The use of information and communication technology is an integral part of the national curriculum and is a key skill for everyday life. Computers, tablets, programmable robots, digital and video cameras are a few of the tools that can be used to acquire, organise, store, manipulate, interpret, communicate and present information. At St Francis of Assisi Catholic Primary School we believe that ‘Computational thinking’ must be taught to prepare our pupils for this rapidly changing digital world.
How do we teach Computing in the curriculum?
The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:
- can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology
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We teach computing as a discrete subject but try to embed the learning of information communication technology in all subjects where we can. Every term, each year group has an allocated time in the ICT suite for Computing lessons. These lessons will cover a range of computer science in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, information technology where they will learn how to program, and digital literacy which helps them to express themselves through information and communication technology.
Throughout the school the teachers use a range of strategies to deliver the most appropriate teaching and learning styles relevant to the lesson. These will include:
- Using the computer, iPads and/or an interactive whiteboards to demonstrate to a group or the whole class.
- Using a range of technology to support and extend the children’s learning
- Planning for individual or paired work at a computer, iPad or LearnPad
- Encouraging pupils to support each other and ensure opportunities for collaborative group work.