Curriculum Intent:

At Oakdale Junior School, we encourage our pupils to develop a curiosity and fascination of the world and its people. We endeavour to nurture responsible citizens who are aware of their surroundings; confident individuals who are proud of their heritage; successful learners that understand their place in our ever-changing world.

The use of Information and Communication Technology is an integral part of the national curriculum and is a key skill for everyday life. A high-quality Computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. Here at Oakdale Junior, we aim to deliver inspiring Computing lessons and show what impact Computing has on our lives today. In the National Curriculum there are three strands to Computing. The core of Computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world. Our aim is to expose children to a wide range of computer programs to improve their computer literacy, with a constant focus on how to do this safely.

Computing Scheme of work: Teach Computing (National Centre of Computing Education)

The Teach Computing Curriculum is structured in units.

The Teach Computing Curriculum uses the National Centre for Computing Education’s computing taxonomy to ensure comprehensive coverage of the subject. This has been developed through a thorough review of the KS1-4 computing programme of study, and the GCSE and A level computer science specifications across all awarding bodies. All learning outcomes can be described through a high-level taxonomy of ten strands, ordered alphabetically as follows:

Algorithms —Be able to comprehend, design, create and evaluate algorithms

■ Computer networks —Understand how networks can be used to retrieve and share information, and how they come with associated risks

■ Computer systems — Understand what a computer is, and how its constituent parts function together as a whole

■ Creating media — Select and create a range of media including text, images, sounds and video

■ Data and information —Understand how data is stored, organised, and used to represent real world artefacts and scenarios

■ Design and development —Understand the activities involved in planning, creating, and evaluating computing artefacts

■ Effective use of tools —Use software tools to support computing work

■ Impact of technology —Understand how individuals, systems, and society as a whole interact with computer systems

■ Programming —Create software to allow computers to solve problems

■ Safety and security —Understand risks when using technology, and how to protect individuals and systems The taxonomy provides categories and an organised view of content to encapsulate the discipline of computing. Whilst all strands are present at all phases, they are not always taught explicitly. For these units to be coherent, the lessons within a unit must be taught in order. However, across a year group, the units themselves do not need to be taught in order, with the exception of ‘Programming’ units, where concepts and skills rely on prior learning and experience.