Computing at Yohden Primary School

Intent

At Yohden Primary School, our computing curriculum enables all children to develop computational thinking, digital literacy, online safety, hardware skills, knowledge of different types of software and when best to use these. We aim to provide high quality lessons where children can not only learn, but also apply their understanding to real life situations. Computing at Yohden aims to prepare children with confidence and knowledge to apply computing skills safely and responsibly throughout their later life. 

Our curriculum is designed in such a way to allow pupils to design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs, select, use and present data in a variety of different ways that are most appropriate for the task at hand and are able to use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly. We ensure that our children are taught how to keep themselves safe online both at school and at home. At Yohden Primary School, we also encourage pupils to apply their learning of said skills to other areas of the curriculum; developing an understanding of how computing and computational thinking is applied in the real world.

Implementation

Planning and Assessment

• Computing units are planned and taught using Yohden’s Long-Term and Medium-Term planning documents for computing which use guidance and planning ideas from the National Curriculum (2014) and Durham County Advisors.
• Medium term planning documents are used by teachers to plan lessons, adding additional provision to support learning e.g. SEND/GD learners.
• Teachers use the Computing skills progression document to support their planning and teaching of skills, knowledge and understanding.
• Assessments are made using the assessment tool - which staff decide whether the child is secure (+), developing (=) or emerging (-) against a series of objectives that have been covered and are linked to in the planning.

Teaching and Learning

• Each lesson to begin with a 5-minute warm-up / recap on e-safety procedures.
• Floor books to be used to build on prior learning.
• Floor books to contain a range of work from different abilities.
• Examples of final pieces of work to be displayed in class floorbooks. Children’s work to be displayed as a celebration of achievement.
• Key vocabulary to be used in all lessons.
• Prior learning to be applied across the curriculum. For example, if the children have learned how to use Google Earth to make presentations, it would be expected to see this skill being applied in Geography lessons.
• Computing resources to be used and modelled during lessons and to be used by children where necessary (beebot, purplemash, dash robot, codeapillars and Lego mindstorm robots)
• EYFS and KS1 Children to be given opportunities to learn through supervised play using appropriate computing software and hardware.
• Computing lessons to be delivered using MTPs provided by subject leader.
• Online safety lesson to be taught as first lesson in a block of lessons.
• Computing lessons will conclude with a 5-minute reasoning, problem-solving or misconception plenary.
• Computing lessons will be differentiated accordingly while offering rigor and challenge to all pupils.
• Verbal feedback in computing will address errors and misconceptions, offer additional challenge and give opportunities to code, debug and demonstrate learned skills.
• Correct use of standard English will be modelled, applied and corrected where necessary.
• Assessments to be completed using final pieces of work and added to the school’s assessment tracking system at the end of each term.
• Clear rules and routines will be put in place to ensure computing equipment is being looked after.

Long Term Plan