Computing Statement of Intent
Intent
We believe that all our children should leave Year 6 as safe and responsible digital citizens with the ability to engage with and use
key technologies in their learning. In implementing our new curriculum, our children will be equipped for life in the digital world,
including developing their understanding of appropriate online behaviour, copyright issues, being discerning consumers of online
information and healthy users of technology. Equally, At St Alban’s, we know how important it is to instil a sense of enjoyment
around using technology and to develop pupils’ appreciation of its capabilities and the opportunities technology offers to, create,
manage, organise and collaborate. Exploring different software and programs forms part of the ethos of our curriculum as we
want to develop the children’s confidence when encountering new technology in the ever evolving and changing landscape of
technology. Through our teaching and learning, we intend for our children to be digitally competent and have a range of
transferrable skills at a suitable level for their future learning and beyond.
Implementation
Our curriculum fulfils the statuary requirements of the National Curriculum which aims to ensure that 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 and creative users of information and communication technology.
Our curriculum identifies the three strands of computing which run throughout the programme of study, Digital Literacy and Online
Safety, Computer Science and Information Technology. There is clear a progression of skills taught within each year group and built
on year on year to ensure attainment targets are securely met by the end of each year. The curriculum is organised into five key
areas, creating a cyclical route pathway through which pupils can develop their computing knowledge and skills by revisiting and
building on previous learning.
It is essential that we have a clear, progressively sequenced curriculum for computing at St Alban’s. In response to gaps in
children’s computing knowledge, over the summer term 2023, each year group will complete two catch up units in order to build a
solid foundation of essential knowledge and skills before proceeding to the units and lessons for their next year group in September
2023. Each of the catch-up units consists of selected lessons covering a range of key objectives which will support both staff and
pupils in feeling confident and comfortable when approaching more advanced lessons next academic year.
All learning and teaching will be with an over-arching view to online safety, including acting responsibly to others. In parallel to the
curricular knowledge and skills to be developed, the children will be taught basic practical skills relevant to their age to enable
them to access the technologies they use.
In order that staff feel confident and equipped to deliver our new curriculum offer, staff meeting time will be dedicated to training
in computing. This implementation will be enhanced by accessibility to immediate CPD resources linked to each of the skills and
new resources needed to deliver the curriculum. In addition, there staff training as new opportunities appear, (e.g. new learning
resources). It will also be monitored so that any areas for development can be identified and acted upon in a timely manner.
Due to the swiftly changing nature of Online Safety, children’s online behaviours will be monitored (e.g. by using surveys) and any
needs identified will be integrated into the ‘Intent’ stage of the process. Special events such as ‘Safer Internet Day’ provide focus
for delivery of important messages relating to knowledge, and these will be used to embed safe attitudes and practice.
Our offering relating to the resources we provide for the children (e.g. our online services) will be reviewed and adapted if
necessary for relevance and effectiveness.
Impact
The impact of our new computing curriculum will be that pupils should leave school equipped with a range of skills to enable them
to succeed in their secondary education and be active participants in the ever-increasing digital world.
- The expected impact of following of our curriculum is that the children will:
- Be critical thinkers and able to understand how to make informed and appropriate digital choices in the future.
- Understand the importance that computing will have going forward in both their educational and working life and in their social and personal futures.
- Understand how to balance time spent on technology and time spent away from it in a healthy and appropriate manner.