Computing

National Curriculum Purpose of Study

A high-quality computing education equips pupils 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 pupils 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, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures 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.

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.

Computing at Eastwick

The computing curriculum at Eastwick meets the requirements of the National Curriculum our Curriculum Ethos. It prepares children to be ‘Ready for Everything’ in their futures in terms of: 

• Success in the next stage of their education and beyond: by providing knowledge of computer science, information technology and digital literacy
• their ability to navigate life’s personal Challenge: by equipping children with the knowledge of how to keep themselves safe in the digital world
• understanding their place in communities at global, national and local levels and seize the Opportunity of the future: by learning and demonstrating the school values in how they collaborate in their learning; by learning how to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world

Curriculum Content

• In Reception, pupils are taught elements of online safety.
• Our curriculum in Years 1-6 uses the Kapow Computing scheme of work. In addition, resources from CEOP Education are used to teach aspects of online safety.
• Knowledge is built progressively throughout Key Stage 1 and 2. Pupils revisit key knowledge themes (see below) on a cyclical basis.  Each time a key knowledge theme is revisited, it is covered with greater complexity, therefore increasing children’s breadth and depth of knowledge.  Prior knowledge is recalled and utilised so that pupils build on previous foundations.    
• Online safety is taught specifically in every year group. Additionally, opportunities to teach aspects of online safety are taken by teachers as they arise.  Online safety also forms part of our PSHE curriculum.   
• Children use a range of resources to enable their learning, such MS Windows-based laptops, Bee-Bots and BBC Micro:bits. 

Key Knowledge Themes:

Computing systems and networks

Programming

Creating media

Data handling

Online safety

 Units taught (Year 1-6):