King William Street CE Primary School

  1. Curriculum
  2. Computing

Computing

Computing learning is practical, relevant and progressive. Computing helps prepare children for the advancing digital world whilst also educating children how to be responsible digital citizens.   Computing is taught in planned and arranged blocks, which where possible link to the topic. Pupils are given opportunities to build on skills taught in previous years and apply in practical ways. Within each computing unit, the children will be taught the appropriate vocabulary and how to use the vocabulary to explain their understanding. The children are taught in 4 main themes Digital Literacy, Data Handling and Coding which has two strands to help children build on skills.

We build upon the computing learning and skill development of the previous years.  Our computing curriculum is carefully mapped out to ensure progression and consolidation using a small steps progression document and Chris Quigley milestones.  Children are expected to reach milestone 1 by the end of Year 2, milestone 2 by the end of Year 4 and milestone 3 by the end of Year 6. The milestones use the National Curriculum as a reference point but in most subjects are far more ambitious supporting our high expectations and opportunities for challenge.

At the beginning of every new topic teachers assess children's understanding of the key knowledge for that topic and this is revisited at the end of each topic.

Children begin using Purple Mash and move their way progressively through software which is appropriate to then use real world applications such as Microsoft Word and Excel to help prepare them for a life beyond the classroom.

Every class has a computing section to their topic wall, with key vocabulary for that unit displayed alongside supportive materials.  This vocabulary is re-visited continuously.

Computing learning is recorded in the children’s Topic books but there may be evidence of application in other subjects for example as a blog written in an English lesson. This might be shown in a variety of different ways such as tables, posters, codes that the children have written, graphs, annotated photographs etc.

Each lesson is identified with the subject heading of Computing and a WALT statement that is taken from each year groups small steps progression document. Each WALT statement is a small step towards the children achieving the milestone for that subject. These ‘WALT’ statements are then highlighted in the children’s books and the attainment is then recorded on the Computing part Target Tracker.