COMPUTING AT GOLDSTONE
Intent
At Goldstone we intend that children should master computing to such an extent that they can go on to have careers within computing and make use of their skills effectively in their everyday lives, without being completely reliant on technology. Our children will be taught to use technology responsibly and carefully, being mindful of how their behaviour, words and actions can affect others. Our children will be taught computing in a way that ensures progression of skills, and follows a sequence to build on previous learning. This achieved through following the 'Teach Computing' scheme from 'The National Centre for Computing Education' (NCCE), funded by Department for Education https://teachcomputing.org/ . Our children will gain experience and skills of a wide range of technology in a way that will enhance their learning opportunities, enabling them to use technology across a range of subjects to be creative and solve problems, ensuring they make progress.
Implementation
As mentioned above we follow the broad and balanced computing curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners from the NCCE. We want to ensure that computing is embedded in our whole school curriculum and that opportunities for enhancing learning by using technology are always taken:
- All classes have a scheduled computing lesson each week though may be taught computing alongside other curriculum subjects in a cross-curricular way at some points in the year.
- Children’s work will be stored on their personal, private goldstoneprimary.org, Google Drive for reference, sharing and assessment.
- We provide opportunities for children to become digital leaders.
- We run coding clubs in both key stages.
- As computing evolves, we regularly invest in new technology to enhance teaching and learning.
Impact
Our children enjoy and value computing and know why they are doing things, not just how. Children will understand and appreciate the value of computing in the context of their personal wellbeing and the technological, creative and cultural industries and their many career opportunities.
Progress in computing is demonstrated through regularly reviewing and scrutinising children’s work by class teachers, in accordance with our computing assessment policy to ensure that progression of skills is taking place. This is achieved by:
- Assessing pupils’ work, especially over time as they gain skills and knowledge.
- Observing how they perform in lessons.
- Assessing whole class at end of each lesson through ‘thumbs up/down’.
- End of unit assessments.
- Talking to them about what they know (pupil voice).
- Planning scrutinies.
The computing curriculum will contribute to children’s personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. This would be seen in them being able to talk confidently about their work, and sharing their work with others. Progress will be shown through outcomes, pupil voice and digital and paper records of the processes leading to them.
Additional information
In addition this, computing at Goldstone Primary includes:
DB Primary – our own virtual learning environment that includes a secure web-space for every child in which they can learn to interact safely within the digital school community and access a rich digital curriculum.
Google Suite - children use their own personal google accounts to login and use a Google's suite of apps.
Mobile Technology – we have a bank of over 80 iPads in addition to 2 full class sets of Chromebooks that are timetabled for use throughout the school to deliver computing lessons when required.
Digital Leaders – a group of children from Year 6 who applied for the position, that run digital events including online safety, coding and control technology within school.
Online safety events – annual e-safety workshops for children, parents and professionals presented in collaboration with external partners including www.safety-net.org.uk and www.saferinternet.org.uk.
