Computing

Computing at Whiteley Primary School

At Whiteley Primary, we aim for children to become confident, respectful and responsible users of technology. In a digital world, children will need the experience and skills to make use of a wide variety of different types of technology, and one of our key aims is that children should know when it is appropriate to use different devices and for what purpose. Children are taught about the importance of keeping safe online throughout their time at school, both in computing lessons where appropriate, and during PDL sessions.

The computing curriculum at Whiteley Primary School from reception to year six is based on the national curriculum objectives for computing. These objectives are organised into 3 broad areas: Digital Literacy and E-Safety, Information Technology and Computing Science. Each year group, from year one to year six, will cover the objectives in all of these areas. Units are arranged and planned in such a way as to allow children to revisit key principles and develop and deepen their understanding as they progress through the school.

Computing is not statutory for reception children but we do introduce it, to both prepare them for key stage 1 and also because it allows the children to better understand the technology they will be using in their first year of school.

Through the teaching of computer programming, children will be encouraged to think creatively, plan and iterate on their designs. Using Logo, Scratch and Crumble, children will develop their understanding of algorithms, starting with simple sequencing and progressing on to the use of repetition, selection and variables by the end of year six. Whilst programming, children will encounter bugs and problems, and we aim to give children the resilience and patience to solve such problems without giving up. Problem solving skills such as the ones taught through computing are applicable to a variety of different subjects and will stand children in good stead for the rest of their schooling and beyond.

Outside of the national curriculum objectives, there are many “core computer skills” which we believe are vital for children to grasp. These skills can be broadly split into two categories, hardware and software, and will be taught alongside computing units throughout the school. These skills can be found on the front page of our planning documents.

Technology plays an essential role in almost all aspects of life, and at Whiteley we want to make sure that the children have the opportunity to practise the skills they learn during computing lessons in other areas of the curriculum. This might include the use of Garage Band during music lessons or Crumble to make DT rides come to life. We believe that providing these opportunities is essential for children to recognise the way in which technology can be applied in real world contexts.

Whole School Computing Overview

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