Computing
Computing at Lindow Community Primary School
At Lindow Community Primary School, our intent is for all our children to secure knowledge of computer science and computational skills in order to use and apply these safely in our increasingly digitised world. By the time children transfer to the next stage of their education, they will be computer-literate and confident to use and express themselves through information and communication technology, develop coding skills, and ensure they are aware of the risks of the digital world.
At Lindow, we want students to master their computing knowledge and skills. The end points are made clear to staff and students at the beginning of each unit of work via student e-portfolios.
The Computing curriculum consists of three strands: Computer Science, Information Technology, and Digital Literacy. Each of these strands can have highly heterogenous learning outcomes, resulting in a need to have an altered style of pedagogy, feedback and assessment.
For Computer Science, students will need to demonstrate essential skills and the pedagogical paradigm can be led by the process model of coding confidence:
|
Working Towards |
USE |
Using the code to some extent, but not confident or skilled enough to understand how to manipulate the code |
|
Expected |
EDIT |
Students show evidence of understanding the code and can edit the code to suit a different purpose |
|
Greater Depth |
CREATE |
Students use the code creatively without guidance. They are not simply editing code, but they can create original outputs beyond what has been explicitly taught. |
For Information Technology, students will be expected to demonstrate essential knowledge of the evolving digital world we live in. These units will have a greater emphasis on developing students’ wealth of knowledge (rather than just skill) on how the digital world operates.
For digital literacy, we aim to develop pupils who are confident, responsible and safe users of technology. Alongside our Computing and PSHE curriculum, we use Project Evolve to teach and assess key aspects of online safety, helping children to make informed choices and navigate the digital world responsibly.
Online safety is embedded throughout our curriculum, providing regular opportunities for discussion, reflection and learning. Through Project Evolve, children explore important themes such as managing their online identity, building positive digital relationships and recognising potential risks online. In line with the Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, pupils learn about the 4Cs of online safety: Content, Contact, Conduct and Commerce, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to stay safe and thrive in an increasingly digital world.
Although this is also covered in Assemblies and the PSHE curriculum explicitly, as regularly as possible, teachers will lead discussions and activities that develop this awareness through their computing lessons.