Computing at Peel Park

Vision

At Peel Park School we equip children with the necessary skills, knowledge, understanding and resilience to thrive in the ever-changing world of technology. Our children will become confident and independent users of technology, as this will play an important part in our children’s lives. We will model and guide children to use technology in a positive and safe manner, so that they are responsible, successful, citizens of the future.

Peel Park believes that developing a love for learning in Computing is crucial and we do this, by inspiring curiosity and providing children with the essential skills and knowledge to build upon and prepare them for the next stage, this in turn:

• Supports the learner’s understanding of the ever-increasing use of technology, preparing them for a future of possibilities.
• Provides them with the skills to think critically, justify and reason their own judgements using logical reasoning and evidence, allowing them to question, debate and discuss information, not just accept what they are told.
• Develops the understanding that technology is constantly evolving and preparing them with the skills of how to cope with situations online that they may not have been faced with before.
• Allow learners to understand the diversity of the world and the people in it, thus allowing them to understand more about their own online identity.
• Prepares children to be lifelong learners, who are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of technology.
• Develops the skills and attitudes required to allow children to fully participate in and contribute to life in modern Britain.

Intent

Through the design of our curriculum, all our pupils are equipped with the computational thinking and creativity to engage with the ever-changing world whilst using technology safely, respectfully and responsibly. Parents and children will be given any information necessary to keep them safe online both inside and outside of school. We will endeavour to keep pace with educational developments in Computing.

Implementation

The curriculum covers the three areas of Computing: Digital Literacy, Computer Science and Information Technology.

• Information Technology (word processing, presentations, data handling):
  This is how we use existing hardware for a range of purposes. We teach children how to navigate around a variety of devices, type, save work, find, and move files, and generally be efficient and independent users of a range of technologies.
   
• Computer Science (Coding and programming and understanding computer networks):
  Computer science teaches students design, logical reasoning, problem solving and resilience - all valuable well beyond the computer science classroom. Children will learn how computers, digital systems and programs work.
   
• Digital Literacy (Using technology safely and analysing digital content):
  Digital literacy enables children to learn the skills and knowledge required to be an effective and safe user of a range of computer systems. We have adopted and incorporated the Project Evolve (Education For A Connected World) framework into our curriculum to ensure the children.

In Computing, we follow the Teach Computing scheme of work. The curriculum has four main strands – Computer Systems and Networks, Creating Media, Programming and Data and Information. Each year group teaches these strands at the same time to ensure consistency and show a clear progression of skills and knowledge.

We use a range of software to support teaching and learning in Computing including, Scratch, Microsoft Office, j2 software, and Tinkercad. Computing is not just taught in stand-alone weekly Computing lessons but also integrated into other areas of the curriculum, including English, History, Geography and Science.

Impact

At Peel Park, we strive to deliver an outstanding Computing curriculum in an ever-changing technological world; we aim for all pupils to develop as computer literate individuals who are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology. They are well-equipped for future development in technology and know how to use a wide range of software and hardware. This learning is built up over their time at Peel Park, and knowledge is deepened through revisiting concepts.

Through the Computing curriculum, our children become passionate users of technology, who are inspired by their topics, are curious to find out more about the online world and have a love of Computing and a desire that will motivate them to develop their knowledge for the rest of their lives.