Computing Curriculum

“In 15 years we’ll be teaching programming just like reading and writing and wondering why we didn’t do it sooner.” Mark Zuckerberg, Computer Programmer and Entrepreneur

Our Vision:

At Rimrose Hope CE Primary we aim to deliver a relevant, engaging and high-quality computing curriculum.  To be successful and active participants workforce in the future, all of our children to be digitally literate and able to use a range of information and communication technology. 

We are also striving to embed computing and digital skills across the entire curriculum so that children have the opportunity to select the most appropriate and effective media and software to express themselves and communicate ideas and information.

The skills of a great computing student:

• The ability to collaborate, communicate and express yourself effectively by choosing the right media and applications from a range of information, communication technology
• Confidence and creativity to tinker with technology and explore ideas
• Curiosity to ask questions and the perseverance to want to know more
• The ability to make connections and links between learning in maths, science and design technology
• Resilience to be able to see the challenge of overcoming errors, bugs and mistakes as important and exciting steps to learning and discovery
• Systematic thinking to break instructions, processes and systems down into small steps
• Adaptability and confidence to transfer and applying existing skills and knowledge to new situations and technologies
• Being SMART online and having fun!

Our Curriculum

We will assure that the National Curriculum for computing is met by ensuring that all of our children experience a wide breadth of study that includes: computer science, in which children are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology. We see these 3 pillars of progression as being interconnected, rather than separate entities within the curriculum and knowledge acquisition in one pillar can affect knowledge acquisition in another.

To ensure consistency and progression across the school, from EYFS to Year 6, we use and follow the Knowsley CLC scheme of work. Units within the scheme are practical and engaging and allow computing lessons to be hands on. They inspire creative thinking and encourage the development of skills that will prove invaluable in the real world and as such, teachers strive to present our children with the opportunities to hone their skills and use them in relevant situations. Our computing curriculum allows our children to explore, observe, engage, solve problems and make exciting discoveries. It also stimulates collaboration and interaction amongst peers and between children and their teachers.

Our Pedagogy

Our computing curriculum takes a mastery approach. By which we mean children master key concepts before moving on to the next topic. Computing is taught as a discrete subject. Planning for learning carefully maps out the progression of knowledge and understanding, that fully covers the National Curriculum. Teachers are clear on the ‘key knowledge’ that we want our children to know and remember and this forms the basis of long-term planning for progression.

We ensure that this learning is undertaken in unison with a systematic development of all aspects of online safety because at Rimrose Hope we want to ensure that our children are fully equipped to negotiate the ever-changing digital world, both safely and responsibly. Here, we focus on themes such as privacy, online bullying and healthy relationships, developing and revisiting important aspects of online safety throughout the years, as per the computing progression map.

Curriculum breadth for computing outlines the core knowledge for each topic around which teachers have developed a coherent and deliberately sequenced curriculum to promote the development of children's knowledge and understanding by building upon prior knowledge.

Curriculum depth in computing allows for children to grow in their knowledge by first remembering more, progressing to knowing more which they can then draw on as they create, reason and explain their own works of computing.

Mastery and Depth

We determine progress as 'remembering more and knowing more'. We believe that when new knowledge and existing knowledge connect in pupils’ minds, this gives rise to understanding. 

We look for children, as their knowledge and understanding develops, to show that they can make connections, draw parallels and use increasingly sophisticated explanations which draw upon their computing knowledge.

The majority of children have sustained mastery of the content, that is they remember more and are fluent in it. Activities are planned for children to combine this remembered knowledge and fluency with the opportunities to create, reason and demonstrate their depth of understanding. This will demonstrate depth of knowledge and understanding. 

Vocabulary

The teaching of vocabulary during computing lessons is an essential component of our children's education and fundamental in developing comprehension, expression, and critical thinking. It is important for students to develop a strong computing vocabulary so they may verbally communicate about their own or others' computing work.

Based upon the work of Mary Myatt, we strongly believe that children who have a rich vocabulary are better able to understand what they read, communicate their ideas clearly, and analyze and evaluate information effectively. Additionally, a broad vocabulary helps children to develop their creativity and imagination, as well as their ability to make connections and draw conclusions.

Vocabulary is a key component of our computing curriculum. It is regularly referred to throughout all interactions. We provide opportunities for the children to encounter vocabulary through high-quality texts, all conversations, independent reading, being read to, modelled writing, listening to others, encounters on trips and with experts.

We use a number of practical strategies to help children to develop their vocabulary

• Knowledge organisers: topic-specific vocabulary will be sent home to parents on subject knowledge organisers so words can be discussed at home
• Specific teaching: where the teacher identifies certain words and provides direct instruction in word learning strategies (looking at root words, finding synonyms and definitions etc).
• Scaffolds: we use sentence frames and sentence stems to support children in their use of new vocabulary
• Practice: children are encouraged to use new vocabulary accurately within full sentences in their speech as well as their written work.  Ambitious or new vocabulary used by the children is celebrated by the teachers through verbal and written feedback.

Children will be taught to use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

At Key Stage 2

Children will be taught to use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

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