Wold Newton Foundation School
Computing Curriculum
Intent
Technology is changing the lives of everyone. Through the teaching of computing at Wold Newton Foundation School, we aim to give our pupils the life-skills that will enable them to embrace and participate in a rapidly changing world where both work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by developing technologies.
It is our intention to enable our pupils to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information through the curriculum we teach so they are independent users who gain confidence and enjoyment from the activities they take part in.
We want the use of technology to support learning across the entire curriculum and to ensure that our curriculum is accessible to every child. By the time pupils leave Wold Newton, we aspire for them to have secured knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum.
- Computer science (programming and understanding how digital systems work)
- Information technology (using computing systems to store, retrieve and send information)
- Digital literacy (evaluating digital content and using technology safely and respectfully)
Implementation
At Wold Newton, computing is taught in both discreet computing lessons and in a cross curricular way linked with other topics taught. Children are then able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills and apply them in real life situations.
Teachers use the ‘Switched on: Computing’ scheme, published by Rising Stars as a starting point and they then integrate this with the keys skills across the curriculum. We have a computing suite, a set of laptops, learn pads and I pads. The use of this equipment ensures that all classes have the opportunity to use a range of devices in the wider curriculum, as well as in computing lessons. We also use software such as ‘Scratch’ where pupils can create interactive stories, games, and animation.
Impact
Our approach to the curriculum results in a fun, engaging and high-quality computing curriculum. The quality of learning is evident on our website where both teachers and pupils upload and share children’s work for a wider audience to view. Teachers evaluate the successes of the ICT taught and use a topic based approach to revisit misconceptions and knowledge gaps in computing when teaching other curriculum areas. The knowledge and skills developed in our computing lessons will form the basic foundations for pupils to develop their ICT in secondary education and in their future life and work.