Intent

All pupils at Abbey Hey have the right to have rich, deep learning experiences that balance all the aspects of computing. With technology playing such a significant role in society today, we believe ‘Computational thinking’ is a skill children must be taught if they are to be able to participate effectively and safely in this digital world.

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems.

At Abbey Hey Academy, the core of computing is Computer Science in which pupils are introduced to a wide range of technology, including laptops, iPads and interactive whiteboards, allowing them to continually practice and improve the skills they learn. This ensures they become digitally literate so that they are able to express themselves and develop their ideas through information and computer technology– at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Implementation

Teachers are provided with an additional three planning days per year in addition to their PPA, to plan their curriculum. As part of this planning process, teachers need to plan the following:

• A cycle of lessons for each subject, which carefully plans for progression and depth;
• Challenge questions for pupils to apply their learning in a philosophical/open manner;
• Trips and visiting experts who will enhance the learning experience;

Impact

Our Computing curriculum is high quality, well thought out and is planned to demonstrate progression. If children are keeping up with the curriculum, they are deemed to be making good or better progress. In addition, we measure the impact of our curriculum through the following methods:

• A reflection on standards achieved against the planned outcomes
• Children can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation;
• Children can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems;
• Children can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems;
• Children are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.
• A celebration of learning for each term which demonstrates progression across the school;
• Tracking of gains in each quiz;
• Pupil discussions about their learning

Internet Safety

High Hazels Academy takes internet safety extremely seriously. We have a Safer Internet Policy that provides guidance for teachers and children about how to use the internet safely.  You may find the following links useful to help your child stay safe online at home:

Understanding social networking sites and how to keep your children safe: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

Great advice to help keep your children safe online: https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

Safety information for the whole family: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/security?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US

Report any illegal content on the internet: https://www.iwf.org.uk/

Keep up to date with any e-safety issues: https://www.childnet.com/

Safety information for parents: https://www.saferinternet.org.uk/

Information on gaming safely with resources for parents and children:  https://news.microsoft.com/2009/01/14/microsoft-encourages-families-to-get-game-smart/

Understand and share the world of social networking websites with your children: https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/

Weekly Online Safety information posters for parents: https://nationalonlinesafety.com/wakeupwednesday

Computing curriculum map

Computing SEND Curriculum Adaptations