IT and computing
"technology is best when it brings people together." MATT MULLENWEG
Our Vision
At Westbury Park, our vision is for children to be confident and safe digital citizens. We promote safety and kindness as well as skill and knowledge thus enabling all children to be fluent in a variety of technologies that go beyond a computer.
Intent
Westbury Park Primary School's Computing curriculum aims to instill a sense of enjoyment around using technology and to develop pupil’s appreciation of its capabilities and the opportunities technology offers to create, manage, organise, and collaborate.
Tinkering’ with software and programs forms a part of the ethos of our curriculum as we want to develop pupils’ confidence when encountering new technology, which is a vital skill in the ever evolving and changing landscape of technology.
Through our Computing lessons, we intend for pupils not only to be digitally competent and have a range of transferable skills at a suitable level for the future workplace, but also to be responsible online citizens. Our scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of Key Stage Attainment targets outlined in the National curriculum and the aims align with those in the National curriculum.
We want to help equip children for life in the digital world, including developing their understanding of appropriate online behaviour, copyright issues, being discerning consumers of online information and healthy use of technology.
implementation
Westbury Park Primary School's Computing curriculum is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning. These are:
• Computer systems and networks
• Programming
• Creating media
• Data handling
• Online safety
Where meaningful, units have been created to link to other subjects such as science, art, and music to enable the development of further transferable skills and genuine cross-curricular learning.
Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as unplugged and digital activities. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils’ learning are available when required.
Knowledge Organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. Technology utilised as part of our ICT curriculum includes Bee-bots, Google Suite, Scratch, and a wide range of sound and video recording software.
impact
As a result of their ICT lessons, children should leave Westbury Park with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world. This should include the ability to:
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Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.
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Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and in their social and personal futures.
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Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy and appropriate manner.
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Understand that technology helps to showcase their ideas and creativity. They will know that different types of software and hardware can help them achieve a broad variety of artistic and practical aims.
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Show a clear progression of technical skills across all areas of the National curriculum - computer science, information technology and digital literacy.
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Be able to use technology both individually and as part of a collaborative team.
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Be aware of online safety issues and protocols and be able to deal with any problems in a responsible and appropriate manner.
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Have an awareness of developments in technology and have an idea of how current technologies work and relate to one another.
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Meet the end of key stage expectations outlined in the National curriculum for Computing
