Computing
At South Malling, we aspire for all children to become computing experts, to use technology to make meaningful links with other areas of their learning
and to develop the cultural capital needed to thrive in the modern world.
We ensure this through an emphasis on well-sequenced lessons that allow for increasing independence and the opportunity for pupils to explore and develop their own interests. We teach computing with a Chromebook in front of every child in order to maximise effective learning time and allow for more accurate feedback.
We have adapted the Teach Computing Curriculum and our computing curriculum is underpinned by three guiding principles:
Develop Expertise through Quality-first Teaching
New concepts are unpacked in familiar and concrete contexts, they are then repacked into the original context. Frequent opportunities for retrieval allow children to acquire and retain key knowledge, concepts, terms and vocabulary. Coding is taught using the PRIMM framework (Predict, Run, Investigate, Modify, Make) and the use of code reading, debugging, tracing and Parson’s activities to embed pupils' understanding of the function and structure of code.
Pupils are provided with opportunities to work collaboratively and share expertise using paired programming and peer-to-peer instruction and group tasks. Individual provision of Chromebooks maximises learning time and enables each child’s progress to be monitored.
Make Computing Meaningful
Project-based activities provide pupils with the opportunities to apply their knowledge in meaningful contexts across the curriculum. Abstract concepts are brought to life with real-world examples. This is supported through practical computing using Bee-Bots, Micro:bits and Lego WeDo.
Develop Cultural Capital
We aspire for all of our pupils to develop the knowledge and skills that they need to thrive in the modern world; in particular, that they are able to enjoy a successful transition to secondary education. By the time our pupils leave South Malling, they will have the computer science skills to excel within both the secondary computing curriculum and the information technology skills and digital literacy to meet the broader demands of their new school such as completing homework online.
Computing in the Early Years
Our EYFS staff identify opportunities to foster computational thinking across the Early Years curriculum supported by the Barefoot Computing framework.
Our core computational thinking concepts within EYFS are:
- Logical Reasoning - anticipating and explaining;
- Abstraction - working out what is important and ignoring what is not important;
- Pattern - comparing, spotting similarities and differences;
- Algorithms - instructions and sequencing;
- Decomposition - breaking problems down into steps.
These are supported by four key approaches: tinkering, creating, collaborating and persevering.
Computing in Key Stage 1&2
The computational thinking concepts introduced in the Early Years are built on through KS1 and KS2 by following the Teach Computing curriculum from the National Centre for Computing Education.
The KS1&2 curriculum incorporates learning about computing systems & networks, creating media, programming and managing data & information.
computing at south malling overview.pdf
Online Safety
Our computing curriculum is support by our Online Safety curriculum. This teaches children the skills and knowledge needed to communicate their thoughts and findings considerately, to recognize when something is unsafe or unkind and to know how to find support.