Intent statement
To raise the profile and understanding of the Computing curriculum and how it impacts the wider curriculum. To give pupils the means to develop progressive skills in computational thinking, digital literacy and understand the role computing plays in everyday life.
EYFS - What Computing looks like in EY
The use of digital toys such as Beebots and Code-a-pillars in EYFS develops Communication and Language and enables children to:
- Learn new vocabulary.
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Ask questions to find out more and to check they understand what has been said to them.
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Connect one idea or action to another using a range of connectives.
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Use talk to help work out problems and organise thinking and activities, and to explain how things work and why they
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might happen.
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Use new vocabulary in different contexts.
Personal, Social and Emotional development in the EYFS lays strong foundations for children to understand the concepts of how to use technology safely and respectfully as they enter KS1:
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Build constructive and respectful relationships.
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Express their feelings and consider the feelings of others.
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Show resilience and perseverance in the face of challenge.
Physical
As children develop fine motor dexterity through a range of activities in the EYFS they are able to use programmable toys and begin to use a keyboard or touch screen competently, safely and confidently.
Literacy
Through whole class and small group activities accessed on smart screens or keyboards in the role play areas, children are able to
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apply their literacy skills to read individual letters by saying the sounds for them
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making connections between lower-case and capital letters.
Mathematics
Through whole class and group activities on smart screens, keyboards and programmable toys children are able to
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Link the number symbol (numeral) with its cardinal number value.
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Continue, copy and create repeating patterns.
Understanding the World
The EYFS curriculum offers opportunities to informally discuss and identify uses of technology in the world around them when talking about members of their immediate family and community or describing people who are familiar to them, such as people who help us e.g. doctors, police officers, teachers. These discussions are built upon in Y1 when children come to understand technology as anything made by people to help people.
Expressive Arts and Design
The use of online digital art programs on the smart screen or on iPads enables children to
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Explore, use and refine a variety of artistic effects to express their ideas and feelings
What Computing helps to develop in the wider curriculum and beyond
Growth Mindset: Many aspects of computing promote a growth mindset approach – particularly resilience and overcoming mistakes through ‘debugging’ programmes. Many children find it easier to ‘stick’ with a problem because they are less likely to see this as failure/work and more likely to view it as a challenge and a game.
Inclusion: Computing and ICT offers a variety of tools to allow all children to succeed and achieve across the curriculum, regardless of their SEND needs.
Literacy/Writing across the curriculum: The use of ICT can be engaging hooks for many reluctant writers. Sometimes work produced using digital media can be of a higher quality and more engaging to look at than a child may be able to produce using traditional pencils and paper – this can boost self-esteem as well as promote a sense of pride, awe and wonder.
Communication skills and how to communicate effectively: Writing for different audiences and purposes. Opportunities to consider how words can be interpreted differently in a text or email for example. Staying in touch and getting in touch with family/friends and businesses/people around the world.
Science: Linked to the above, communicating findings and understanding. The use of online tools such as branching databases and digital graphs can be a clear way to collate, share and interpret findings.
Maths: Many apps and games promote problem solving and mathematical thinking in an engaging and appealing way. Through these apps and games, children are able to apply and consolidate factual knowledge to demonstrate their level of understanding of a skill.
PSHCE/E-Safety: There are many aspects of the computing curriculum that highlight the need to be safe/protect ourselves and others as well as invite discussion/debate. These include discussions and opportunities to consider the consequence of the misuse of ICT and the pros and cons of overuse of technology in everyday life. Discussion around issues such as data protection, the ownership of digital content (copyright) and the responsibilities we have as users of ICT. All children at NHFS are introduced to the concept and need of complex and secure passwords from Year 1.
Art/Design: Digital art and design tools may allow many children to produce work of a standard beyond their current skill with a paintbrush or pencil for example. The nature of digital artwork allows a child’s perceived ‘mistakes’ to be easily amended and develops a level of resilience, engagement and ultimately pride in their artwork.
Declarative knowledge (Knowing that): The knowledge of facts, rules and principles. For example, knowing that the order and arrangement in digital code must be specific and exact to ensure a program runs as expected.
Procedural knowledge (Knowing how): The knowledge of methods and processes. For example, knowing how to identify errors in digital code and how to ‘debug’ that code.
Aspirations links
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To ensure that pupils 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.
Sustainability links
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The computing curriculum will develop pupils' ability to use web based platforms to communicate with others.
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Good computing skills will help to reduce the need for paper based resources
Equality links
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Equipping pupils with the skills needed for the next stage of their lives in order to compete equally in the modern digital world.
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Computing offers pupils the opportunity to develop skills that they can use for self-expression or to be creative in other areas of their life.
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The computing curriculum will provide pupils with the opportunity to fully participate within society, ensuring the resources used meet the needs of individuals.