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The Computing Curriculum- Intent, Implementation and Impact

Intent

At our school we want pupils to be masters of technology. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in students' lives. Therefore, we want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely. We recognise that the best prevention for a lot of issues we currently see with technology/social media is through education. Building our knowledge in this subject will allow pupils to effectively demonstrate their learning through creative use of technology. We recognise that technology can allow pupils to share their learning in creative ways. We encourage staff to try and embed computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible.

In order to do this effectively, we have chosen to use the Kapow Computing scheme. Kapow Primary’s Computing scheme aims to instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology and to develop pupil’s appreciation of its capabilities and the opportunities technology offer to create, manage, organise and collaborate. Tinkering with software and programs forms a part of the ethos of the scheme as we want to develop pupil’s confidence when encountering new technology, which is a vital skill in the ever evolving and changing landscape of technology.

Through the Kapow curriculum, we intend for pupils to not only be digitally competent but also to be responsible online citizens. The scheme enables pupils to meet the end of Key Stage Attainment targets outlined in the National Curriculum. Used alongside Jigsaw’s RSE & PSHE scheme, our Computing scheme of work also satisfies all of the objectives from the DfE’s Education for a Connected World framework to help equip children for life in the digital world, including developing their understanding of appropriate online behaviour, copyright issues, being discerning consumers of online information and healthy use of technology.

Implementation

At Milstead, we will be delivering the Computing curriculum through weekly lessons using the Kapow scheme. Children are able to complete the scheme using a class set of iPads and laptop that the school has available. This will be delivered alongside Jigsaw’s RSE & PSHE curriculum, which is being taught weekly.

This will cover other elements of Computing such as internet safety. Teachers refer to internet safety regularly in discussion with children when using the iPads and laptops in any areas of the curriculum as well as when discussing any relevant issues with the children. This is again reinforced during Safer Internet Day which is always celebrated at school where children will have an assembly based on internet safety and will complete relevant associated activities.

In addition to this, parents are provided with key age-appropriate information about how to keep their children safe online. This is available on the school website and has also been sent to parents at home.

The National Curriculum purpose of study states:

“The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, 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.”

Therefore, the Kapow Primary scheme of work is designed with three strands which run throughout:

- Computer science

- Information technology

- Digital literacy

The curriculum overview shows how the units cover each of the National Curriculum attainment targets as well as each of these three strands.

The progression of skills document shows the skills which are taught within each year group and how these skills develop year on year to ensure attainment targets are securely met by the end of each key stage.

The Kapow Primary scheme is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning:

• Computer systems and networks

• Programming

• Creating media

• Data handling

• Online safety

The implementation of Kapow Primary Computing ensures a broad and balanced coverage of the National curriculum requirements, and our ‘Skills showcase’ units provide pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferable skills. Where meaningful, units have been created to link to other subjects such as science, art, and music to enable the development of further transferable skills and genuine cross-curricular learning. Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as unplugged and digital activities. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.

Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust computing curriculum.

Each of our units of lessons include teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Further CPD opportunities can also be found via our webinars with our Computing subject specialists.

Kapow has been created with the understanding that many teachers do not feel confident delivering the computing curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression.

Impact

The impact of Kapow Primary’s scheme can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives and each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at the start and/ or end of the unit.

After the implementation of Kapow Primary Computing, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world. We encourage our children to enjoy and value the curriculum we deliver. We will constantly ask the WHY behind their learning and not just the HOW. We want learners to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and wellbeing.

The expected impact of following the Kapow Primary Computing scheme of work is that

children will:

• Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.

• Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and in their social and personal futures.
• Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy and appropriate manner.
• Understand that technology helps to showcase their ideas and creativity. They will know that different types of software and hardware can help them achieve a broad variety of artistic and practical aims.
• Show a clear progression of technical skills across all areas of the National curriculum - computer science, information technology and digital literacy.
• Be able to use technology both individually and as part of a collaborative team.
• Be aware of online safety issues and protocols and be able to deal with any problems in a responsible and appropriate manner.
• Have an awareness of developments in technology and have an idea of how current technologies work and relate to one another.
• Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Computing.