Exposing our pupils to the digital world

Through our computing curriculum, we equip our children to participate in a rapidly changing world where lives are increasingly transformed by technology. 

We use a high quality resource named Purple Mash to deliver our computing curriculum. This resource has programmes developed specifically to support the learning or practice of the key skills that children are required to obtain within our curriculum.  

Long term plans have mapped the curriculum to ensure that all areas of learning are covered and revisited throughout the key stage. Cross curricular links are made and programmes used identify where they can be used to support cross curricular learning. We use our own progression of skills, linked to national curriculum, which details the key knowledge and understanding to be gained at each stage of the children's learning.

The aims of our computing curriculum are:

• to promote enjoyment and enthusiasm for learning through practical activity, exploration and discussion
• to promote confidence and competence with devices and programs, including those that are unfamiliar to children, evaluating these analytically to solve problems
• to use new technologies to enhance learning across the curriculum
• to encourage children to choose and use appropriate applications with confidence and a sense of achievement
• to develop practical skills in the use of new technologies and to be able to apply these skills to the solving of relevant and worthwhile problems including the understanding and application of the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science
• to understand the capabilities and limitations of new technologies
• to understand the implications, risks and consequences of using new technologies
• to understand the importance of new technologies in everyday life
• to analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experiences of writing computer programs to solve such problems
• to be able to begin to discuss different hardware and software and its purpose for tasks with the aim of digital literacy.

eSafety is taught throughout the computing curriculum, through the digital literacy strand and through relationships education and health education, as well as assemblies and various awareness events throughout the year.