Computing
Intent
Our overall intention is to nurture and develop our six qualities of learning which enable all children to shine…for life! We nurture and encourage creative, kind and resilient learners who are reflective, inquisitive and determined in all they do. Our intention is for learners at St Levan to know more and remember more in computing by experimenting with coding, learning about different systems and learning ways to stay safe on the internet.
To think like computer scientists, learners at St Levan focus on our three subject specific characteristics which are:
Coding
- I can code
Systems
- I know how to use systems efficiently to achieve a goal
Safe
- I know ways to keep myself safe online
These three characteristics are woven throughout our computing curriculum and are built upon as children progress through the school. This ensures that children acquire the skills and knowledge they need to succeed, expressed in concepts and language with which they have already become familiar.
Implementation
We provide an engaging, characterful and balanced curriculum for all.
Our inclusive curriculum is carefully planned to allow for progress for all pupils in our two mixed age classes. We recognise the challenges of teaching a progression within a subject to a mixed age class and, having undertaken our own research and consulted subject specialists and organisations, developed our own pedagogy and created what we believe is the best fit for our setting. With a commitment to the removal of barriers to learning and participation, we offer high quality teaching and appropriate differentiation to meet the needs of all. Using our rolling programme (see our Curriculum Offer page), we teach Computing through termly topics and focus on digital literacy, online safety and computer science.
Please find below our Computing Curriculum Progression documents as well as how we differentiate our curriculum for pupils with SEND:
Assessment
At St Levan, we use assessment in three different ways across all subjects.
Assessment for learning (AfL)
This assessment is formative, ongoing and informs classroom practice and future planning. Through careful observation, listening and questioning, teachers glean what learners know and can do and plan next steps accordingly. For example, in computing, if a pupil has used simple algorithms to control a sprite, an appropriate next step could be to experiment with adding variables to algorithms and adjusting the code until the desired outcome is reached.
Assessment as learning (AaL)
This assessment is about how pupils self-regulate their own learning and develop metacognitive skills. Through structured peer and self-assessment activities, pupils understand their own needs as a learner and reflect on their own next steps. By taking ownership of their own learning, this can help pupils to know more and remember more. For example, in Computing, pupils may self-assess against their WALTs and WILFs and highlight what they can do or do something similar against specific design criteria during evaluation.
Assessment of learning (AoL)
This assessment is summative, at the end of a topic and, in Computing, pupils will produce some sort of finished piece of work, for example, a simple game in Scratch which fulfils a set of criteria.
Impact
By the end of KS2, we aim for our pupils to be able to design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts. Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output. Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs. Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration. Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content. Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information. Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognising acceptable/unacceptable behaviour and identifying a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact. (National Curriculum)
Our Computing Curriculum is planned to enable progression and build on and embed current skills working towards the expected National Curriculum outcomes. Our termly assessments in Computing enable us to identify gaps and trends in the curriculum and pupil attainment. We also measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods: pupil discussions and interviewing the pupils about their learning (pupil voice), photo, recording and video evidence of the pupils' practical learning.