The school has invested in technology which ensures all children have consistent and easy access to hardware, and software, which enhances their learning experiences – both in computing as a substantive subject and within the wider curriculum.
At South Harringay School, Computing equips our learners with key knowledge and skills across the three main areas of the National Computing Curriculum: Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy. Learners are given the opportunity to experience all three strands within each year group. As pupils progress through year groups, increasingly complex skills are taught to build upon prior learning. This ensures learning is progressively built upon, ensuring a solid base for future learning.
We believe that teaching Computing is an essential part of the curriculum and we view technology as a tool to enrich learning opportunities for all pupils from all backgrounds. It is a subject that also serves to support learning when woven throughout every subject to support 21st Century learning throughout the curriculum. We endeavour to provide computing opportunities throughout many contexts across the curriculum. We equip our learners with a wide range of skills, knowledge and understanding that will enable them to become confident digital citizens.
Throughout our curriculum, we consistently incorporate the key applications and specific, explicit vocabulary to ensure learners are embedding key concepts into their long-term memory. Computing lessons, which are principally delivered through Purple Mash software, focus upon building curriculum knowledge and skills within computer science. Through this, we develop confident learners who are able to: plan, design, create, program and evaluate information. In foundation subjects, pupils are actively encouraged to use technology as a means to produce outcomes in a variety of ways; this may through using applications such as: PicCollage, Keynote, Pages and iMovie. Additionally, audio functions are used to support oral rehearsal, or as a method to allow children to express their understanding.
As well as the benefits of using technology, we are also aware of the risks. This is why we prepare our children to stay safe online through the delivery of e-safety awareness sessions and safe internet days, which take place on a termly basis. Children’s progress is monitored using knowledge and skills progression mapping. Children are given feedback and ways to improve their work either verbally or via the Seesaw app.
Within Computing, we encourage a creative and collaborative environment in which pupils can learn to express and challenge themselves. Families at our school use technology responsibly in line with the school’s acceptable use policies. Many parents engage with the school’s social media channels to keep up-to-date with developments that are happening in school. From research methods, use of presentation, creative tools and critical thinking, computing at South Harringay School gives children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations as they move into the next stage of their educational journey and beyond. In order to demonstrate that we have accomplished our aims, pupils at South Harringay School will:
- Be enthusiastic and confident in their approach towards Computing.
- Fulfil their position as responsible and aware Digital Citizens.
- Present as competent and adaptable ‘Computational Thinkers’ who are able to use identified concepts and approaches in all of their learning.
- Be able to identify the source of problems and work with perseverance to ‘debug’ them.
- Create and evaluate their own project work.
- Have a secure understanding of the positive applications and specific risks associated with a broad range of digital technology.
- Transition to secondary school with a keen interest in the continued learning of this subject.
You can view our progression document by clicking here.
