Computing at the West Exmoor Federation
Computing Curriculum
At the West Exmoor Federation, we believe that high-quality computing education equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which children are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, children are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that children become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.
Intent
The national curriculum for Computing aims to ensure that all children:
- 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.
Implementation
Across the West Exmoor Federation, we deliver the Computing curriculum through the scheme, Kapow. This scheme ensures that the federation is using a reliable and effective, progressive scheme of work. As the scheme is used across the whole federation our children are taught using the same structure for each unit of learning. All units are taught practically and, where appropriate, units are linked to other aspects of learning.
In addition to the ‘taught’ computing curriculum, children are encouraged to use technology in many other aspects of their learning, enabling them to apply the skills learned during computing lessons. We also use technology to enhance connections with parents/carers and the extended ‘school community’. Finally, we will ensure that our children can safeguard themselves effectively through ongoing teaching of E-safety, and striving to be aware of developing technologies. Effective Computing will allow our children to develop the necessary digital literacy and technological understanding needed to be a safe and positive digital citizen in the modern world.
Impact
Through our teaching of Computing, our children will:
- be digitally literate and able to select from a range of tools and skills to create a digital outcome for a given task.
- understand that technology needs to be used with, and treated with, respect.
- have an understanding of how the internet works.
- understand the benefits and potential dangers of using the internet.
- help themselves and others to minimise the risks of being online and know how to manage any potentially dangerous incidents.
- understand the power of algorithms and how they impact our daily lives.
- be able to take creative approaches towards problem solving and use logical thinking to support their solutions.