At Ark Castledown, computers are used as a powerful tool for learning and to develop logical thinking skills. With Computing at the heart of a rapidly developing employment market and an increasingly technologically enabled society; improving our pupils’ digital literacy becomes paramount. All pupils will leave school as safe, confident and responsible users of ICT, equipped with basic programming and coding knowledge.
The Castledown Computing curriculum balances the statutory requirements of the National Curriculum within a broad, engaging and exciting framework that meets the unique needs and interests of our pupils. In years 1 through to 6, the curriculum is delivered through the rich and methodical ‘Purple Mash’ resource. Computing is split into 4 main areas: Computer Science, Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Online Safety.
From KS1, children begin to learn the key skills needed to be computer literate. In Year 1, they begin by learning how to navigate, explore, and use a computer for different purposes. Moving into Year 2, the children grow the skills needed to find and research information, present and communicate information and ideas using a range of programs, and to code simple programs.
Throughout KS2, the children continue to build their skills across the key areas of the Ark Castledown computing curriculum so that they leave us as responsible, competent, and digitally literate users of technology.
Pupils in UKS2 are also given opportunities to become Computing Ambassadors – supporting teachers and younger pupils to be successful in their computing lessons.
The skills developed in the computing curriculum are embedded throughout the wider curriculum to create cross-curricular links. This ranges from using online manipulatives in maths and writing poetry using Word, to using the internet to learn more about an aspect of topic and utilising programs to present scientific data.
From Early Years right through to Year 6, online safety is a critical component of the children’s computing education. Thus, each term the children learn about an aspect of online safety that is built upon year on year.
Online Safety is being developed over the year, in line with new apps, websites and gaming that children come in contact with. Children receive termly ‘Online Safety Assemblies’ and then reiterated and developed in subsequent class based PSHE lessons. Online Safety covers 3 key strands: Awareness, Research and Communication and Collaboration.