Computing

Intent

At St. Norbert’s, we aim to prepare our learners for their future by giving them the opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for an ever changing digital world. Knowledge and understanding of ICT is of increasing importance for children’s future both at home and for employment. Our Computing curriculum focuses on a progression of skills in digital English, computer science, information technology and online safety to ensure that children become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. These strands are revisited repeatedly through a range of themes during children’s time in school to ensure the learning is embedded and skills are successfully developed. Our intention is that Computing also supports children’s creativity and cross curricular learning to engage children and enrich their experiences in school. 

Implementation

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children, regardless of background, ability, additional needs, to flourish to become the very best version of themselves they can possibly be. We teach the National Curriculum, supported by a clear skills and knowledge progression. This ensures that skills and knowledge are built on year by year and sequenced appropriately to maximise learning for all children.

To ensure a broad range of skills and understanding, Computing is taught across three main strands: digital literacy, computer science and information technology. As part of information technology, children learn to use and express themselves and develop their ideas through ICT for example writing and presenting as well as exploring art and design using multimedia. Within digital literacy, children develop practical skills in the safe use of ICT and the ability to apply these skills to solving relevant, worthwhile problems for example understanding safe use of internet, networks and email. In computer science we teach children to understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. Also to analyse problems to computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems. We also teach a progression of Computing vocabulary to support children in their understanding.

At St. Norbert’s, we give children access to a wide range of good quality resources and provide cross curricular opportunities for children to apply their Computing knowledge and skills. Online safety is taught within each Computing lesson as a short starter activity as well as being taught as a unit each year. Online safety procedures are communicated with all staff and parents.

Impact

The implementation of this curriculum ensures that when children leave St. Norbert’s, they are competent and safe users of ICT with an understanding of how technology works. They will have developed skills to express themselves and be creative in using digital media and be equipped to apply their skills in Computing to different challenges going forward.

Year group Advent 1 Advent 2 Lent 1 Lent 2 Pentecost 1 Pentecost 2
Year 1
1                    Login to school systems and follow basic instructions
2                Use technology purposefully to manipulate and retrieve digital content. Children will learn how to move the cursor and click using a trackpad.
Programming and Beebots
Understand that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions. Create and debug simple programs. Use technology purposefully to create digital content.
Programming and Beebots
Understand how [algorithms] are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
Photography 
To learn to recognise that different devices can be used to capture photographs;
To gain experience capturing, editing, and improving photos.
To use digital photography skills to take images to support topic learning.
Word Processing 
To open a word processing program.
To save a piece of work.
To use a keyboard to add simple text.
To insert an image to go with your text.
To highlight and select text.
To change font size.
To change Font colour.
To save your document.
ART -Paint Program
 To explore the world of digital art.
To use a range of creative tools.
To create their own paintings using different brush sizes; paint effects and digital techniques;
To evaluate preferences when painting with, and without, the use of digital devices.
Year 2
Typing Skills
Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
PowerPoint
Use technology safely and respectfully. Children will revise skills from previous unit and learn to create folders.
Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.
Algorithms- programmable
Robots
Understand what algorithms are and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions. Create and debug simple programs.
Algorithms- programmable
robots
Understand what algorithms are; and that programs execute by following precise and ambiguous instructions. Create and debug simple programs. Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
Typing Skills
Select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information.
Computer and Art
To use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content in the context of using a computer program to recreate an artistic style.
I can use a range of tools in a computer program to reproduce a style of art.
Year 3
Connecting Computers
To develop an understanding of digital devices.
To use inputs, processes, and outputs.
To compare digital and non-digital devices.
To begin to use vocabulary of computer networks; network infrastructure; devices; routers and switches.
Branching Databases
To develop an understanding of what a branching database is.
To learn how to create a branching database.
To gain an understanding of what attributes are and how to use them to sort groups of objects by using yes/no questions.
To create physical and on-screen branching databases.
To evaluate the effectiveness of branching databases.
To decide what types of data should be presented as a branching database
Sequence in music
To explore the concept of sequencing in programming through Scratch. to learn about the programming environment.
To select a range of motion, sound, and event blocks;
To use sound and motion to create their own programs.
To make a representation of a piano.
Events and actions
To recall sequencing skills from prior learning.
To move a sprite in four directions (up, down, left and right).
To explore movement within the context of a maze.
To choose an appropriately sized sprite. To program extensions, through the use of pen blocks.
To draw lines with sprites and change the size and colour of lines.
To design and code their own maze tracing program.
Desktop Publishing
To use vocabulary and terms ‘text’ and ‘images’.
To understand that text and images can be used to communicate messages.
To use desktop publishing software to make choices of font size, colour and type.
To edit and improve premade documents.
To use the terms ‘templates’, ‘orientation’, and ‘placeholders’.
To understand a template can support them in making their own magazine front cover.
To add text and images to create their own pieces of work using desktop publishing software.
To look at a range of page layouts thinking carefully about the purpose of these and evaluate how and why desktop publishing is used in the real world.
Stop Frame Animation – Literacy?
To use a range of techniques to create a stop-frame animation using tablets.
To apply Stop Motion Animation skills to create a story-based animation. To add other types of media to their animation, such as music and text.
Year 4
The Internet
To show an understanding of networks.
To appreciate the internet as a network of networks which need to be kept secure.
To learn that the World Wide Web is part of the internet.
To explore the World Wide Web. To learn about who owns content and what they can access, add, and create.
To evaluate online content to decide how honest, accurate, or reliable it is, and understand the consequences of false information.
Data Logging
To consider how and why data is collected over time.
To consider the senses that humans use to experience the environment.
To understand how computers can use special input devices called sensors to monitor the environment. To collect data and access data captured over a long period of time. To look at data points, data sets, and logging intervals.
To use a computer to review and analyse data.
To pose questions and then use data loggers to automatically collect the data needed to answer those questions.
Presenting information
PowerPoint
To share information using a presentation software program.
To know there are a number of software programs which present information.
To select and delete slides.
To add text.
To add images.
To add sound.
Presenting information
PowerPoint
To use slide transitions and animations to develop slideshow.
To present information using a slide template.
To evaluate, review and edit slides.
Audio Editing
To identify the input device (microphone) and output devices (speaker or headphones) required to work with sound digitally.
To discuss the ownership of digital audio and the copyright implications of duplicating the work of others.
To record audio and edit.
To produce a podcast, which will include editing adding multiple tracks, and opening and saving the audio files.
To evaluate their work and give feedback to their peers.
Photo Editing – Art
To develop their understanding of how digital images can be changed and edited,
To learn how images can be resaved and reused. To consider the impact that editing images can have, and evaluate the effectiveness of their choices.
Year 5
Variables in Games – Scratch
To explore the concept of variables in programming.
To explore and apply variables in a game (Scratch).  To learn what variables are.
To relate variables to real-world examples of values that can be set and changed. To use variables to create a simulation of a scoreboard.
To follow the Use-Modify-Create model.
To experiment with variables in an existing project. To modify variables.
To create their own project using variables.
To design a game using variables.
To apply knowledge of variables and design to improve their game in Scratch.
WWI Movie trailer
To learn how to create short videos in groups. To use topic-based language.
To develop the skills of capturing, editing, and manipulating video.
To investigate the use of devices and software.
To take their idea from conception to completion. At the teacher’s discretion, the use of green screen can be incorporated into this unit. At the conclusion of the unit, learners have the opportunity to reflect on and assess their progress in creating a video.
Video Editing  – StopMotion
To learn how to create short videos in groups.
 To develop topic-based language and vocabulary.
To develop the skills of capturing, editing, and manipulating video.
To investigate the use of devices and software.
To use and apply green screen technology.
To reflect on and assess progress in creating a video.
Chatbot selection – Scratch
To develop their knowledge of selection by revisiting how conditions can be used in programs.
To learn how the If… Then… Else… structure can be used.
To select different outcomes depending on whether a condition is true or false.
To represent their understanding in algorithms and then by constructing programs using the Scratch programming environment. To use knowledge of writing programs and using selection to control outcomes.
To design a quiz in response to a given task and implement it as a program.
Vector Drawing
To create vector drawings.
To learn how to use different drawing tools to help create images. To recognise that images in vector drawings are created using shapes and lines.
To know that each individual element in the drawing is called an object.
To layer objects and begin grouping and duplicating them.
To support the creation of more complex pieces of work.
To use Google Drawings app. To recognise that there are many different drawing software apps available.
Controlling Devices – FLOWOL/ Crumble
To use physical computing to explore the concept of selection in programming. To use Crumble programming environment confidently.
To use a microcontroller (Crumble controller) and learn how to connect and program components.
To use and apply conditions as a means of controlling the flow of actions.
To make use of their knowledge of repetition and conditions when introduced to the concept of selection (through the if, then structure).
Year 6
Combining software
to present, analyse and evaluate software;
To learn about the World Wide Web as a communication tool.
To learn how we find information on the World Wide Web, through learning how search engines work. (including how they select and rank results).
Combining software
to present, analyse and evaluate
To learn what influences searching.
To compare different search engines.
To investigate different methods of communication.
To evaluate which methods of internet communication to use for particular purposes.
Designing, programming and debugging
To explore the concept of variables in programming through games in Scratch.
To learn what variables are, and relate them to real-world examples of values that can be set and changed.
To use variables to create a simulation of a scoreboard.
Designing, programming and debugging
To follow the Use-Modify-Create model.
To experiment with variables in an existing project.
To modify variables.
To create their own variables in a project. To design their own project.
 To apply their knowledge of variables and design to improve their game in Scratch.
Spreadsheet Modelling- Part 1
To organise data into columns and rows to create their own data set.
To learn the importance of formatting data to support calculations.
To learn simple formulas. To use simple formulas to to produce calculated data. To apply formulas that include a range of cells, and apply formulas to multiple cells by duplicating them.

 

Spreadsheet Modelling- Part 2 – School Play
To use spreadsheets to plan an event and answer questions.
To create graphs and charts, and evaluate their results in comparison to questions asked.