Computing at Northbrook Primary Academy is led by Mr Knowles.
Our Aim
In our developing world, a high-quality computing is essential in developing children’s 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. At Northbrook, we are fortunate to have 2 banks of iPads as well as Chromebooks which children have regular access to.
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.
National curriculum - Computing
Our Learning
Computing lies at the core of the curriculum, 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 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. Online safety is taught throughout computing, to ensure that children are safeguarded and are aware of appropriate use of computers and working online.
Our units are carefully sequenced to embed a good sense of the advancements in technology, programming and the importance of ICT in our evolving world. Through the purple mash scheme we seek to equip children with a secure understanding of a wide breadth of computing areas, as well as a deep knowledge in those core areas such as online safety, coding and the use of software programmes to articulate information.
In ensuring high standards of teaching and learning in computing, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout the whole school. The purple mash scheme focusses on the knowledge and skills stated in the National Curriculum.
In designing the curriculum, we have considered a broad range of knowledge forms with a focus on being able to articulate substantive and disciplinary knowledge.
To further support the teaching and learning in computing:
- A knowledge organiser is used at the start of a new module and contains a key to the knowledge we want our children to remember.
- We use the purple mash scheme and knowledge progression create a strong program of enquiry-based learning through our lessons to secure the disciplinary concepts needed in computing
- Thinking tasks offer challenge and an opportunity to apply learning.
- All of our computing units are cumulatively built and connected through the substantive concepts and core progression in understanding of computing programs.
Early Years Foundation Stage
We believe that all learning begins in EYFS. Our curriculum is closely linked with the Early Years Framework to ensure children in EYFS are achieving those early skills within the subject, which will then enable them to continue to progress in computing as they move through school.
Additionally, planning and teaching in computing is fully inclusive ensuring that all children can access the curriculum at their level. Skills and related vocabulary are progressively built upon as children journey through our school. Cross-curricular links are emphasised, enabling the children to apply their skills and knowledge in other areas of the curriculum.
Impact
Children are assessed against our curriculum endpoints based on the knowledge organisers for each unit. Teachers use a range of ongoing assessments to judge children’s key knowledge and understanding of computing and ability to apply their computing knowledge and application skills to a range of situations. Through a variety of different methods: small assessment tasks, retrieval practice, low-stake quizzes, classroom responses a teacher judgement is created based around the knowledge organisers for computing.
Subject Monitoring
Leaders monitor teaching and learning through pupil voice, staff questionnaires as well as book looks and learning walks and using the online app See Saw to record evidence of learning. The development of the children in school is also monitored through daily informal conversations.
As a result of our whole curriculum, we expect to see all children achieve well by developing knowledge and skills across the curriculum.  But we understand that art brings more than this, and aim to ensure that all children will:
- develop lifelong learning behaviours that help them continue to create and explore in history
- appreciate the possibility of technology development and computer programming as a career and give them the opportunity to have success in modern Britain.
- be responsible global citizens and courageous advocates of our community through the HEART Values we have instilled in them during their time in school.
- leave our school, fully equipped for the next stage in their learning
Computing
