMENTATION

We have adopted the Teach Computing scheme. Teachers adapt this scheme in order to reflect the needs of their children. The Computing curriculum is split into ten strands which encapsulate the discipline of Computing. The curriculum is split into four themes which combine the ten strands as shown in the table below:

For each year group, the curriculum is split into six units:

• one linked to computing systems and networks
• two linked to creating media
• one linked to data and information
• two linked to programming.

The units taught in our Computing curriculum are based on a spiral curriculum. This means that each of the themes is revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and pupils revisit each theme through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme. This ensures knowledge is taught and remembered.

Discrete Computing lessons are taught for one lesson per week or two lessons every two weeks. There are also opportunities to develop pupils’ skills within the wider curriculum. In addition, children are provided with the opportunity to use computers in other areas of the curriculum.  Key campaigns (such as Safer Internet Day) provide opportunities for children to explore topical issues and allows key knowledge to be embedded and revisited further. To provide opportunities to revisit and revise key concepts in Computing, each year group also benefits from a 20-minute practice time session, every 3 weeks, which teachers can personalise to the needs of their class.

Online Safety

A key part of implementing our computing curriculum was to ensure that safety of our pupils is paramount. We take online safety very seriously and we aim to give children the necessary skills to keep themselves safe online. Children have a right to enjoy childhood online, to access safe online spaces and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring them, appropriate to their age and stage.

Children build online resilience through the use of the ‘Project Evolve – Education for a Connected World’ framework. The framework aims to support and broaden the provision of online safety education, so that it is empowering, builds resilience and effects positive culture change. The objectives promote the development of safe and appropriate long-term behaviours, and support educators in shaping the culture within their setting and beyond.

Within each year group topics 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 

Online Safety is taught within discrete online safety assemblies in addition to PSHE, Computing lessons and Practice time. Online safety information for parents can be found by clicking the link below:

Organisation of ICT Resources in the School

To help with our implementation of the computing curriculum we have a variety of hardware available to all teachers, including 32 Chromebooks, 30 BBC Micro:Bits, 17 Lego Wedo 2.0 sets and 20 laptops. There are also laptops available for use by supply teachers and teaching students.

Each classroom and the TA base has a Promethean Activ Panel interactive whiteboard.

Each teacher and TA has a personal laptop with access to the server.

Each classroom has an Teacher Ipad. 

The school also has a variety of peripheral hardware including digital cameras, a video camera, headphone sets and splitters for the headsets, digital microscopes, data loggers, stop/go animation cameras and a time lapse camera. The photocopier has a scanning facility.

The hall has a fully integrated CD/DVD/Laptop/TV playback and recording facility and surround sound speakers. This is also connected to a projector.

Technical support is provided by our experts at Atom IT.

Impact

At Arno Vale Junior School we aim we to develop learners who:

• 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

We also aim to:

• stimulate, develop and maintain pupils' interest in and enjoyment of computing and ICT;
• encourage all teachers to develop an awareness of the ways in which ICT might contribute to the achievement of both their subject-teaching and their wider educational aims;
• encourage all teachers to develop their own ICT confidence and competence

Assessment within Computing lessons will ensure that pupils are building on their skills and knowledge over time. Predetermined learning objectives allow teachers to be mindful of the assessment elements within lessons and can help them pitch and plan subsequent lessons. Activities are included within lessons to give the children the opportunity to self-assess and reflect on their learning. 

All work is saved in each pupil’s OneDrive. Where possible, teachers set work as assignments using Microsoft Teams to enable the work to be easily accessed and reviewed by both the class teacher and the subject leader for Computing.

Pupil voice, subject monitoring and lesson drop ins also support provide us with valuable feedback to support the teaching of computing.