Living Life to its Fullest: Making a difference Along the Way
Computing
Computing provides children with necessary skills for the ever changing technological world. Computing equips pupils to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of media. It also ensures that pupils become digitally literate. Children have access to ipads, computers, netbooks, visualisers, a digital camera, a selection of hand held devices and a range of software. Interactive whiteboards are used in all our classrooms to enhance learning and teaching . All children are taught about e-safety.
The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:
Can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
Can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
Can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
Are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
We have recently adapted the lessons that we teach in Computing. We want the children to leave our school as competent and safe users of ICT equipment. The children are being taught how to log on and off by themselves; open documents, save documents; use software that will help their future learning; to create work that has a purpose; writing algorithms and debugging; how computer networks work. We use a variety of sources for our lessons, including Twinkl, CSUnpluggled, SWGfL for Digital Literacy and Purple Mash.
How can you help your child at home?
As with all subjects, the more practice your child has with using technology, the more accomplished they will become. You could:
Sign up to your local library, where there are computer banks which your child can use free of charge
With your child, use the internet to research your child’s interests, discussing how to carry out an effective and safe search.
Download ‘scratch’ from https://scratch.mit.edu/ – free coding software suitable for Key Stage 2.
Download free iPad apps such as ‘hopscotch’ to help your child code.
Log on to Khan Academy at https://www.khanacademy.org/computing for hundreds of free computing ideas. You can make your own algorithms, learn about cryptography, and watch videos about how the internet works and ancient computing.
Online Safety
There are dozens of brilliant online safety resources online. Here are just a few we recommend. Do check the pages beforehand to make sure that they are suitable for the age of your child.