Computing
At Roscoe Primary School, we are committed to providing a purposeful and inspiring curriculum that fully prepares the children for their next steps in life, taking into consideration the significant role that technology plays in our society today. We want to encourage our children to become independent and resilient learners who have ambitious, limitless goals and grow up with the ability to use technology safely and ardently. Our computing curriculum provides a progression of skills taught through high-quality and rich learning experiences which enable our children to participate effectively and safely in this digital world, and will prepare them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life. Underpinning the curriculum at Roscoe Primary School are our curriculum drivers, which are:
Subject Aims
At Roscoe Primary, through the teaching of our computing lessons, we aim to ensure that all pupils:
- Will become independent and resilient learners who have ambitious, limitless goals.
- Make progress throughout their school life and are well prepared for the digital world beyond school.
- Be confident in using a range of hardware and software and understand and apply the fundamental principles of computer science.
- Use problem solving, logical thinking and self-evaluation skills they have learnt and apply these to the wider world
- Are competent, confident, responsible and creative users of digital technology.
Subject Content
By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to know, apply and understand the matters, skills and processes specified in the relevant programme of study.
Key stage 1
All pupils will be taught alongside the national curriculum, with the aim to meet the following objectives:
Computer Science
- Children can explain that an algorithm is a set of instructions to complete a task. When designing simple programs, children show an awareness of the need to be precise with their algorithms so that they can be successfully converted into code.
- Children can create a simple program that achieves a specific purpose. They can also identify and correct some errors. Children’s program designs display a growing awareness of the need for logical, programmable steps.
- Children can identify the parts of a program that respond to specific events and initiate specific actions.
Information Technology
- Children demonstrate an ability to organise data using a database and can retrieve specific data for conducting simple searches. Children are able to edit more complex digital data. Children are confident when creating, naming, saving and retrieving content. Children use a range of media in their digital content including photos, text and sound.
Digital Literacy
- Children can effectively retrieve relevant, purposeful digital content using a search engine. They can apply their learning of effective searching beyond the classroom. They can share this knowledge. Children make links between technology they see around them, coding and multimedia work they do in school.
- Children know the implications of inappropriate online searches. Children begin to understand how things are shared electronically. They develop an understanding of using email safely and know ways of reporting inappropriate behaviours and content to a trusted adult.
Key stage 2
All pupils will be taught alongside the national curriculum, with the aim to meet the following objectives:
Computer Science
- Children are able to turn a more complex programming task into an algorithm by identifying the important aspects of the task (abstraction) and then decomposing them in a logical way using their knowledge of possible coding structures and applying skills from previous programs. Children test and debug their program as they go and use logical methods to identify the cause of bugs, demonstrating a systematic approach to try to identify a particular line of code causing a problem.
- Children translate algorithms that include sequence, selection and repetition into code and their own designs show that they are thinking of how to accomplish the set task in code utilising such structures, including nesting structures within each other. Coding displays an improving understanding of variables in coding, outputs such as sound and movement, inputs from the user of the program such as button clicks and the value of functions.
- Children are able to interpret a program in parts and can make logical attempts to put the separate parts of a complex algorithm together to explain the program as a whole.
- Children understand and can explain in some depth the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web. Children know what a WAN and LAN are and can describe how they access the internet in school.
Information Technology
- Children readily apply filters when searching for digital content. They are able to explain in detail how credible a webpage is and the information it contains. They compare a range of digital content sources and are able to rate them in terms of content quality and accuracy. Children use critical thinking skills in everyday use of online communication.
- Children make clear connections to the audience when designing and creating digital content. The children design and create their own blogs to become a content creator on the internet. They are able to use criteria to evaluate the quality of digital solutions and are able to identify improvements, making some refinements.
Digital Literacy
- Children demonstrate the safe and respectful use of a range of different technologies and online services. They identify more discreet inappropriate behaviours through developing critical thinking. They recognise the value in preserving their privacy when online for their own and other people’s safety.