Our Computing Curriculum

Article 17: Governments must help protect children from materials that could harm them (E Safety)

Article 16: Every child has the right to privacy. The law should protect the child’s private life.

Article 36: Governments must protect children from all forms of bad treatment.

Essential Characteristic of Computing. Our goal is for our children to become Computer Scientists. Computer Scientists must have:

Competence in coding for a variety of practical and inventive purposes, including the application of ideas within other subjects.
The ability to connect with others safely and respectfully, understanding the need to act within the law and with moral and ethical integrity.
An understanding of the connected nature of devices.
The ability to communicate ideas well by using applications and devices throughout the curriculum.
The ability to collect, organise and manipulate data effectively.

Early Years Foundation Stage - what does Computing look like in the Early Years?

In the Early Years Foundation Stage, computing forms part of the learning children acquire under the ‘Knowledge and Understanding of the World' branch of the Foundation Stage curriculum. They learn about technology, how things work.

Computing in the early years encourages your child to find out and identify the uses of everyday technology, such as office equipment, music keyboards, alarms and programmable toys. Children also practise what they have learnt by using the technology.

In early years computing they will gain a range of skills widely applicable in life, such as cognitive, coordination, literacy and numeracy skills.

The document below outlines in more detail the specific computing objectives within the Early Years curriculum, what it looks like in practice, and demonstrates the links between the Early Years and the KS1 Computing curriculum. It also highlights key vocabulary taught within our Early Years and at Key Stage 1.

Computing - Early Years to Key Stage 1 Curriculum Links.

Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 Curriculum

Building a Computing Schema. Our pupils will form a computing schema* by:

Ensuing concepts as the basis for schema. We call these threshold concepts/knowledge categories; these are the big ideas which form the basis for the subject schema. In computing the threshold concepts/knowledge categories are: Programming, Computational Thinking, Creativity, Computing Networks, Communication/Collaboration, and Productivity.
Strengthening the schema with knowledge. The knowledge comes from our topics – six topics will be taught each year. Each topic has learning expectations. These learning expectations address the National Curriculum objectives and allow for progression within the threshold concepts.

Further deepening connections through tasks. This is what is developed though our planning.

*Schema – A subject schema is a way of organising knowledge in a meaningful way; it is an appreciation of how facts are connected and the ways in which they are connected. A schema is distinct from information, which is just isolated facts that have no organisational basis or links.

National Curriculum Aims - The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
Can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology

National Curriculum Subject Content – Key Stage 1 and 2. This is what we teach.

Key Stage 1

Key Stage 2

understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions.
create and debug simple programs.
use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.
use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.
recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.
use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.
use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output.
use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.
understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.
use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content.
select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.

End of Milestone Expectations. This is what we expect the children to know and do as they progress through the curriculum.

Milestone 1 - Year 1 and 2

Milestone 2 - Year 3 and 4

Milestone 3 - Year 5 and 6

Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions.
Create and debug simple programs.
Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.
Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.
Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.

Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.
Use sequence in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output.
Use logical reasoning to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.
Understand computer networks, including the internet; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.
Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices.

Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour.

Design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.
Use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output.
Use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.
Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.
Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.
Use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content.

Our Curriculum Cycle - Our Curriculum Intent

We operate a two-year cycle due to being a one-and-a-half form entry school.

Lower year objectives (1, 3, 5) are covered in the first half of each year and higher year objectives (2, 4, 6) are taught in the second half in order that learning can move from basic to advancing and for some pupils, deep learning.

CYCLE 1

PROGRAMMING

Planning, writing and testing computer programs for digital devices, from floor turtles to tablets.

COMPUTATIONAL THINKING

Some of the computer science foundations – particularly algorithms, logical reasoning and decomposing problems into smaller parts.

CREATIVITY

Creating and refining original content using digital tools across a range of media.

MILESTONE 1

Year 1/2

Autumn 1

1.1 We are Treasure Hunters

Autumn 2

1.2 We are TV Chefs

Spring 1

1.3 We are Painters

Spring 2

2.1 We are Astronauts

Summer 1

2.2 We are Games Testers

Summer 2

2.3 We are Photographers

MILESTONE 2

Year 3/4

Autumn 1

3.1 We are Programmers

Autumn 2

3.2 We are Bug Fixers

Spring 1

3.3 We are Presenters

Spring 2

4.1 We are Software Developers

Summer 1

4.2 We are Toy Designers

Summer 2

4.3 We are Musicians

MILESTONE 3

Year 5/6

Autumn 1

5.1 We are Games Developers

Autumn 2

5.2 We are Cryptographers

Spring 1

5.3 We are Artists

Spring 2

6.1 We are Adventure Gamers

Summer 1

6.2 We are Computational Thinkers

Summer 2

6.3 We are Advertisers

CYCLE 2

COMPUTER NETWORKS

Using and understanding the internet, the web and search engines, effectively and safely.

COMMUNICATION/COLLABORATION

Making the most of computers and the internet for communicating with one or many, and working together on projects.

PRODUCTIVITY

Collecting and analysing data and information using computers; organising, manipulating and presenting this to an audience.

MILESTONE 1

Year 1/2

Autumn 1

1.4 We are Collectors

Autumn 2

1.5 We are Storytellers

Spring 1

1.6 We are Celebrating

Spring 2

2.4 We are Researchers

Summer 1

2.5 We are Detectives

Summer 2

2.6 We are Zoologists

MILESTONE 2

Year 3/4

Autumn 1

3.4 We are Network Engineers

Autumn 2

3.5 We are Communicators

Spring 1

3.6 We are Opinion Pollsters

Spring 2

4.4 We are HTML Editors

Summer 1

4.5 We are Co-Authors

Summer 2

4.6 We are Meteorologists

MILESTONE 3

Year 5/6

Autumn 1

5.4 We are Web Developers

Autumn 2

5.5 We are Bloggers

Spring 1

5.6 We are Architects

Spring 2

6.4 We are Network Technicians

Summer 1

6.5 We are Travel Writers

Summer 2

6.6 We are Publishers

Please click here to see the document where we outline how we have ensured progression through each milestone and through each aspect of computing (threshold concepts).

This link will take you to the the Globe Curriculum page where you will find the curriculum map for each year. These give an overview of what is taught in subject area, our curriculum intent.

How we Implement our Curriculum

Computing is taught weekly for 50 minutes. We do not block our subjects as we want children to return regularly to the subject knowledge and concepts in order that they are regularly retrieving the tuaght knowledge and concepts, embedding these in their long term memory. This enables them to make progress - know more and remember more.

Our Computing Policy

Example Lesson - Milestone 1

Example Lesson - Milestone 2

Example Lesson - Milestone 3

Example of a basic programming lesson - Milestone 1

Example of an advancing programming lesson - Milestone 2

Example of a deep programming lesson - Milestone 3

Beyond the National Curriculum - Cultural Capital Experiences

Cultural capital is the essential knowledge that children need to prepare them for their future success. We want to ensure that children at Globe have a wide and varied range of experiences as they progress through our school. We want them to know about their world; to build a schema of knowledge and to do this through first hand experiences. We intend to provide our children with opportunities to develop not just their knowledge but their interests and talents. Our aim is to prepare them for a successful future.

Our school is in an area of high socio-economic deprivation. We are focused on addressing this disadvantage. Our curriculum is the main provider of cultural capital however there are other aspects of school life which provide essential cultural capital and should not be overlooked. We have planned the cultural provision that goes beyond the curriculum and this plan can be found below. This plan is to capture, illustrate and to strategically plan for the breadth and range of cultural capital experiences we will provide for our children as they move through the school. We are not leaving such an essential element of our school’s provision to chance or individual teacher interest. When a child leaves Globe in Year 6, we will be certain of what they have learnt and experienced and know that they will be prepared for the next step in their learning and personal development.

Globe's Whole School Cultural Capital, Trips and Experiences Plan

Curriculum and Expectation Booklets for Parents

These booklets give an overview of our Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 curriculum. They explain what is taught in each subject area as well as outlining some of the expectations we have for children. Parents are given these booklets at the start of each year and they are sent electronically with each term's newsletter.