Intent

At Merrylands Primary School and Nursery, we acknowledge the rapid rate at which technology is developing and progressing; and it is important that we equip the children with the knowledge and skills they need to access this ever-changing technological world.

Through explicit teaching of technological skills, knowledge and techniques children will be enabled to understand and become active participants in a digital world. By making links with a range of curriculum subjects, such as maths and science, children will gain a firm understanding of the uses and possibilities of computing. Children will learn how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.  They will also be equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Children will be equipped to deal with and prevent potential dangers online through explicit and discrete teaching of e-safety. By combining the skills in these areas with their imagination, children will feel confident to develop and share their own ideas through a range of digital media. Making children aware of the wide variety of jobs and opportunities linked to computing will encourage children to engage with technology safely and purposefully within school and the wider world.

Implementation

Computing lessons are taught following the computing long term plan which covers all aspects of the National Curriculum and follows the Purple Mash Scheme of Work.  The curriculum is organised into five key areas: e-safety, computing systems and networks, creating media, data information and programming. These topics are revisited in each year group throughout the school, building on previously taught skills.

Our computing curriculum begins at Nursery and progresses all the way through to Year 6.  In order to prepare children to start the computing curriculum in Key Stage 1, children in EYFS have a range of opportunities to use IT equipment including programmable devices and use of everyday technologies.

Computing lessons are taught weekly following objectives from the long-term plan. We feel it is important to start with e-safety each year to ensure children are aware of how to stay safe online and use technology discerningly. The knowledge and skills in this unit are referred to throughout the other topics in the year, so children can apply them in their work and understand the importance of staying safe online. The other units become increasingly more demanding within each year group and new vocabulary is introduced, ensuring children are continually being challenged and encouraged to develop previously learnt skills. 

Impact

Our computing curriculum has been carefully adapted from the Purple Mash Scheme of Work; revisiting the same units throughout a pupil’s school journey, with each encounter increasing in complexity and reinforcing previous learning. At the end of each unit, children will have the opportunity to demonstrate their progress and evaluate their learning. Outcomes are closely linked to the knowledge goals which are assessed throughout each unit of work using the Merrylands assessment grid and this information is used to inform future planning.  If children are achieving these knowledge goals, they are considered working in-line with or above age-related expectations. Children become increasingly confident using a range of technology for different purposes, explaining their choices and considering their work constructively. In addition, they understand the impact of their actions online and are prepared to use technology safely across other curriculum areas and in the wider world.

The subject is monitored regularly to measure the impact of the computing curriculum content, design and delivery and the outcomes of this monitoring are used to drive forward next steps within the subject.