Computing
At Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School, we intend to prepare our children to be confident and competent within a world that is heavily shaped by technology. We recognise that our children, like many others, are using technology on a daily basis at home and at school therefore, within our curriculum, we aim to develop knowledge, understanding and confidence to ensure our children go through education and beyond being able to apply the computing skills they have learnt in everyday situations. We intend for our children to develop their speaking and listening skills, within the computing curriculum, by using a range of different software where children of all ages can find, analyse and present information and further evaluate their presentations. We aim to develop independent learners who are fluent in their understanding of computer science by teaching them how to use a range of programs where they are able to design, create and evaluate their work using specific vocabulary. We ensure our children are taught the importance of safe internet use during computing lessons but also in our bespoke S.M.S.C curriculum. In every year group, e-safety is a key focus. We promote the importance of using technology safely and respectfully by ensuring all of our children have access to our key stage specific safe internet use posters, which are clearly displayed in every classroom.
Our ambition, for our children, is for them to leave us developing their digital literacy and being able to safely use technology and develop their ideas through information and communication technology, which they will be able to apply to their further education and future career to become masters of technology in the rapidly changing digital world.
Implementation
At the heart of our curriculum are our school curriculum drivers – Well-being, Creative and Critical Thinking, Outdoor learning and Cultural Experiences. The drivers shape our curriculum, bring about the aims and values of our school, and respond to the needs of our community.
Through teaching computing at Prospect Hill we equip our children with the substantive and disciplinary knowledge needed to participate in a rapidly changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology. Children will increase their substantive knowledge in computing by developing an understanding of how to safely use technology, how to be computational thinkers and how to program. This will support the development of disciplinary knowledge by allowing children to interpret and apply their substantive knowledge in the creation of original digital content. Computing skills are taught within context, using technology to both create and assist learning in all subject areas. We believe a high-quality computing education equips our pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing is embedded across our curriculum due to its deep links with mathematics, PSHE, science, and design and technology.
Our computing progression of skills document ensures that children are given the opportunity to use various technological equipment including: iPads, laptops and cameras. It also ensures that there is progression of skills and knowledge throughout the year groups. Teaching key subject specific vocabulary is a key part of our computing curriculum. The vocabulary children will need for that a specific unit are identified on the school’s vocabulary progression document for computing. Key knowledge (sticky knowledge) for each year group builds cumulatively year on year.
We follow the Computing National Curriculum in Key Stage 1 and the EYFS and Development Matters in Foundation. We use applications, such as Purple Mash to enable children to explore and enhance their knowledge in a fun and creative way.
Early Years Foundation Stage
- To recognise that a range of technology is used within home and school.
- To select and use technology for a particular purpose.
Key Stage 1
We teach a curriculum that enables children to become effective users of technology who can:
- understand what algorithms are.
- create and debug simple programs.
- use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.
- use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.
- recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.
- use technology safely and respectfully, keeping.
Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery takes internet safety extremely seriously. We have an E- Safety Policy that provides guidance for teachers and children about how to use the internet safely. Every year group participates in lessons on e-safety and children understand how to stay safe when using technology.
At Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery School, Computing is taught both as a stand-alone subject and throughout other subjects. It is a vital part of the National Curriculum, which provides children with essential life skills. Due to this, all pupils begin using computers as soon as they enter Foundation, with computers set up for children to use in the Nursery and Reception classrooms. We have a bank of laptops that all classes have weekly access to, as well as a set of I pads. Classes are well equipped with interactive smartboards and I pads which can be used by both the staff and children alike. To help teach computing, teachers use Purple Mash, which allows all children to have their own account to access games and activities to aid their learning. Teachers sometimes also use this to set homework. The variety of tools and content in Purple Mash means that children can follow their interests and develop their talents in a personalised way. All children are challenged to acquire a broad and balanced range of skills and knowledge through exposure to carefully planned and progressive subject content.
Online safety
Throughout school, from Reception to Year 2 we use the online safety scheme Project Evolve.
Impact
Children will make at least good progress in Computing from their last point of assessment or from their starting point in Nursery. Computing assessment is ongoing to inform teachers with their planning, lesson activities and differentiation. Summative assessment is completed at the end of each tem to inform leaders of the improvements or skills that still need to be embedded. Computing is monitored throughout all year groups using a variety of strategies such as folder/book scrutinies, lesson observations and pupil interviews. Progression in computing is assessed throughout each year group through the children’s ability to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study. We assess the children through
- Observing children at work during weekly computing sessions
- Questioning the children in relation to their programme of study in order to assess their understanding and comprehension.
- Assessment/marking the work produced by the children and discussion of their next step
After the implementation of this robust computing curriculum, children at Prospect Hill Infant and Nursery will be digitally literate and able to join the rest of the world on its digital platform. They will be equipped, not only with the skills and knowledge to use technology effectively and for their own benefit, but more importantly – safely. The biggest impact we want on our children is that they understand the consequences of using the internet and that they are also aware of how to keep themselves safe online. As children become more confident in their abilities in Computing, they will become more independent and key life skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking and self-evaluation become second nature.