Intent

At Co-op Academy Parkland we recognise that technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal part in our pupils’ lives. Therefore, we want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely. We want our pupils to be creators not consumers and our broad curriculum encompassing computer science, digital literacy including online safety, and information technology reflects this. We want our pupils to understand that there is always a choice with using technology and as a school we utilise technology (especially social media) to model positive use. We recognise that the best prevention for a lot of issues we currently see with technology/social media is through education.
We recognise that technology can allow pupils to share their learning in creative ways. Our knowledge rich curriculum has to be balanced with the opportunity
for pupils to apply their knowledge creatively which will in turn help our pupils become skilful computer scientists.
We encourage staff to try and embed computing across the whole curriculum to make learning creative and accessible. We want our pupils to be fluent with a range of tools to best express their understanding and hope by Upper Key Stage 2, children have the independence and confidence to choose the best tool to fulfil the task and challenge set by teachers.

Implementation 

Our whole curriculum is shaped by our school vision which aims to enable all children to be the best version of themselves. 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: computer science, digital literacy including online safety, 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. Online safety is  taught within some computing lessons as well as being the first lesson of each unit.  Online safety procedures are communicated with all staff and parents.

Impact 

The implementation of this curriculum ensures that when children leave Co-op Academy Parkland, they are competent and safe users of ICT with an understanding of how technology works. They will have developed the skills and knowledge to express themselves and be creative in using digital media and be equipped to apply their skills in computing to different challenges going forward.