Computing
Computing at Woodlands can be seen woven throughout all curriculum areas. We use technology purposefully to enhance our teaching and learning at every opportunity. We use iPad publishing apps to design and create information brochures, such as on The Great Fire of London in KS1 or desktop publishing software in KS2 for work on the Egyptians. We use some database software to store and collate the information we find on rivers in Geography. We practise our times tables by participating in online tournaments or developing our spelling strategies through spelling competitions. We even use data loggers to help us conduct experiments in Science and iPad imaging applications to edit and improve digital media.
As Computer Scientists, the children are encouraged to think about and approach all sorts of problems creatively, breaking them down and working collaboratively to find solutions.
Computing Progression and Skills Document
Our Vision for Computing
At Woodlands, our vision for the computing curriculum is to equip children with the knowledge and skills necessary to fully participate in a rapidly changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology.
Intent
Computers are changing the lives of everyone, and we aim to offer our children a broad and balanced curriculum that prepares them to use 'computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world'. We intend to provide opportunities for Woodlands children to be creators and not just consumers of technology.
We aim to equip pupils with cultural capital, preparing children with the essential technical knowledge and skills for what comes next. The exploration of new skills and experiences helps to nurture resilience, curiosity and creativity. Through this journey, children develop new forms of cultural capital that make a difference in individual mindsets, which consequently shapes their future.
Implementation
The Computing Curriculum is divided into three broad areas; Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology.
Early in the autumn term at Woodlands, we put Computer Science into context and made the study of computers relevant to the children. During this term, the children will consider what computers are, why they are so important and how they work, which leads to the introduction of algorithms and computer programming. The study of computer programming or coding work is ongoing throughout the year as children work at their own pace through a set program of age- and ability-appropriate activities.
Online Safety is a crucial safeguarding issue. Ensuring that our children are Digitally Literate and understand how to use technology responsibly and safely is paramount to us and run a whole school focus to coincide with International Internet Safety Day.
Impact
We believe children will learn to use technology more effectively if they are doing something creative. They will use various hardware, software packages, apps and technologies to enhance and facilitate their learning across the whole school curriculum. This approach to our Information Technology provision means that our children learn to use technology purposefully. For example, how to create a graph for a Maths or a Science project, or perhaps how to use green screen technology to present a weather forecast in Geography. We see technology as pivotal in our school, and to this end, opportunities to use computers and technology are not confined to any one lesson in computing. Instead, they are interwoven throughout the whole curriculum to support learning across all subjects. We actively seek collaboration and engage with outside agencies to offer a selection of planned enrichment opportunities so that every child, whether at EYFS, KS1 or KS2, will participate in a selection of exciting lessons and activities relevant to their particular area of study.
Early Years Foundation Stage
Understanding the World
Understanding the world involves guiding children to make sense of their physical world and their community. The frequency and range of children’s personal experiences increases their knowledge and sense of the world around them – from visiting parks, libraries and museums to meeting important members of society such as police officers, nurses and firefighters. In addition, listening to a broad selection of stories, non-fiction, rhymes and poems will foster their understanding of our culturally, socially, technologically and ecologically diverse world. As well as building important knowledge, this extends their familiarity with words that support understanding across domains. Enriching and widening children’s vocabulary will support later reading comprehension.
Computing programmes of study: Key Stages 1 and 2