Computing
Intent
At Heber, we recognise the integral part that technology plays in our children’s lives and aim to equip children to become active and responsible participants in the ever-changing digital world. We are aware that our children’s access to technology outside of school can vary and also of the barriers and stereotypes that exist in the world of Computing. We therefore aim to inspire all children to consider themselves as the computational thinkers and computer scientists of the future. Furthermore, we aim to develop children’s perception of technology as a tool for learning, innovation and discovery, as well as helping them to understand the advantages and disadvantages associated with online experiences.
As such, we teach children to understand how computers work as well as what measures can be taken to keep themselves and others safe online. Our curriculum focuses on Digital Citizenship, Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Computer Science and aims to give children a deep and broad knowledge through opportunities to apply skills in various digital contexts. Ultimately, all children should leave Heber as confident, able and responsible Digital Citizens who are prepared for the technological challenges they will face in the future.
Implementation
Our Computing Curriculum is designed to provide children with skills and knowledge across a broad and varied spectrum of topics, encompassing the three strands of Computing: Information Technology, digital Literacy and Computer Science.
As part of our Computer Science coverage, we use a block-coding scheme from Discovery Coding, which gives children a thorough understanding of coding concepts like algorithms, sequences and variables - as well as developing computational thinking skills through decomposition, logical reasoning and problem-solving. From Year 1 to Year 6, children complete 2 units of coding per year, building upon their prior knowledge to deepen their understanding of each concept.
Other units are taught using Kapow Primary and cover a huge number of diverse topics, such as how computers work, networks, data handling, digital imagery, word processing, emailing, website design and much more. Starting in EYFS, these units combine hands-on use of our Computing Suite, iPads and bee-bots and ‘unplugged’ lessons to give children a varied experience of the many different facets of computing. Details of which topics are studied each year can be found on our Curriculum Overview.
Digital Citizenship
We believe that it is very important that children are taught to be good Digital Citizens. Therefore,every half term begins with at least one Digital Citizenship lesson, encompassing topics such as online safety, online bullying, online privacy and identity, healthy technology usage, use of passwords, copyright and managing information online.
Computing Suite
Our amazing Computing Suite features a full class set of HP PC's with HD monitors, designed not only for our Computing lessons but also to benefit and enhance all subjects across our curriculum. The room ensures that every child in every year group is able to participate in interactive lessons, with the state-of-the-art Ultra HD smart board providing a focal point for teaching. The suite also features a Classroom monitoring system which allows the teacher to view, control, lock and broadcast the teacher's screen to all children's computers in real time. This helps ensure children are using the computers and internet safely and also helps teachers to guide children to achieve their full potential in every lesson.
