Queen's Crescent School
Computing Engineers at Queen's Crescent
Being a Computing Engineer
Lead Engineer: Mr Thomas Stocks
Intent: – what does the Computing curriculum intend to do?
At Queen’s Crescent we intend that children should master Computing to such an extent that they can go on to have careers within Computing and make use of Computing effectively in their everyday lives, without being completely reliant on technology.
Our children will be taught to use technology responsibly and carefully, being mindful of how their behaviour, words and actions can affect others. Our children will gain experience and skills of a wide range of technology in a way that will enhance their learning opportunities, enabling them to use technology across a range of subjects to be creative and solve problems, ensuring they make progress. Our children will be taught Computing in a way that ensures progression of skills, and follows a sequence to build on previous learning.
Aims:
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.
How do we teach Computing and why has this approach been chosen?
We follow Kapow, a broad and balanced Computing curriculum that builds on previous learning and provides both support and challenge for learners. We follow a Computing scheme that ensures progression of skills and covers all aspects of the Computing curriculum.
All classes will have a scheduled Computing lesson each week. We want to ensure that Computing is embedded in our whole school curriculum and that opportunities for enhancing learning by using technology are always taken. In upper Key stage 2, children regularly use Microsoft Surface Go’s to support their learning.
What our computing lessons involve:
| Re-cap prior knowledge |
These information recall activities may involve :
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| New information presented in small and simple steps |
Children are then given time to practise applying the new knowledge, in an effort to support working memory |
| Teachers pose carefully considered questions |
This allows pupils to deepen their understanding |
| Clear modelling |
Teacher demonstrate a new concept or approach to learning. |
| Scaffolding |
Children’s activities are matched to their needs. The learning is broken up into chunks and pupils are provided with the tools and structures needed to be successful. |
| Children are given time to explore. |
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Children’s learning is documented in Wider Curriculum books and on Studentshare.
Computing outcomes:
Our children enjoy and value Computing and know why they are doing things, not just how. Children will understand and appreciate the value of Computing in the context of their personal wellbeing and the technological, creative and cultural industries and their many career opportunities.
Computing is monitored by the lead Engineer (computing) throughout the year in the form of book looks, pupil conferencing in order to ensure Kapow Primary is being used effectively in all year groups.
Children’s work is saved to a shared site and is accessible by all staff. Staff also give verbal feedback throughout the lesson. Our class books record progress which includes examples of children’s work. Teachers ensure that they are able to see each child’s learning in the lesson to ensure progression, support and challenge.
At Queen’s Crescent, we aim to make computing a part of the everyday learning for all children. In KS2 we currently have a 1:2 ratio of devices with the aim of having the same in KS1 soon.
