Intent:
At St. Mary's, we want our pupils to be masters of technology. Computing skills are a major factor in enabling children to be confident, creative, and independent learners and it is our intention that children have every opportunity available to allow them to achieve this. Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in our student's lives. We want our pupils to be creators, not consumers, and our broad curriculum encompassing computer science, information technology, and digital literacy reflects this. We intend to build a computing curriculum that prepares pupils to live safely in an increasingly digital British society where pupils can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems. We want our pupils to understand that there is always a choice with using technology and as a school, we utilise technology (especially social media) to model positive use. We recognise that the best prevention for a lot of issues we currently see with technology/social media is through education.
Implementation:
- A clear and effective, bespoke cross-curricular scheme of work that provides coverage in line with the National Curriculum.
- Teaching and learning should facilitate progression across all key stages and follow the skills allocated to their computing unit.
- Access to resources that aid in the acquisition of skills and knowledge of our children.
- Children will have access to the hardware (computers, tablets, and programmable equipment) and software that they need to develop knowledge and skills of digital systems and their applications
- Teaching and learning should facilitate progression across all key stages within the strands of digital literacy, information technology, and computer science. Children will have the opportunity to explore and respond to key issues such as digital communication, cyberbullying, online safety, security, plagiarism, and social media.
- Wider Curriculum links and opportunities for the safe use of digital systems are considered in wider curriculum planning
. · The importance of online safety is shown through displays within the learning environment and computer suite.
- Parents are informed when issues relating to online safety arise and further information/support is provided if required.
- As well as opportunities underpinned within the scheme of work, children will also spend time further exploring the key issues associated with online safety.
Impact:
Finding the right balance with technology is key to effective education and a healthy lifestyle. We feel the way we implement computing helps children realise the need for the right balance and one they can continue to build on in their next stage of education and beyond. We encourage regular discussions between staff and pupils to best embed and understand this.
- Children will be confident users of technology, able to use it to accomplish a wide variety of goals, both at home and in school.
- Children will have a secure and comprehensive knowledge of the implications of technology and digital systems. This is important in a society where technologies and trends are rapidly evolving.
- Children will be able to apply the British values of democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, rule of law, and liberty when using digital systems