Computing

Computing Overview

Intent

Our computing curriculum is designed to progressively develop children’s knowledge of computer science, digital literacy, and information technology to enable them to safely and confidently utilise technology.

Pupils' growth of procedural knowledge in information technology supports them in creating digital artefacts, and in developing as active participants in a digital world. Our curriculum explicitly teaches how to use technology safely and respectfully, to critically examine content, and to recognise and avoid potential dangers online.

Implementation

We teach our computing curriculum through Purple Mash, a purpose-built platform which allows pupils to access and apply knowledge for each of the three curriculum strands in different contexts. The Purple Mash platform has been chosen for its focus on domain-specific knowledge and for its programming language, which allows pupils to engage with wider algorithm design not facilitated by other block-based programmes.

The computer science strand contains the foundational knowledge required to gain digital literacy, therefore, each year’s curriculum begins with a computer science unit. Computing is taught weekly in defined units of work: computer science, then digital literacy, and information technology is taught as the third unit each year.

The build up of e-safety knowledge, within our digital literacy units, is carefully selected for each year group to ensure that the delivery is both appropriate for the children’s stage of development, and substantial in content. Assessment in computing is an assessment of learning, rather than of final product.

Impact

Our high expectations and carefully sequenced curricular progression enable our pupils to build a large store of computing knowledge over time. As a result, pupils demonstrate a strong understanding of important concepts, vocabulary, and knowledge in all three strands of the computing curriculum and are able to make connections within the subject.

Assessing learning, rather than achievement, supports staff in quickly identifying pupils’ knowledge gaps and as a result staff addresses these knowledge gaps consistently and effectively using targeted lesson planning.

The learning of procedural knowledge empowers pupils to be content creators and critical evaluators, not just content consumers, and the rich progression of declarative knowledge supports pupils to remember more over time.