Computing at Geoffrey Field Junior School

 At Geoffrey Field Junior School, we aim to prepare our pupils with the skills needed to navigate and interact with the digital world. Our computing curriculum is designed to give the pupils the opportunity to gain the knowledge and develop the skills needed to be digitally literate as well as the critical mind-set required to stay safe.

 

Our Computing Curriculum

Our curriculum focusses on several core elements of computing, which are carefully sequenced to enable skills to be developed through a range of themes as pupils move through key stage two.

• Online Safety

Online safety is at the very heart of our computing curriculum.  We review our online safety objectives on a yearly basis with our resident CEOP Ambassador, to ensure that our teaching closely matches the needs of our pupils.

• Navigators (Year 3 only)

We recognise that our pupils joining us in key stage 2 will have varying levels of digital literacy based on the curriculum delivery in KS1 and their access at home. We therefore devote time in the autumn term to support our pupils developing core skills to allow them to access the other computing units and best utilise technology in other areas of the curriculum.

• Programmers

Our pupils learn to programme software online and physical technology offline through a carefully designed progression of skills that encompasses prediction, investigation and application. We want our pupils to understand and be able to exploit the set of rules that computers operate on so that can be controlled for specific purposes.

• Systems & Networks

To best prepare our pupils for their future within and outside of education, it is important for them to know how computer systems control processes in the world around them and how networks allow use to connect with each other.

• Using Data

With the advent of the internet, our pupils are bombarded with information on a daily basis so it is an integral skill to be able to collate, organise and analyse this data. Pupils learn to collect, manipulate data and draw conclusions for specific purposes.

• Creating Content

Our pupils will work collaboratively and independently with a range of media to create content.  Pupils will learn the skills required to word process, video edit, using computer-aided design software, build websites and present their learning in exciting and engaging ways.

Click Here to view the Computing Skills Progression document.

We place a particular emphasis on online safety.  We want to equip our pupils with the skill and knowledge to utilise the amazing possibilities the internet offers in a safe and responsible manner.  The pupils are taught about safe and responsible conduct online and how/who to report their concerns to.  We also teach our pupils to question the validity of what they learn online and the importance of developing their own digital resilience.

Click Here to view the Online Safety Objectives taught across KS2.

Our intention is also to use computing to enrich our pupils’ learning through stimulating cross-curricular projects and engaging projects.  With the understanding that pupils may not have easy access to devices such as laptops or desktop computers, every year group has a set of Chromebooks to allow technology to be integrated into the wider curriculum.  Digital literacy cannot be taught within the confines of computing on the timetable. For pupils to become truly digitally literate, they must have opportunities to use technology across the curriculum to enrich their learning and impact their outcomes.  Our localised curriculum also places additional emphasis on reading and our pupils’ view of the wider world.

Recognising that many of our pupils are already active digital citizens outside of school, we provide all pupils with Google accounts on entry to school.  This allows our pupils to practice sensible online behaviours (such as having responsibility for their own passwords) but also means they build a catalogue of their online learning as they move through the school.