Computing at Prince Rock

At Prince Rock Primary school, computing is taught through the Kapow programme of study (a link to this can be found below). We want our children to understand the potential of technology and start to build computing skills for the future. Through the use of a wide range of technologies, children develop their understanding of E-Safety, Computer Science, Digital Productivity, Digital Creativity and Digital Citizenship. As part of our whole school curriculum, Computing and the use of technology is embedded throughout many subjects and is used to enhance children’s experiences.  

Intent | What and why do we teach what we teach?  

At Prince Rock Primary School, we believe that every child has the right to a curriculum that enables them to be a global citizen in an ever-changing world. For Computing, we use Kapow Primary’s scheme which aims to instil a sense of enjoyment around using technology whilst also developing pupil's appreciation of its capabilities and the opportunities technology offers to: create, manage, organise and collaborate. Experimenting with software and programs forms a part of the ethos of the scheme as we want to develop pupils' confidence when encountering new technology which is a vital skill in the ever evolving and changing landscape of technology. Through our curriculum, we intend for pupils not only to be digitally competent and have a range of transferable skills at a suitable level for the future workplace but also to be responsible online citizens.   

Our scheme of work enables pupils to meet the end of Key Stage Attainment targets outlined in the National Curriculum since the aims align with those in the National Curriculum. This guidance was created to help equip children for life in the digital world, including developing their understanding of appropriate online behaviour, copyright issues, being discerning consumers of online information and healthy use of technology.  

At Prince Rock Primary School, children will; 

• Be taught the aims to meet the National Curriculum Objectives for their year group 

• Gain a toolkit of skills to enable them to access a range of technologies. 

• Develop a good understanding of Computer Science, how technology and computer networks work & the skills to work within this field. 

• Be immersed in Information Technology so that they are confident and competent users in the everyday skills needed to use the most common technologies. Children will know the range, scope and options available to them to inform their choices of hardware and software. 

• Become Digital Citizens through a rigorous Online Safety curriculum that lets children know the dangers they can face online and the tools needed to minimise the impact of digital incidents on their lives. 

Please see the document Computing Progression of Knowledge and Skills for a detailed overview. 

Implementation | How and when do we teach what we teach?  

The National Curriculum purpose of study states:  

'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’.  

Therefore, at Prince Rock, along with Kapow Primary Scheme, we have designed the learning into three strands which run throughout:  

• Computer science  

• Information technology   

• Digital literacy  

Within these key drivers, we have devised some key concepts that all learning can be ‘stuck to’.    

 These are:  

• Hardware  

• Networks and Data Representations  

• Computational thinking  

• Programming  

• Using software  

• Using email and the internet  

• Using data  

• Wider use of technology  

• E-Safety  

• Wellbeing   

Our Computing curriculum is organised so that children will revisit learning in a cyclical route through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and building on previous learning. The implementation of our computing curriculum along with the Kapow Primary Computing ensures a broad and balanced coverage of the National curriculum requirements and our ‘Skills Showcase' units provide pupils with the opportunity to learn and apply transferable skills. Where meaningful, units have been created to link to other subjects such as science, art, and music to enable the development of further transferable skills and genuine cross-curricular learning.  

Lessons incorporate a range of teaching strategies from independent tasks, paired and group work as well as unplugged and digital activities. This variety means that lessons are engaging and appeal to those with a variety of learning styles. Differentiated guidance is available for every lesson to ensure that lessons can be accessed by all pupils and opportunities to stretch pupils' learning are available when required. Knowledge organisers for each unit support pupils in building a foundation of factual knowledge by encouraging recall of key facts and vocabulary. 

Strong subject knowledge is vital for staff to be able to deliver a highly effective and robust computing curriculum. Each of the units of lessons include teacher videos to develop subject knowledge and support ongoing CPD. Further CPD opportunities can also be found via Kapow’s webinars with their Computing subject specialists. Mayflower Academy has found that many teachers do not feel confident delivering the computing curriculum and every effort has been made to ensure that they feel supported to deliver lessons of a high standard that ensure pupil progression, therefore, Kapow has been used to support the teaching of computing.   

At Prince Rock Primary, we ensure that online safety is paramount. We start each year looking at the Digital Literacy strand of learning to reintroduce the importance of online safety. This is then revisited throughout the year, each week through our E-Safety PowerPoints so that children consider, explore and retrieve the key information within online safety. In addition to this, at Prince Rock Primary, we undertake Online Safety Day every year. This includes a relevant assembly, in-class activities and activities which can be done at home to aid online safety with parents and children.  

Computing is timetabled throughout the school in Key Stage groups. We have a bank of laptops that are shared on rotation in order for each year group to successfully complete their block units. Teachers also make use of teaching iPads and evidence PowerPoints to record information, evidence great pieces of learning and share opportunities from within the lesson to support/deepen thinking.  

Impact | How do we assess the impact of what we teach via pupil outcomes?  

The impact of Prince Rock’s computing curriculum, along with Kapow Primary's scheme, can be constantly monitored through both formative and summative assessment opportunities. Each lesson includes guidance to support teachers in assessing pupils against the learning objectives and each unit has a unit quiz and knowledge catcher which can be used at the start and end of the unit.  

After the implementation of Prince Rock’s computing curriculum, pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world. The expected impact of following our Computing curriculum is that children will:  

• Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.  

• Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and in their social and personal futures.  

• Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy and appropriate manner.  

• Understand that technology helps to showcase their ideas and creativity. They will know that different types of software and hardware can help them achieve a broad variety of artistic and practical aims.  

• Show a clear progression of technical skills across all areas of the National curriculum - computer science, information technology and digital literacy.  

• Be able to use technology both individually and as part of a collaborative team.  

• Be aware of online safety issues and protocols and be able to deal with any problems in a responsible and appropriate manner.  

• Have an awareness of developments in technology and have an idea of how current technologies work and relate to one another.  

Useful Links

• Computing Programme of Study: National Curriculum
• Kapow: Computing Scheme of Work - Lesson Plans And CPD