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Computing
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Enabling and Adapting the Computing Curriculum
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At Annfield Plain Junior School, we aim to prepare pupils to be able to work safely, express themselves and develop their ideas for the next stage of education and life. We aim to develop the skills and knowledge needed to be ICT literate, whilst making learning in computing engaging and enjoyable enabling them to achieve their aspirations and have the confidence to use and apply them at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
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Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, providing insights into both natural and artificial systems. Computing is an essential part of the curriculum at Annfield Plain Junior School, which is not only taught explicitly but its transferable skills are woven across all areas of learning.
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The 2014 Computing Curriculum is separated into three distinct strands, so our children have opportunities to excel in:
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Digital Literacy
Digital Literacy is concerned with developing pupils’ awareness of internet safety, as well as the safe and appropriate use of technology in wider society. Each class is timetabled to cover at least two half terms of work on Digital Literacy each year, which includes the use of the South West Grid for Learning Planning. In addition, e-safety is covered in life skills staying safe week, regular assemblies and visitor workshops such as the police, BT click-safety, parent e-safety workshops. School also uses online Gooseberry Planet, which supports our digital literacy programme.
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Computing
Code and computer programming was introduced as a key element of the National Curriculum for Computing in 2014. The computing scheme of work has been developed to allow pupils to become proficient at: following and sequencing algorithms; debugging programmes; as well as designing their own computer games and programmes. Each class have computing lessons for at least two half terms, following planning that includes using specially adapted programmes such as Scratch and Kodu. This is an area our pupils achieve well at and therefore, we increased the challenge by introducing SAM LABS which includes practical every day life projects, that involve coding blocks to do a range of different tasks.
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Information Technology
In Years 3 and 4, pupils receive additional information technology lessons, in order to become efficient technology users. They practise using word processing programmes, creating presentations, researching using the internet and becoming proficient at saving and organising their work. In Years 5 and 6 pupils are encouraged to apply these skills more readily to their work across the whole curriculum. Opportunities to use IT in the curriculum have been mapped.
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Pupils have regular access to computers, laptops and I-pads. We currently have provision for 1 computer for every pupil. Each class is equipped with I-pads, an interactive whiteboard, visualisers and has access to laptops easily available, teachers use our school Twitter page found on our website to share our successes with the wider community.
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Pupils have access to a number of quality subscriptions, some of which they can access at home, including Gooseberry Planet, Purple Mash, My Maths, Reading Plus, Spelling Shed, TTR and more. A number of pupils have home laptops provided to them by the school to access homework at home these were provided through the DFE Covid catch-up scheme.
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The computing subject coordinator monitors the subject closely in Annfield Plain Junior School to ensure children are working at a high standard: planning and work scrutinies, lesson observations, evaluation of school data compared to national standards, attending local authority network meetings and courses to ensure they stay abreast of best practice, and leading whole-school training for staff members, form a part of this.