Intent:

At St Stephen’s CE Primary School, we aim to provide a high quality Computing curriculum that will equip children with the skills and knowledge they need to use technology safely, responsibly and creatively, in the home and beyond and inspire a lifelong love of play, design, code and invention with technology. 

We believe in a curriculum that meets the interests of all learners, with a range of exciting creative activities and open-ended challenges based on the essential requirements of the computing program of study, incorporating Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. We believe that there are non- negotiable digital skills that children must possess:- 

• All children must have a basic understanding of coding and how the web works.
• All children must be able to evaluate online information and be social media savvy.
• All children must understand online safety rules and know how to report and block.
• All children must be proficient with word processing and be able to save/retrieve their work.
• All children must be able to create visually engaging content/presentations in order to present learning to others.
• All children must have experience of online collaboration and using communication tools.
• All children must be taught the concept of personal archiving and possess their own digital portfolio of work. 

Implementation:

Our Computing Curriculum incorporates appropriate strands from Rising Stars, Espresso Coding and LGFL resources. These have been carefully planned to ensure progression and depth, as well as links with the wider class topics where appropriate.

We have in place:

• A long term overview to ensure coverage of Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Computer Science and links with the wider curriculum. 
• A progression document for each strand (Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Computer Science) detailing how each year group builds on the last including vocabulary and key questions. 
• A medium term overview for each year group  - this details software/hardware to be used, Programme of Study objectives met through each topic, and progression objectives to ensure that each year group builds on the learning of the previous year.
• Detailed weekly plans for each term which begin with a key question for each half term. They carefully show progression and depth for teachers.
• Evidence document to ensure that learning is clearly documented in Curriculum Connection books.
• Key questions for each half term which the children are assessed against - this is recorded on INSIGHT (the school’s assessment tracking system).
• Various clubs take place throughout the year (such as Green Screen and Coding with Microbits) as a way to inspire a love of learning, enjoying and creativity. 
• In Early Years, children have a broad, play based experience of ICT in a range of contexts. Pupils build confidence to use technology purposefully to support their learning for all Early Learning Goals as appropriate. 

We use technology across other areas of the curriculum, such as Virtual Reality, to inspire and engage children’s learning, ensuring they make the best progress possible.

COMPUTING IN EYFS

At St Stephen’s, children in the EYFS are given a broad, play-based experience of Computing in a range of contexts (including outdoor play) – this is embedded throughout our provisions and allows children to develop early skills in this area, which will be built upon in their future learning.  The Nursery and Reception learning environments offer opportunities to explore technology based on real world experiences e.g. using a phone in role play. Children also develop their skills through a breadth of opportunities to explore a range of technological resources such as: torches, CD players, cameras, IPADs, Beebots, interactive whiteboards, microphones and wind-up toys.  As well as developing early skills in Computing, we recognise that these opportunities enhance children’s skills in other areas of the EYFS curriculum too e.g. using microphones to sing and perform enhances children’s Communication and Language.

Impact:

Our Computing Curriculum has been structured to demonstrate a progression of skills and ensures that children can build on their understanding, as each new concept and skill is taught with opportunities for children to revisit skills and knowledge as they progress through school. 

The impact will be seen in the children’s excitement and enjoyment of their learning, through their attainment and knowledge and their ability to talk about and reflect on their learning.

We measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• Book scrutiny
• Informal lesson observations
• Discussions with the pupils about their learning which includes discussion of their thoughts, ideas, processing and evaluations of work.