Computing
At our school we want pupils to be selectors of technology and not glued to it. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in students' lives. Therefore, we want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology appropriately, easily, and safely. We want our pupils to be creators not consumers and our fun Purple Mash curriculum, encompassing Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy, reflects this. We recognise that technology can allow pupils to engage in creative ways and understand the accessibility opportunities technology can provide for our pupils. The skills and knowledge within our curriculum are balanced with the opportunity for pupils to apply their knowledge which will in turn help our pupils grow to become skilful computer scientists. We encourage staff to try and embed computing learning across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible. We want our pupils to be fluent with a range of tools to best express their interests, creativity and become independent problem solvers. Giving children opportunities to try and experiment is key to building independent and engaged computing scientists.
The knowledge is coherently sequenced year on year to deepen and challenge our learners. In the Foundation Stage, our young digital citizens develop a greater Understanding of the World by recognising a range of technology that is used in their homes and school applying directed programs and apps to their wider learning. In Key Stage 1, through the Purple Mash platform, pupils will cover every element of the computing curriculum in a fun interactive way that is not just about having a screen on but beginning to consider and know what goes on behind it. Cross curricular opportunities to engage with the type of technology pupils are most likely to have at home is most important to us and enables us to help them understand how to be safe in our digital world, something we routinely cover with both pupils and parents.