At St John’s we aim to prepare our learners for the future by giving them opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for an ever-changing digital world.
Our Growth Mindset approach allows children to take risks when being introduced to new things and explore using their own questions.
Knowledge and understanding of ICT is of increasing importance for our children’s future both at home and for employment. Our Computing curriculum focuses on a progression of skills in digital literacy, computer science, information technology and online safety to ensure that children become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. These strands are revisited repeatedly to ensure the learning is embedded and skills are successfully developed.
Whilst taught as a stand-alone subject, Computing is also valued as a teaching and learning tool across the curriculum. It significantly enhances teaching and learning in all subjects by enabling rapid access to knowledge, information and experiences from a wide range of sources. We endeavour to teach pupils to be selective in their choice of information sources and to understand that not everything on the internet is valid.
We are committed to keeping children safe online and teaching them to be respectful of others when using shared platforms of learning and socialising and to become responsible digital citizens. We support parents/carers to understand their responsibilities in this area through the sharing of relevant and useful information.
Our scheme of work for Computing is adapted from the ‘Teach Computing’ Curriculum and covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. It provides an innovative progression framework where computing content (concepts, knowledge, skills and objectives) has been organised into interconnected networks.
The curriculum is broken down into 3 strands: computer science, information technology and digital literacy, with the aims of the curriculum reflecting this distinction.
The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure all pupils:
can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation (Computer science)
can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems (Computer science)
can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems (Information technology)
are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. (Digital literacy)
Children are now more digitally savvy than ever before. We take online safety very seriously and we aim to give children the necessary skills to keep themselves safe online. Children have a right to enjoy childhood online, to access safe online spaces and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring them, appropriate to their age and stage. The National College provides us with constantly updated online safety awareness via National Online Safety.
Their lesson plans for EYFS through to Y6 are developed in line with objectives from KCSIE and Education for the Connected World. They provide us with everything needed to engage and inspire young minds to learn about online safety. Lessons are based on the 8 topics outlined in KCSIE:
Self-image and identity
Online relationships
Online reputation
Online bullying
Managing online information
Health, wellbeing and lifestyle
Privacy and security
Copyright and ownership
These schemes of learning:
offer a comprehensive yet balanced approach in addressing safety and security concerns, including ethics and behaviour issues, as well as digital literacy skills
provide child-centred, media-rich lesson materials that emphasize skill building, critical thinking, ethical discussion, media creation, and decision making
address the whole community by providing materials to educate parents and families about digital citizenship
provide additional resources and links and suggestions for curriculum opportunities
In addition to these schemes, we take part in activities which support Internet Safety Day and Anti-Bullying Week
To work alongside implementation of the computing curriculum we have a variety of hardware available to all staff and pupils, including:
A set of 15 laptops per classroom
3 sets of tablets, one for each Key Stage
A class set of Hue digital cameras
Dedicated teaching PC
Laptops for all teaching staff
Group sets of log boxes
A class set of Beebots and Probots
An interactive board per classroom and additional interactive boards in withdrawal spaces
All children in KS2 are provided with Microsoft OneDrive accounts and home leaning can be accessed in school and remotely.
All children are provided with password cards to enable independent access to remote learning platforms and ensure password security.
Technical support is provided by our experts at the F1 Group.
Teachers use formative assessment to inform teaching and learning and in KS2, end of unit summative assessment informs progress and attainment.
As children leave St John’s to continue their educational journey, we endeavour to equip children with the skills to make them 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. We want our children to have the knowledge and skills needed to safely utilise the internet and social media.