Computing

Statement of Intent - Computing

All pupils at Fulwood and Cadley have the right to have rich, deep learning experiences that balance all the aspects of computing. With technology playing such a significant role in society today, we believe ‘Computational thinking’ is a skill that children must be taught if they are to be able to participate effectively and safely in this digital world and we understand that computer technology is an essential resource for supporting teaching and learning. The internet, and other digital and information technologies, open up opportunities for pupils and play an important role in their everyday lives.

Our aim is to ensure that children become digitally literate so that they are able to express themselves and develop their ideas through information and computer technology– at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

We teach a curriculum that enables children to become effective users of technology who can:

• Understand and apply the essential principles and concepts of Computer Science, including logic, algorithms and data representation.
• Analyse problems in computational term, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems.
• Evaluate and apply information technology analytically to solve problems.
• Communicate ideas well by utilising appliances and devices throughout all areas of the curriculum.

We are committed to making children masters of technology and giving them the tools needed to embrace the benefits of technology throughout their lives. 

National Curriculum Statutory Requirements 

Key stage 1 Pupils should be taught to:

• understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
• create and debug simple programs
• use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
• use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content
• recognise common uses of information technology beyond school
• use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies.

Key stage 2 Pupils should be taught to:

• design, write and debug programs that accomplish specific goals, including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
• use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with variables and various forms of input and output use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to 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
• use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content
• select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information
• use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact.