Computing

At Shirehampton Primary School, we want children to become confident, creative and responsible users of technology.

Technology is an important part of children's lives and will continue to play an increasingly significant role in their future. Our Computing curriculum therefore develops not only children's technical knowledge and skills, but also their understanding of how to use technology safely, responsibly and effectively.

We use Teach Computing to support the teaching of our Computing curriculum and Project Evolve to provide progressive online safety education. 

Our Vision for Computing

We want children to develop the knowledge, confidence and skills they need to participate successfully in an increasingly digital world.

Through Computing, children learn to:

• Understand how computers and digital systems work

• Develop computational thinking and problem-solving skills

• Create, adapt and debug computer programs

• Use a range of hardware and software confidently

• Create and communicate using digital technology

• Collect, organise and interpret information and data

• Make informed decisions about information they find online

• Understand how technology affects everyday life

• Use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly

• Become creative and independent users of technology

Our aim is to prepare children not simply to use the technology available to them today, but to have the confidence and understanding to adapt as technology continues to develop. 

What Children Learn

Our Computing curriculum is organised around three key areas:

Computer Science

Children learn how computers and computer systems work. They develop their understanding of algorithms, programming, coding, debugging, networks and computational thinking.

Information Technology

Children learn to use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and present digital content and information. As they progress through school, they use an increasingly wide range of digital tools and applications.

Digital Literacy

Children learn how technology is used in the wider world and how to use it safely, responsibly and effectively. They develop the knowledge and critical thinking skills needed to make informed choices when using digital technology.

These areas become increasingly sophisticated as children progress through Key Stages 1 and 2. 

Computing in the Early Years

Computing begins in the Early Years through children's exploration of technology and the development of early computational thinking.

Children have opportunities to use and explore appropriate digital technology alongside their wider learning. This may include programmable toys, cameras, digital drawing and creative tools.

They begin to develop important concepts such as following and giving instructions, sequencing, recognising patterns and understanding that technology can be used for different purposes.

Children also begin to learn how to use technology safely and appropriately. 

Programming & Computational Thinking

Programming is an important part of our Computing curriculum.

Children begin by learning that an algorithm is a sequence of instructions and that the order of these instructions matters.

As they progress through school, children learn to create increasingly complex programs using concepts including sequence, repetition, selection and variables.

They learn to predict what a program will do, identify errors, debug programs and make improvements to their code.

By the end of Key Stage 2, children have opportunities to design and program systems, work with variables and selection and understand how inputs such as sensors can affect the behaviour of a program. 

Creating with Technology

Computing gives children opportunities to use technology creatively as well as technically.

Across the school, children learn to create and manipulate different forms of digital content. This includes experiences such as digital art, photography, animation, word processing, presentations, vector graphics and 3D modelling.

As children become more confident, they learn to select appropriate digital tools for a particular purpose and to evaluate and improve the content they create. 

Data & Information

Children learn how technology can be used to collect, organise, represent, analyse and present information.

Learning develops from sorting and grouping information and creating simple pictograms to exploring databases and spreadsheets.

As children progress through school, they develop an understanding of how digital tools can be used to answer questions, analyse information, perform calculations and present data effectively. 

Online Safety

Keeping children safe online is an essential part of our Computing curriculum.

We use Project Evolve to provide progressive online safety education based upon the Education for a Connected World framework.

Children develop their understanding across eight areas of online education:

• Self-image and identity

• Online relationships

• Online reputation

• Online bullying

• Managing online information

• Health, wellbeing and lifestyle

• Privacy and security

• Copyright and ownership

Online safety learning is carefully sequenced and revisited as children progress through school so that it remains appropriate to their age and developing use of technology. 

→ Visit our Online Safety information for parents

Searching & Evaluating Information

Children learn how to find information online effectively and, increasingly importantly, how to think critically about what they find.

They develop skills in using web browsers and search tools, choosing appropriate search terms and navigating digital information.

As children progress, they learn how search engines work, how results are selected and ranked and why information found online should be considered and evaluated rather than automatically accepted as reliable. 

 How We Assess Computing

Assessment is ongoing throughout Computing teaching.

Teachers use questioning, observation, children's explanations and their practical application of skills to identify what children know, understand and can do.

Children's ability to apply their knowledge independently is considered alongside their understanding of key Computing concepts and vocabulary.

Assessment helps teachers identify what children have understood, where further teaching or practice may be needed and whether children are able to transfer their knowledge and skills to new situations.

Computing Curriculum & Progression

Our curriculum documents provide further information about what children learn in Computing and how their knowledge and skills develop as they progress through the school.

📄 Computing Curriculum Overview

📄 Computing Progression of Knowledge & Skills