At Signhills Infant Academy, computing is taught throughout the school, following our the Teach Computing curriculum. Our curriculum, which is spiral progressive is taught through 6 half term units of work. 

Unit 1: Computing Networks and Systems

Unit 2: Creating Media

Unit 3: Programming A

Unit 4: Data and Information 

Unit 5: Creating media 

Unit 6: Programming B 

A learning graph is provided for each unit that demonstrates progression through concepts and skills.

Alongside this, our computing curriculum recognises that computing is able to be taught both as a discrete subject as well as being woven through other areas of the curriculum. Many of the skills are transferable which provides a wealth of learning opportunities across the curriculum subjects including Art, D&T, Maths, Geography, Science and English.

In EYFS, computing is taught through the Early Years Curriculum as part of ‘Understanding the World’ and is done through adult directed teaching as well as being part of the enhanced and continuous provision. All children are encouraged to select and use technology for particular purposes. They have access to Chromebooks, iPads and Bee-Bots at all times. All children learn how to use an iPad and are encouraged to use the iPads effectively and for a clear purpose, for example using the timer or taking photographs. They learn to give clear instructions to each other orally before tinkering with the Bee-Bots and beginning to program simple algorithms. The children will recognise that technology is used in school and at home through discussions and when they go on an ICT spotting walks.    

When children enter KS1, our teaching implements the computing National Curriculum which is comprised of 3 main parts; 

• Information Technology

• Computer Science

• Digital Literacy

Pupils are taught to: 

• Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and those programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions (Computer Science)

• Create and debug simple programs (Computer Science)

• Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs (Computer Science)

• Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content (Information Technology)

• Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school (Information Technology)

• Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies. (Digital Literacy)

Computing is taught once a week discretely and as regularly as possible in support of other areas of learning across school. Knowledge and skills are taught progressively, allowing the children to embed their learning over time.  

We teach E-Safety as an explicit part of our curriculum through Computing and PSHE lessons. Children are taught how to keep safe in this ever-changing digital world and the steps to take if problems or worries arise. We discuss issues such as; keeping personal information private, trusting people and sources online, treating others online as we would in real life, posting private information online, what to do if anything makes children feel uncomfortable online and finding out about our digital footprints. This is done through the units in the Teach Computing curriculum but also through the use of the National Online Safety resources to further educate and enhance the knowledge, understanding and skills that the children should have the opportunity to develop within the Education for a Connected World framework. 

We use stories such as Smartie the Penguin, Jessie & Friends, Chicken Clicking and Lee & Kim’s Adventure cartoons to reinforce E-Safety throughout the year, as well as highlighting and discussing key events such as Safer Internet Day, Anti Bullying week and Children’s Mental Health week within the whole school. 

All of our children have access to a bank of Chromebooks and iPads to support their learning and there are interactive whiteboards in every classroom that are used daily to further enable and enhance learning.

Parents are also encouraged to send observations of their children using, recognising and talking about technology via Tapestry, an Online Learning Journal.

Each term, an ‘App of the Term’ is introduced within each year group and displayed within each classroom. The children are shown how to use this app and teachers are encouraged to plan creative ways in which this can be used within their lessons to enhance the children’s learning. Parents are also made aware of this on year group newsletters and are encouraged to download these on their devices at home for the children to experiment and be creative with.

To ensure that we make Computing an engaging and challenging learning experience we:

• Keep up to date with the technological changes that go on in the world. 

• Recognise that all classes have pupils with widely differing ICT abilities. This is especially true when some pupils have access to ICT equipment at home, while others do not.

• We provide suitable learning opportunities for all pupils by matching the challenge of the task to the ability and experience of the pupil. 

This is achieved in a variety of ways, by:

• Setting common tasks which are open-ended and can have a variety of responses. 

• Setting tasks of increasing difficulty (not all pupils complete all tasks). 

• Giving pupils the opportunity to use a variety of hardware and programmes/apps. 

• Having a clear overview of the curriculum within each year, showing the sequence of learning.