Subject Rationale:

When using IT, a child at The Wilfred Owen School will develop these essential characteristics:

• Competence in coding for a variety of practical and inventive purposes, including the application of ideas within other subjects.

• The ability to connect with others safely and respectfully, understanding the need to act within the law and with moral and ethical integrity.

• An understanding of the connected nature of devices.

• The ability to communicate ideas well by using applications and devices throughout the curriculum.

• The ability to collect, organise and manipulate data effectively.

Subject Intent:

Code

This concept involves developing an understanding of instructions, logic and sequences.

Connect

This concept involves developing an understanding of how to safely connect with others.

Communicate

This concept involves using apps to communicate one’s ideas.

Collect

This concept involves developing an understanding of databases and their uses.

Key Stage 1

• Understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following a sequence of instructions.

• Write and test simple programs.

• Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs.

• Organise, store, manipulate and retrieve data in a range of digital formats.

• Communicate safely and respectfully online, keeping personal information private and recognise common uses of information technology beyond school.

Key Stage 2

• Design and write programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts.

• Use sequence, selections and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output; generate appropriate inputs and predicted outputs to test programs.

• Use logical reasoning to explain how a simple algorithm works, detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs.

• Understand computer networks including the internet; how they can provide multiple services, such as the world wide web; and the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration.

• Describe how internet search engines find and store data; use search engines effectively; be discerning in evaluating digital content; respect individuals and intellectual property; use technology responsibly, securely and safely.

• Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.

Subject Implementation

Computing will be taught explicitly once a week and will, where practicable, link to the context of the theme being covered to apply ICT skill throughout the curriculum. Some aspects of computing however, lend themselves well to cross curricular implementation. Computing should be taught alongside core and foundation subjects that best link to the milestone / objective being covered. There is a long-term overview of computing on the web site outlining what skills and concepts should be taught in each term.  This ensures balance and breadth in the delivery of the computing curriculum.  It is also organised to ensure that children have the opportunity to come back to key skills, knowledge and understanding to ensure a mastery of each area by the end of Key Stage 2.

Teachers should plan creative opportunities that use computing skills to produce an outcome linked to a focus curriculum area. Alternatively, an area of computing may be used as an outcome in itself. All available hardware should be used, appropriate to the ability and year group: laptops including relevant programs and apps such as Scratch, Kodu, and Espresso. Or hardware such as iPads, beebots, green screens, drones, VR etc. should all be considered when planning a broad computing curriculum.

Frequent access to such equipment to be able to use, express and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology is essential. Computing should feed into long term planning as required and should not be taught solely as a standalone subject.

Coding -  

The following areas should be taught when developing an understanding of instructions, logic and sequences. They should be appropriately linked to milestones for each year group: Motion, Looks, Sounds, Draw, Events, Control, Sensing, Variable and Lists, Operators.  Staff have access to Barefoot https://www.barefootcomputing.org/ to access support and activities relating to coding.  Staff training took place and this is due for review.

Connect –

KS1 : Participate in class social media accounts. Understand online risks and the age rules for sites.

LKS2 : Contribute to blogs that are moderated by teachers. Give examples of the risks posed by online communications. Understand the term ‘copyright’. Understand that comments made online that are hurtful or offensive are the same as bullying.  Understand how online services work.

UKS2 : Collaborate with others online on sites approved and moderated by teachers. Give examples of the risks of online communities and demonstrate knowledge of how to minimise risk and report problems. Understand and demonstrate knowledge that it is illegal to download copyrighted material, including music or games, without express written permission, from the copyright holder. Understand the effect of online comments and show responsibility and sensitivity when online. Understand how simple networks are set up and used. 

Communicate –

KS1 : Use a range of applications and devices in order to communicate ideas, work and messages.

LKS2 :  Use some of the advanced features of applications and devices in order to communicate ideas, work or messages professionally.

UKS2 : Choose the most suitable applications and devices for the purposes of communication. Use many of the advanced features in order to create high quality, professional or efficient communications.

Collect –

KS1 : • Use simple databases to record information in areas across the curriculum.

LKS2 : • Devise and construct databases using applications designed for this purpose in areas across the curriculum. 

UKS2 : • Select appropriate applications to devise, construct and manipulate data and present it in an effective and professional manner.

Through varying ability groupings, using Kagan strategies and the ‘I do, we do and you do’ metacognition tool when coding, collecting, communicating or collecting information via computing will be supported by the varying hardware and software children have access to in school.

Subject Impact

When an area of computing has been used within another core of foundation subject, this will be made clear on the learning objective within that lesson and can there be marked on the objective / milestone that it is a skill that has been covered.

Some skills such as coding will be saved in a shared area on the school computer network that the children have access to, so it can be monitored by teachers who will assess outcomes based on milestones and objectives.

The communicate and connecting threshold concepts will be interwoven throughout the school website / class pages and blogs as a celebration of the children’s abilities and achievements in computing; evidence may also feed into other subjects outcomes and can be assessed appropriately.

Overall, the teacher will track a child’s progress using a grid linked to milestones/objectives, supporting them in showing whether a child is Working Towards (WTS), Expected (EXS) or Greater Depth (GDS).