Bincombe Valley Primary School

Computer Science

At Bincombe Valley Primary School we recognise the importance of Computer Science due to the ever growing technical world in which we live in.

Our curriculum is designed to build the children’s confidence, knowledge, co-operative working and resilience through a range of 10 Golden Threads to ensure comprehensive coverage of the subject.

Intent

EYFS:- At Bincombe Valley Primary, we use the Barefoot Computing Resources to develop computational thinking, within the Development Matters guidance for Characteristics of Effective Learning. These activities are research-aligned, cross-curricular, collaborative and fun, allowing pupils to develop the necessary problem-solving skills needed for everyday life.

 KS1 & KS2:- At Bincombe Valley Primary, we have chosen to follow the ‘Teach Computing’ curriculum which is a research-informed curriculum. This was created by the Raspberry Pi Foundation on behalf of the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE) ensuring a comprehensive coverage of the subject.

All learning outcomes of the 10 Golden threads are ordered alphabetically as follows:

 ■ Algorithms — Be able to comprehend, design, create, and evaluate algorithms

 ■ Computer networks — Understand how networks can be used to retrieve and share information, and how they come with associated risks

■ Computer systems — Understand what a computer is, and how its constituent parts function together as a whole

■ Creating media — Select and create a range of media including text, images, sounds, and video

 ■ Data and information — Understand how data is stored, organised, and used to represent real-world artefacts and scenarios

■ Design and development — Understand the activities involved in planning, creating, and evaluating computing artefacts

■ Effective use of tools — Use software tools to support computing work

■ Impact of technology — Understand how individuals, systems, and society as a whole interact with computer systems

■ Programming — Create software to allow computers to solve problems

■ Safety and security — Understand risks when using technology, and how to protect individuals and systems  

Whilst all strands are present at all phases, they are not always taught explicitly. The Teach Computing Curriculum is structured in units and are based on a spiral curriculum. This means that each of the themes are revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and pupils revisit each theme through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme. This style of curriculum design reduces the amount of knowledge lost through forgetting, as topics are revisited yearly.

 

Implementation

At Bincombe Valley Primary School we have a one and a half form intake so our curriculum has been tailored to fit the education needs of our children whilst also implanting the 10 Golden threads throughout the curriculum.

Children are taught in class groups in a dedicated ICT suite (The Cyber Space).

PLANNING

  • Unit plans contain a progression of skills and concepts covering National Curriculum Objectives
  • The Teach Computing curriculum gives detailed lesson plans which will be adapted for the current needs of each class that contain small step objectives to ensure the teaching of the necessary skills
  • Children will experience a broad and balanced Computing curriculum
  • Outcomes in Computing will improve due to a better understanding of how skills and concepts are developed
  • Evidence of high quality provision in the children’s learning and provision given will be shown through samples of work, planning and lesson observations
  • Teachers will feel more confident with the teaching of Computer Science through the detailed planning with extensive resources provided

Overview

KS1

LKS2

UKS2

SEND support in Computer Science

Impact

ASSESSMENT IN COMPUTING

Assessment opportunities are detailed in each lesson plan. The learning objectives and success criteria are introduced at the beginning of each lesson and then reviewed at the end. Our Computing curriculum is assessed at the end of each unit, using our ‘Key Takeaways’, with children’s learning contributing to an overall termly assessment. Children are judged as ‘working at the expected standard’ of the year group (expected) or working below the expected standard (has not met). Evidence of outcomes can be found through:

  • Pupil discussion about their learning
  • Samples of work completed throughout each unit