At Rowlatts Mead Primary Academy we take Computing very seriously and incorporate technology to complement our curriculum at every opportunity. We hope to prepare our pupils for a future in an environment which is going to be shaped by technology. In classrooms you will find laptops, iPads and BeeBots used across the school in a cross-curricular capacity to aid the entire breadth of subjects taught. Later in the year we will be incorporating Micro:Bits and Crumbles into our teaching for the first time also. We aim to develop confident, independent learners who are able to plan, design, create, program and evaluate information through the use of technology.
Our inclusion of technology and the pupils ability to use it, has always been fantastic at Rowlatts Mead. To complement this further, this year we are following the NCCE Teach Computing Curriculum which has been created by subject experts and is based on both the latest pedagogical research and feedback from teachers. Offering a clear progression of skills and comprehensive coverage of all computing skills, this is a very exciting new addition to our curriculum.
From an early age, today’s children are being exposed to a wide variety of interactive media, from television to the internet, from mobiles to tablets; our children are being born into an increasingly digital world. We therefore see E-Safety as a central focus of all Computing learning and as such E-safety is taught from Foundation Stage through to Year 6 to ensure children know how to stay safe online. We begin the year with a pupil survey questioning their E-Safety knowledge, which then shapes the focus for the rest of the year. This year we have adopted the Project Evolve scheme which provides quality lesson resources that directly address the 330 statements included in the Education for a Connected World DfE document. Then through assemblies, lessons and workshops delivered by the local police we survey again at the end of the year to demonstrate the progress made. To compliment this focus we have developed a strong relationship with the Leicestershire Police who come to school throughout the year to deliver talks to our parents to ensure this message is heard at home as well as at school. In past years we have held talks on Kayleigh’s Story, Digital Footprints and Breck’s Last Game and all have been well-received by our families.
This year we will be running a Digital Leaders club comprised of those identified as talented at computing and e-safety. This club will identify urgent e-safety issues that may be present, train them up to spot these issues and assist class teachers in addressing any problems. This is a youth leadership club that empowers our pupils to educate their peers about online safety. Our Digital Leaders will begin to meet weekly in October to work through training that will equip them with the skills to become peer mentors in school and help keep others safe online. This training sees the Digital Leaders building their knowledge base and expertise and prepares them to take a lead in the digital age.
Subject Leader/s
Mr D Johnson
Impact
Year 1
Year 1 have begun the year with a unit on Computing Systems. This unit looks at what technology is, where we have encounter it and how we use it. This week we will be looking at how to use a mouse and a trackpad before spending a couple of weeks introducing ourselves to keyboards – this will really help as we progress through school and with homework at home.
Year 2
Year 2 are looking at Information Technology that is around us both in and out of school. So far we have looked at what IT is and where we have seen it. Next we will be looking at how IT improves our world and how we can use it safely and responsibly.
Year 3
We have begun by looking at computing systems and networks. We begun the term by looking at how digital devices work, specifically Input, Processes and Outputs. Last week we designed our own digital devices, by choosing the Inputs and Outputs and deciding what we want the processes to be. We will finish this unit by looking at connections, computer networks and network switches.
Year 4
Year 4 have begun the year by looking at the internet – What is it? What is it made of? What is a website? Who owns the internet? and most importantly in these times, Can I believe what I read? We have shared our ideas about what the internet is and we now understand how information is passed both within and between networks.
Year 5
This half term the Year 5 pupils are looking at the sharing of information within computing systems. Building on what is learnt in Year 4 we now look at what IP addresses and protocols are, how people in different locations are able to work collaboratively online and how we can adapt and use other people work as long as we follow copyright laws and permissions.
Year 6
Year 6 have begun the year with an exciting unit looking at 3D modelling. Using the website Tinkercad we have so far looked at what 3D modelling is and how we can make changes to our model. Later in the unit we will be planning and making our own 3D models and can’t wait to share them online.
