Pakefield Primary School Computing Curriculum

Intent

Our children are growing up in a society where they are surrounded by technology and so at Pakefield we are passionate about ensuring that all children, and our wider community, are able to access this technology both safely and competently. At Pakefield, we value Computing as an opportunity for children to be both confident and ambitious in applying taught skills to other areas of learning as well as their wider experiences outside of school. Our goal is for children to enjoy their experiences of Computing through experimenting with a range of technology, developing their logical reasoning in the process. The curriculum at Pakefield ensures that our children become digitally literate citizens - able to communicate, create and express themselves through technology - and that they are inspired to use these skills to implement positive change in the world around them.

Aims

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

• 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.

Implementation

At Pakefield, we use Purple Mash to support our teaching and delivery of Computing and to facilitate the use of technology across the curriculum. From our youngest to our oldest pupils, this is supported by the use of real-world contexts and programmes to ensure that children can access technology in the world around them.

EYFS

Adapted from Computing at School’s EYFS Guidance

Understanding the world: children have access to a range of technology, both working and model devices, as part of their continuous provision.

Literacy: children have access to stories told across a range of media. They have the opportunity to sequence events in stories.

Physical Development: children have access to a keyboard and mouse to develop their fine motor skills.

Communication and language: children practice giving precise instructions verbally, linking to the importance of clear vocabulary and speech.

Personal, social, and emotional development: children understand how to use technology safely and what to do if they are feeling worried or concerned when using a device.

Expressive arts and design: children have access to painting and graphics programmes which allow them to explore technology creatively whilst working on their keyboard and mouse skills.

Mathematics: children have the opportunity to control devices to develop their understanding of left and right and directional language.