St.Marys’ Catholic Academy – Computing Curriculum Statement

At St. Marys’ Catholic Academy, we want every child to be happy and enthusiastic learners of Computing, and to be eager to achieve their very best in order to fulfil their God-given talents. We firmly believe that the recipe for success is high quality first-wave teaching in Computing, which is central to the life of our happy, caring school.

Intent – What we are trying to achieve?
• Our principal aim is that children leave St. Marys’ Catholic Academy with a wide range of happy and rich memories in Computing formed through interesting and exciting experiences driven through vehicles that enhance a child’s awareness of their own abilities and strengths as a learner; thus ensuring that children see learning in Computing as an ongoing process not a one-off event.
• Children will meet the National Curriculum expectations in Computing, which will be taught by highly-enthusiastic qualified staff who will support children to develop mastery of concepts and inspire enthusiasm and interest in the subject.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-computing-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-computing-programmes-of-study
• All children will study Computing for 45 minutes per week in KS1 and 1 hour per week in KS2.
• Opportunities will exist for children of all ages to experience learning beyond the classroom. This will allow them to enrich their knowledge by, for example, visiting famous technological and digital companies or places of technological interest such as,  Samsung, Jodrell bank, Museums of Science and Industry, Birmingham Think Tank etc. to see how the digital world around them is changing and advancing.
• Children will develop a deep understanding of the subjects they are studying. They will increasingly use their prior knowledge to solve problems and develop the sophistication of Computing.
• Children will understand how Catholic virtues and British Values relate to Computing.
• In Computing, children will develop the skills to appropriately and safely use computational thinking and creativity to understand the changing world. They will develop deep links with mathematics, science and design technology in natural and artificial systems through problem solving activities.
• Information technology will be used to create programs, systems and a range of content at a level suitable for the future work place as active participants in a digital world.
• Children will develop a real understanding and appreciation of the world learning from the best that has been developed and said.  For example, the inventors of Microsoft-Bill Gates and Paul Allen; inventors of Apple- Steve Jobs and Steve Woziniak, the history of computing and how it affects Britain today inc Alan Turing (especially as he is the new face of the £50 note), Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace.

Scheme of Learning

Children follow a well-planned progressive curriculum which allows for appropriate sequencing and aims to secure long-term memory as well as enjoyment of learning computing. 

Implementation – How do we translate our vision into practice?
• The curriculum hours in Computing are non-negotiable and will be followed by all staff in the school. Fixed timetables will be set before the academic year and monitored by the Senior Leadership Team of the school.

*Opportunities to embed computing skills will be provided by the class teachers through their vehicle outcomes.
• Subject specialists from our partner secondary school, Painsley Catholic College, are and will continue to be integral to the planning process. This will aid transition to Key Stage 3.
• The Subject Leader for Computing will meet the Senior Leadership Team on a monthly basis to evaluate provision in order to ensure that teaching and learning in Computing is outstanding. Where necessary, staff will receive coaching and training in Computing.
• Carefully designed schemes of learning in Computing ensure consistency and progress of all learners.
• The three strands of computing – computing, Information Technology and Digital Literacy will be embedded into the schemes of learning.
• Vehicles drive learning throughout the term. Therefore, Computing is taught through the vehicle.
• Vehicles include guest speakers who are specialists in their field, trips to businesses, fieldwork to relevant places of interest, innovative use of technology to name but a few.
• Success criteria in Computing lessons are set in order to guide children to achieve their potential. This ensures work is demanding and matches the aims of the curriculum.
• High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. Spiral learning is a key focus of all formative and summative assessment with teachers actively marking work in lessons in order to identify misconceptions early.
• High quality input from experts and educational resources complement the delivery of specialist learning admirably. Children understand how Computing is used in the wider world including careers.

Assessment

Each lesson will include live feedback (as per the Marking and Feedback Policy).  Assessments will be carried out at the end of each unit (on assessment grids) and examples of work from 3 children kept in a folder each week.  Homework is not formally set in computing but children are encouraged to take part in enrichment opportunities such as computing club. High quality teaching responds to the needs of children. Spiral learning is a key focus of all formative and summative assessment with teachers actively feeding back in lessons in order to identify misconceptions early.  An assessment grid is used to formally record an overview of progress of each child. 

Cross-curricular opportunities

Computing is taught through the vehicle.  This results in excellent cross-curricular opportunities. For example, a vehicle focusing on health and nutrition will result in the computer lessons including vocab on the topic along with a spreadsheet to undertake or compile a survey on nutrition.  Additional opportunities, such as creating a graph, will also be encouraged in the vehicle.  This ensures that children are engaged and interested in the subject through the excitement of the vehicle.  It also allows for the British Values of tolerance and respect to be highlighted, understood and practised by children.

Cultural Capital

• Children will learn about the impact and changes in computing in the 21^st century, researching such figures as Alan Turing, Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace.
• Meeting and talking to guest speakers from industry
• Visits to places of significant technological interest such as Jodrell bank, museum of science and industry inspire the ambitions of children.
• Email communication with industry
• Video conferencing
• Collaborative computing projects are undertaking towards one vehicle outcome.
• Children to be exposed to computing in industry with such things as robotics in factories.
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  Impact – What is the impact of our curriculum on the students?
  • Children are happy learners within Computing. They experience a wide-ranging number of learning challenges in the art and know appropriate responses to them.
  • Through Computing, children deepen their appreciation of their faith and fulfil their God-given talents
  • Visits within Computing have enriched the lives of the children and they are able to discuss how the experience affected their knowledge and understanding.
  • Children of all abilities and backgrounds achieve well in Computing, reflected in outstanding progress that reveals a clear learning journey. Children talk enthusiastically about their learning in Computing and are eager to further their learning in the next stages of their education.
  • There is a proven track record of test success that reflects the impact of deep learning.
  • Clear outcomes focus and guide all Computing development plans and drive improvement.
  • Children are confident, resilient and actively engaged in the wider society.
  • Fundamental British Values are evident in Computing and children understand how Computing can celebrate difference
  • Through wider reading in Computing, children will understand the importance of computing in the world today and find out about key figures in the field of Computing. Through this exposure, children will produce work that is influenced by the best of the best.
  • Children will understand what algorithms are and be able to create and sequence basic algorithms, understanding how they are implemented as programs on a digital; and that programs execute by following precise and clear instructions.
  • Children will use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content and recognise common uses of computers in everyday life (e.g. from traffic lights, to smart tvs, games consoles, tablets and computers).
  • Children will be able to use technology safely and respectfully and know where to go for help and support. They will be able to use computer systems to find information e.g. an understanding of how to search the Internet for reliable information, using email and understanding about viruses/malware.
  • Children will develop digital literacy by learning how to use a computer effectively. For example using applications to produce a poster. They will understand how to use basic office applications such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel etc. and how to use keyboards and a mouse to select and use applications.