Computing
Intent
At Coleridge Primary School aim for children to be excited about computing. We recognise that computing supports and is useful and necessary tool for children to have in the ever-changing world of technology, encouraging them to become digitally literate which will then enhance their knowledge and support them being active participants in the digital world.
Implementation
To ensure a high standard of teaching and learning of a computing at Coleridge, we implement a curriculum that is progressive throughout Foundation, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2. At Coleridge, we use the Kapow Scheme of work for teaching ICT, and lessons are taught weekly. We aim to promote the use of computing and technology within different areas of the curriculum. We feel that embedding computing into the wider curriculum will allow children to be creative with their use of technology.
We feel strongly about Online Safety at Coleridge and we want all children to feel confident when using all aspects of the internet. In a world where technology plays such a vital role in our everyday lives, we aim to ensure all children receive the most up to date knowledge to support them in making sensible, well thought-out choices when online.
Impact
The impact and measure of this is to ensure that children at Coleridge are equipped the knowledge of using modern technology, which will enable them to be ready for the curriculum in the next phase of their education and for life as an adult in the wider world. As well as this, we aim for children to be responsible, thoughtful and safe when using the Internet.
Cultural Capital:
The National Curriculum explains that learning a high-quality computing education ‘equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world’. It also states that computing has ‘deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems’
Throughout their time at Coleridge, children will be provided with opportunities to become more culturally aware, using their home environment, school and local area, with pupils becoming effective communicators. We aim for by the end of primary school, pupils are confident and clear communicators who are able to articulate their views and opinions in a range of situations, thus enabling them to become responsible citizens who enhance the community they live in. With our firm belief that knowledge is transferable, we make cross-curricular links between English, maths and computing.
At Coleridge, we use the Kapow computing curriculum, which is designed to give all pupils, particularly the disadvantaged, the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. Computational thinking is at the core of our computing curriculum, developing concepts such as logic, problem solving and collaboration.
Digital safety is embedded in our curriculum, providing our pupils the essential knowledge and tools that will enable all pupils to be confident, competent and responsible members of the digital world. As well as providing opportunities that excite and enthuse pupils within computing, giving them a curiosity of new technology in the world around them. We want every child in our school to be digitally literate in order to enable them to keep pace with the dynamic world of technology.
At Coleridge we understand the importance of knowledge organisers and how they can support children’s understanding and learning.
They are also an excellent assessment tool which can help identify gaps in learning and inform planning, teaching and intervention. As we have developed our own curriculum, class teachers have also developed knowledge organisers to work alongside our curriculum. Children will be encouraged to refer to knowledge organisers throughout sessions to help support and enhance their learning.
Knowledge organisers can be a valuable tool for both children, staff and parents. Class teachers are the ones who write the knowledge organiser, to set out their expectations of what pupils should learn about a topic – and to clarify their own thinking around what is important.
School leaders, headteachers and subject leaders then may look at a series of knowledge organisers to check for progression and continuity both within and across curriculum subjects and to ensure standards and expectations for learning are being implemented, and if not, what CPD is required.
Pupils will review, revise and quiz themselves using their knowledge organisers. Knowledge organisers are a really clear and easy to understand way for parents to be more aware of what their children are learning and thus to support them.
Some of the benefits of knowledge organisers
- A knowledge organiser makes the teacher think hard about what will be taught.
- Knowledge organisers are an endless source of meaningful homework activities.
- Knowledge organisers are an excellent tool for inclusion.
- Knowledge organisers create opportunities for spaced retrieval practice.
- Ahead of a summative assessment at the end of a topic you can inform pupils that some of the questions will refer to previous learning; pupils can then refer to the knowledge organiser to access and practice those topics.
- Used appropriately, knowledge organisers can increase retention of facts
At Coleridge, we have several non-negiotiables that need to be included in a knowledge organiser, they are:
- Key vocabulary (linked to Progression of language)
- Key places and people
- Useful diagrams (as required for the topic)
- Key dates for a subject like history (e.g. when the two World Wars were)
- Key themes
- Important quotes
- Stem sentences for a subject like Science or Maths
We use knowledge organisers throughout school, however, in EYFS they look different to other phases of school due to the away the curriculum is structure. In EYFS, we use a holistic approach to knowledge organisers and have a topic knowledge organiser, whereas, in KS1 and KS2 our knowledge organisers are subject specific.
If you would like any information about our knowledge organisers then please contact us at enquiries@coleridgeprimary.org
