Computing

Intent

Our aim at St Benedict’s is to strive to implement a high-quality computing curriculum for all pupils from EYFS to year six. Computing at St Benedict’s aims to provide students with the practical skills to navigate our digital world capably and safely, nurturing a curiosity to explore the skills cultivated into secondary school and beyond. We aim to incorporate computing across the curriculum to give the children a wide and varied skill set. 
​Implementation

We use laptops, Ipads, android tablets, bee bot devices, Micro:bits and desktop computers so that children can have access to computing in a range of formats. Following selected units provided by Kapow, students at St Benedict’s will widen their perspectives and understanding of computer technology’s uses, key skills, and risks. The units have been thoughtfully selected with a continuation of learning as its focus and allow the children to progress through the Computing curriculum whilst enjoying using technology. The teaching will look at ‘plugged’ skills-based learning such as micro: bit and bee bots, and ‘unplugged’ learning such as understandings of algorithms and online safety. Continuing from KS1 to KS2, there are six key tenants to the units selected for study:
  • From units such as ‘what is a computer’ in year 2, through to ‘Mars Rover 1’ in year five, students will build upon their understandings of what is a computer.
  • From units such as ‘Getting Started’ in year one, through to ‘Bletchley Park 1’ in year six, students will work on their digital literacy skills.
  • From ‘online safety’ in year five, through to ‘Bletchley Park 2’ in year six, students will raise their awareness of the importance of online safety.
  • From units such as ‘Introduction to data’ in year one, through to ‘Big Data 2’ in year six, students will study with how data is stored, captured, and managed with computer technologies.
  • From ‘stop motion devices’ in year two, through to ‘Scratch’ in year three, students will look at the creative possibilities of computer technologies.
  • From ‘bee bots’ in year one, through to ‘micro: bit’ in year five, students will learn about the impact of algorithms in shaping how computer technologies function
Impact
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​At St Benedict’s we believe education to be most fruitful when integrated in a cross-curricular fashion. As such, we provide opportunities for creative implementation of a range of computer technologies, such as our studies of ‘Bletchley Park’ in year six mirroring our studies of WW2 in the History curriculum, to ‘introduction to data’ in year one echoing the experiences of skills built on in maths of grouping and dividing. From this integrated curriculum we endow students with a perspective that competent understanding of computer technologies are at the crux of their productive functioning as young adults and beyond in society