Computing Curriculum Design

Intent

The National Curriculum is at the core of our Computing Curriculum. Computing is a highly valued subject and has equal status with all other Foundation Subjects.

We believe that computing skills should be taught as a separate subject. We also believe Computing should be taught, developed and reinforced through other subject areas. Our children are growing up in an increasingly technological world. The ability to understand all aspects of computing is an essential life skill in the 21st century. This combined approach allows children the opportunity to practice and refine skills throughout their years at Hugo Meynell, building on the most important quality of Computing confidence. We aim to show Computing relevance to our children through planned access to all areas of Computing, including a range of software, the internet, e-mail and digital imaginary through the use of Ipads. We take the safety of children using the internet seriously and all computers are monitored so that appropriate sites are accessed.

We believe that high quality Computing lessons will inspire children to think innovatively and develop creative procedural understanding. Computing is a subject that provides children with the means of accessing the modern world and to express themselves creatively and practically. We want children to acquire the skills and knowledge of computing in a systematic way so that each child is able to produce results that demonstrate their achievements and be enabled to access the digital world. It is our intention that all children have a strong understanding of how to stay safe in an ever changing digital age.

Implementation

Our school curriculum is built upon the National Curriculum and our chosen scheme is Purple Mash. This was selected because it provides a clear progression of all the skills and knowledge that we are required to teach. Purple Mash enables all our staff to become more specialist and it enables them to access the subject knowledge needed to be highly effective in their teaching of Computing. All staff are supported by the subject leader in developing their knowledge and understanding of the Purple Mash scheme through a planned series of CPD opportunities. We are confident that the design of Purple Mash provides clear progression as it is a comprehensive suite of online learning tools and content, designed to be used by primary aged children in the classroom and at home.

Online safety is reviewed regularly and weekly updates are sent to parents and carers. Computing is not seen as a stand-alone subject, but it is incorporated into many other areas of our curriculum.

Impact

The impact of our Computing curriculum is that when children leave Hugo Meynell, they will have a love of computing coupled with a strong understanding of how to stay safe online.

The impact of our Computing curriculum is measured by how effectively it helps our pupils to develop into well rounded individuals who embody our values and carry with them the knowledge, skills, and attitudes which will make them lifelong learners and valuable future citizens.