Intent: This is what we want for your child.
At Barley Fields, it is our mission to prepare our children for a technological future. We know that in this rapidly evolving digital landscape, our children need more than just basic skills – they need to be masters of the digital world. That is why we are committed to nurturing their confidence and competence in computing.
At our school, we don’t just teach technology; we inspire a love for it. We encourage our children to dive headfirst into the digital world, exploring and creating with enthusiasm whilst also prioritising the importance of responsibility. Our children become respectful and mindful users of technology, always aware of its power and pitfalls.
We strive to challenge our children: we want them to embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. In our classes, we aim for children to think critically, solve problems with increasing independence and to never back down from a challenge. We aspire for our children to become the future pioneers of the digital age.
We hope to empower our children to be thoughtful decision-makers when it comes to using technology. Our goal is to teach children to recognise when technology can enhance their lives or when it may be better to go without. We want them to understand that technology isn’t always the answer and that sometimes the best solution to a problem is a more traditional approach. We aim for children to consider the pros and cons of using technology in different scenarios; whether its deciding if they tackle a problem with the help of an algorithm or rely instead on a pen and paper, we want our children feel confident in the choices that they make. Children at Barley Fields will also understand how their digital lives can have an impact on their health and well-being and to be aware that being a digital native is about more than knowing how to use a computer: it is about living a balanced and fulfilling life in the digital world.
Implementation: This is what it will look like in the classroom
Our children follow a carefully structured computing curriculum which has been designed to ensure children know more, can do more and remember more as they progress through our school.
Our curriculum is built around five strands of learning that are revisited every year:
- Computer systems and networks
- Programming
- Data and Information
- Creating Media
- Digital Literacy and Online Safety
The curriculum has been designed using content from the National Curriculum and the Teach Computing scheme devised by The NCCE (The National Centre for Computing Education). This has been selected because it has been created by subject experts and is based on the latest pedagogical research however we have adapted it to suit the needs of our children.
The computing curriculum is a spiral curriculum and each of the strands are revisited every year within new units where children are given the opportunity to consolidate and build on prior learning. The curriculum has been designed to support and include all pupils: lessons are sequenced to build on learning from previous lessons, activities are scaffolded so that all pupils can succeed and are, in the later stages of primary school, project-based to foster a deeper understanding of a concept where children can really showcase their knowledge and skills. Our children are encouraged to apply their learning to different contexts and make connections to other learning experiences. Embedded within the detailed medium-term planning for staff are a range of pedagogical strategies which also support teachers in making computing accessible to all learners.
Lessons are taught in blocks to ensure children have opportunities for a sustained period of study and have time to embed and enhance their learning. In addition to this, many of the resources, software and activities used can be accessed for free at home meaning learning isn’t just confined to school. In our teaching of computing, we endeavour to expose children to a variety of software, programs and equipment. As a school, we have invested heavily into resourcing this: children have access to their own iPads and are given responsibility for them. They have to ensure it is charged, use it responsibly and be aware of their digital footprint.
We are proud to offer a curriculum informed by the latest research and which undergoes regular reviews and updates to ensure its relevance and effectiveness. Staff access ongoing CPD from The NCCE because we are committed to offering our children a computing curriculum that prepares them for their future.
Our curriculum characters have been designed to represent the curriculum end points as children progress through school. Our children understand the core skills needed to learn in Computing with the use of the school curriculum character – Computing Cleo. This character is regularly used to encourage children to reflect on the key skills needed when working within Computing.
Impact: This is what it will mean for our children.
The impact of our curriculum is that children are confident and responsible users of technology who understand when it will benefit their lives without over relying on it. We want the children to understand that finding the right balance with technology is key to an effective education and a healthy life-style. They will be prepared for the next stage in their lives, knowing how to be a responsible user of technology in the wider world and most importantly, know where to seek support. Confidence in this subject will also mean that pupils are able to be more independent and competent in life skills such as problem solving and logical thinking.
Our computing curriculum and our teaching and learning pedagogy leads to children who:
- Are inspired, motivated and enthusiastic when using technology
- Are safe and responsible navigating the technological landscape
- Use and create algorithms and debug programs
- Use technology to collect, analyse and present information and data
- Understand and use computer networks to collaborate and communicate.