Computing
Our Vision for Computing
At St Matthew’s, we believe computing plays an important role within the curriculum; as well as enabling pupils to be confident, creative and independent learners. We understand the importance of teaching Computing, as it helps to embed the basic skills used in the pupil’s future lives. Now more than ever, with the widespread use of technology in the home and workplace, it is important that our pupils can grow with the knowledge and skills to use it confidently. Teaching Computing at primary level is a great foundation to grow from, especially as technology gets more advanced; we need the people with the right skills to use it and fix it when it goes wrong. We enable them to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information with our variety of technology in our School.
Our Computing Curriculum
All year groups focus on ‘Online safety at the start of every half term. This ensures all pupils have an understanding and awareness of how to stay safe online. We also cover the main points of researching safely, so pupils can use technology confidently in other subjects. Other skills covered include: computer systems and networks, programming, creating media, data handling and skills showcases.
EYFS
Pupils in the Early Years learn best through play; where we nurture active learning to develop long term critical thinking, problem solving skills and an understanding of patterns and logical reasoning. Activities and interactions with each other promote vocabulary in everyday contexts such as directional language, sequencing words, imperative words and problem solving. We seize opportunities to teach some of these skills through our topic work such as the use of programmable toys in 'Carnival of the Animals'; where the children create commands to direct the robot jeeps on safari to see the different animals. In turn, this discreet and deliberate teaching, alongside social encounters through play, facilitates the learning of fundamental computing competencies which prepare the children for the computing curriculum in Year One and beyond.
KS1
The pupils learning is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning:
- Computer systems and networks
- o Year 1 – Improving mouse skills
- o Year 2 – What is a computer? & Word processing
- Programming
- o Year 1 – Algorithms unplugged & Programming Bee-bots
- o Year 2 – Algorithms and debugging & Scratch
- Creating media
- o Year 1 – Digital imagery
- o Year 2 – Stop motion
- Data handing
- o Year 1 – Introduction to data
- o Year 2 – International Space Station
- Online safety
In Year 1 they also have a ‘Skills showcase’ unit, which provides pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferrable skills.
Lower KS2
The pupils learning is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning:
- Computer systems and networks
- o Year 3 – Networks and the Internet & Emailing & Journey inside a computer
- o Year 4 – Collaborative Learning
- Programming
- o Year 3 – Scratch
- o Year 4 – Further coding with scratch & Computational thinking
- Creating media
- o Year 3 – Video trailers
- o Year 4 – Website design
- Data handing
- o Year 3 – Comparison cards databases
- o Year 4 – Investigating weather
- Online safety
In Year 4 they also have a ‘Skills showcase’ unit (HTML), which provides pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferrable skills.
Upper KS2
The pupils learning is organised into five key areas, creating a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning:
- Computer systems and networks
- o Year 5 – Search engines
- o Year 6 – Bletchley Park
- Programming
- o Year 5 – Programming music & Micro:bit
- o Year 6 – Intro to Python
- Creating media
- o Year 5 – Stop motion animation
- o Year 6 – History of Computers
- Data handing
- o Year 5 – Mars Rover 1
- o Year 6 – Big data 1 & Big data 2
- Online safety
In Year 5 they also have a ‘Skills showcase’ unit (Mars Rover 2), which provides pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferrable skills.
In Year 6 they also have a ‘Skills showcase’ unit (Inventing a product), which provides pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferrable skills.
