Computing at Northfield Junior School

1.  Rationale:  Why do our pupils learn about Computing?

1.1:        Studying Computing teaches skills in investigation, logical thinking and reasoning that can be applied across the curriculum.

1.2:         Computing teaches vital skills that pupils will need to use in an ever more technological world.

1.3:         Computing helps pupils to not only use technology but also understand how technology works and begin to programme computers to achieve expected outcomes.

1.4:         Computing, along with PSHE, helps pupils to learn how to keep themselves and others safe and well online.

1.5:         The study of Computing gives pupils opportunities to engage with questions around ethics and morality, helping them develop an ethical framework for engaging with the online world.

1.6:        Computing is an essential element of Northfield’s Curriculum Drivers in preparing our children for the future and the wider world, as well as providing for their social, emotional and mental wellbeing. It is also a tool for learning within every other curriculum subject (Appendix 1)

1.7:        Computing also develops creativity and Cultural Capital as well as helping to develop many different Northfield Values

2. Intent :  What do we want our pupils to learn about Computing?

2.1:         Following the national curriculum, pupils are taught about the three strands of Computing; Computer Science, Digital Literacy and Information Technology.

2.2:         Pupils should gain skills in programming and algorithms, online safety and using IT beyond the school setting and in searching and creating content for an audience, with a clear progression throughout the school.

2.3:         Pupils should be able to explain what an algorithm is, design, create and debug programs that accomplish specific goals. This should include sequence, selection and repetition and work with variables and a range of forms of input.

2.4:         Pupils should develop their logical reasoning skills to explain how an algorithm works and to detect and correct errors.

2.5:         Pupils should understand computer networks, including the Internet, how they provide multiple services and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.

2.6:         Pupils should use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content

2.7:         Pupils should use technologies safely, respectfully and responsibly and know a range of ways to report concerns and inappropriate behaviour.

2.8:         Pupils should select, use and combine a variety of software on a range of digital devices to accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

2.9        The small steps to achieve these objectives year on year are set out in our NJS Skills and Knowledge Progression Grid for Computing

3. Implementation:  How do we organise, plan and teach Computing in our curriculum?

3.1          Computing is taught once a week, with every year group covering one topic every short term.

3.2:         Planning is informed by The Teach Computing Scheme of Work, the long term plan and documents covering key knowledge and skills progression for each topic and age group within the school

3.3:         Learning is enquiry based, with a mix of unplugged and computer based learning tasks

3.4:         Key skills and knowledge are frequently recapped in lesson starters, to help embed it in long-term memory.

3.5:         There are opportunities to practice skills in other areas of the curriculum with links to PSHE, Science, DT, Maths, English and application of skills learn in Computing to present their work across foundation subjects.

3.6:         Pupils are given opportunities to work collaboratively, to help each other understand the subject matter and to practice teamwork skills.

3.7:         As pupils have a range of educational needs, we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities for them by setting open-ended tasks, giving more challenging extensions and providing scaffolds and supports to meet individual needs as appropriate.

3.8         Children are also encouraged to explore and extend their learning in Computing outside of the curriculum through suggestions for home learning and provision of school STEM and Computing Clubs.

4. Impact - How do we assess learning and teaching in Computing?

4.1:        Pupils are encouraged to assess and evaluate both their own work and that of other pupils. This helps them to appreciate how they can improve their performance, and what their targets should be for the future.

4.2:       Pupils record their work using the Seesaw App and work recorded here is assessed after each lesson to determine how well pupils have fulfilled the lesson objectives. Teachers record their ongoing assessments in the Class Record Book or annotate their planning to inform future planning

4.3:         Formative assessment takes place throughout lessons using various methods such as observation, discussion questioning, feedback, debugging, paired exploration and recording class responses in the Class Computing Book.

4.4:         Learning is assessed against the objectives which are taken from the NJS  Key Assessment Statements for Computing. Key knowledge is tested in lesson starters throughout other subjects where IT is used

4.5:        At the end of each year, we make summative judgements about the achievement of each pupil using a range of evidence.  These are recorded on our online assessment and tracking platform and are reported to parents on the child’s end of year report.