Computing
The Computing Curriculum at Brentfield:
At Brentfield Primary School, we deliver a computing curriculum which inspires our children to use computational thinking and creativity ready to become Champions for Tomorrow. The teaching of computing at Brentfield ensures that our children become confident and responsible users of information and communication technology.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, our young digital citizens develop a greater understanding of the world by recognising a range of technology that is used in their homes and school. Through experimenting with a range of different equipment such as iPads, laptops, cameras and mechanical toys or their own representation of real-life objects, the children begin to speculate on why things happen or how things work and interact with age appropriate computer software. Computing is an integral part of the continuous provision, allowing children to explore the world of technology through structured play. We promote opportunities for children to experience cause and effect which form the foundations for logical reasoning.
In Years 1-6, the teaching of computing is underpinned by the Purple Mash Scheme of Work. We provide our children with hands on learning activities, through the use of laptops, Ipads and interactive whiteboards, where they can practise and develop technical skills in real life contexts. There are opportunities to revisit previously learned skills and knowledge, building on these and applying them to new contexts; this supports our children’s retention and recall of key knowledge and skills. Computing is taught weekly through a discrete lesson.
All Computing lessons include the following:
- Recap of SMART rules
- Revisit of previous learning (skills/knowledge/vocab)
- Introduction of new skill/knowledge (this is modelled) and explicit teaching of new vocabulary
- Opportunity to practise the skill
- Application Activity
By the end of their learning journey at Brentfield, our children will have gained key knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum:
- Computer Science, which underlines the knowledge and skills relating to programming, coding, algorithms and computational thinking
- Information Technology, which underlines the knowledge and skills relating to communication, multimedia and data representation and handling
- Digital Literacy, which underlines the knowledge and skills relating to online safety and technology uses.
Online Safety
We take online safety very seriously and ensure that all our children are equipped to deal with issues that may arise in the digital world. Every year group is taught an online safety unit of work through the computing curriculum and SMART rules are revisited at the beginning of each lesson.
We have clear links with our PSHE curriculum to develop our children’s understanding of what it means to be safe online. Through assemblies, workshops, coffee mornings and visitors, we reinforce the importance of staying safe online, giving children the tools to enable them to work and communicate safely.
Brentfield’s Acceptable Use Agreement is shared with all children at the beginning of each academic year. Online safety is revisited throughout the year in the form of National Safer Internet Day and online safety assemblies/workshops.
The ultimate aim of our computing curriculum is to equip our children with a foundation of knowledge and skills, which they can build upon to become digitally literate and digitally resilient members of society, who are able to live and function in our ever-growing digital world.