Implementation

As a school, we have chosen to use the Purple Mash Computing Scheme of Work from Year 3 to Year 6. This scheme has been created by subject experts and is based on the latest pedagogical research. Pupils are provided with regular explicit computing lessons each week during PPA, led by a specialist computing teacher. These lessons are in addition to completing cross-curricular project work using IPADs and laptops.

Furthermore, the scheme of work supports our teachers in delivering fun and engaging lessons, which help to raise standards and allow all pupils to achieve their full potential. We are confident that the scheme of work meets the expectations of the National Curriculum. It provides flexibility to adapt to our learners here at Brookland, provides ideas for strong cross-curricular links and offers opportunities for ongoing assessment. Furthermore, it gives excellent guidance and supporting material for every class teacher delivering the lessons.

We have mapped the curriculum so that it provides a wide range of different technological experiences, using a variety of tools. Overlaps between units serve to deepen understanding of computational concepts and provide opportunities for pupils to apply and extend their understanding, and make links in their knowledge and capabilities. Long-term planning aims to balance 3 key strands throughout the whole school so that pupils cover and revisit all areas.

The three strands of computing content covered are:

Computer Science (CS)- using computational thinking to solve problems and creating things for different purposes. This involves creating algorithms which control simple characters, games and websites, or debugging to correct mistakes in their own and others’ programs

Information Technology (IT)-ensuring that pupils understand how the devices they use function and have knowledge of the digital world

Digital Literacy (DL)-teaching children to use a range of technology in a safe and responsible way

 

Impact

During their time at Brookland Junior School, pupils gain an in-depth knowledge of computing and by the end of their primary career, have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to ensure that they are ready for secondary school.

The way pupils showcase, share, celebrate and publish their work will best show the impact of our curriculum. We look for evidence through reviewing pupils' knowledge and skills digitally and observing learning regularly. The majority of computing units are project-based and the final outcome will be a finished project, e.g. a 3D animation, game creation and coding projects. Pupils also save their work on Google Classroom so we can track progress made over time. Where a unit is teaching specific skills, an end of unit assessment is used to assess pupils' understanding of a topic. Work is marked regularly and feedback provided to ensure the pupils are assessed effectively in order to develop their knowledge and skills.

Class teachers ensure that the children in their class have covered the relevant knowledge and skills using the subject-specific progression map. Subject leaders carry out 'deep dive' subject monitoring, which includes planning and book scrutiny, learning walk/lesson observations, and pupil voice.