Core Subjects

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Computing

At Hagley Primary School, we understand that a high-quality computing education is essential for all pupils to be confident digital citizens who have the knowledge, skills and understanding to use technology safely, creatively and effectively. In both key stages we use the ‘Teach Computing’ scheme to ensure our children receive a balanced computing curriculum between the three computing strands (Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy). Key Stage 1 will link the units to their topic sessions and teach computing in a cross-curricular way. However, Key Stage 2 children will be taught the ‘Teach Computing’ scheme explicitly by our specialist computing teacher. When skills have been taught, children may have the opportunity to apply these skills in a cross-curricular way through topic sessions drawing on aspects of their learning. We have a progression of skills document which highlights the skills the children will be developing through the Teach Computing scheme of work. Key Stage 2 will also explore a range of coding languages so that they can apply their programming skills and become confident coders. Additionally, we have a keyboard skills unit where all children from Reception to Year 6 will learn how to use different keys on the keyboard.

Today’s society, and the importance of mental health and wellbeing, means we have a separate Online Safety progression of skills document and these skills are taught by the class teacher during “Get Connected Weeks” throughout the year. This allows the whole school to focus on digital safety alongside regular messages in class discussions, assemblies and other curriculum areas (such as PSHE). We use the ‘Education for a Connected World’ framework to support our Online Safety curriculum. A skills overview document ensures that there is clear progression between year groups and that specific skills are being taught. The Computing curriculum allows teachers to have the flexibility to link computing skills to topic lessons and therefore create a more in-depth understanding of what children are learning.

Children at Hagley Primary school enjoy computing lessons. They find them challenging yet rewarding. Pupil Voice meetings show that children can talk about what they have been taught. They enjoy using Seesaw (an online children’s blog), both for their lessons and as a platform for home school communication, and they understand why they need to be taught computing and how computing fits in to the world of work.

High expectations are set in all lessons. Children are taught to try and fix their own problems before asking for help. This approach enables children to develop their computational thinking skills and learn more about how we use technology and equipment. Learning activities are adapted for children who require additional support or need to be challenged. There are also open-ended tasks in lessons to stretch and challenge those pupils who have understood the concept.

The long-term plan for Computer Science considers the skills children have already been taught. Teaching time is used effectively so that the information children are learning is embedded into long term memory. We have retrieval practice so that children are revisiting key skills once they have been taught e.g. through quizzes at the beginning of a lesson. Teachers are also encouraged to make links to previous lessons and concepts and support children in justifying their responses with evidence from what they have previously learnt. Additionally, we allow children to work with the information they have been given through partner talk, debating or writing down their responses to the topic or question. Using these strategies enables children to access the information they have been given and store it in long term memory through regular and repetitive retrieval.

Staff training sessions are run to support teachers with understanding the computing curriculum and support is given with planning. In addition, regular updates and resources are provided to ensure staff receive support with digital safety. This includes lesson plans, websites, videos and safeguarding updates. Children’s work is recorded through Seesaw journals and individual log ins for laptops. As part of our curriculum, the children are taught how to use this personal area, including security and organisational features. Additionally, we create a scrap book in each year group to use as a memory aid to recap on last lesson’s learning.