Subject Aims

At St. Edward’s CofE, 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 Computing is of increasing importance for children’s future both at home and for employment. Our aim in Computing is to ensure our pupils are ready for all the changes that the digital revolution is bringing about. we aim to give our pupils the life-skills that will enable them to embrace and utilise new technology in a socially responsible and safe way to become nurtured, curious, and independent learners.  Not only do we want them to be digitally literate and competent end-users of technology but through our computer science lessons we want them to develop creativity, resilience and problem-solving and critical thinking skills. 

Our Computing Curriculum focuses on a progression of skills in Computer Science, Information Technology, Digital Literacy, and Online Safety to ensure that children become competent in safely using, as well as understanding, technology. The units for key stages 1 and 2 are based on a spiral curriculum. This means that each of the themes is revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and pupils revisit each theme through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme. This style of curriculum design reduces the amount of knowledge lost through forgetting, as topics are revisited yearly. It also ensures that connections are made even if different teachers are teaching the units within a theme in consecutive years.

Computer Science

Computer science is the core of the computing curriculum and covers principles such as data representation, algorithms, data structures and programming. This provides the foundation knowledge required to understand and interpret other areas of the curriculum.

Information Technology

Information technology provides a context for the use of computers within society. Within IT there is a focus on knowledge of how computers are used within different sectors and describes the methods to create digital artefacts such as videos, animations or 3D models.

Digital Literacy

Digital literacy is the knowledge and ability to use technology confidently, competently and in a safe way. It covers wide-ranging knowledge from how to operate devices at a mechanical level, searching and selecting information and how to use digital devices safely and responsibly.

The National Curriculum

The National Curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all 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, confident, and creative users of information and communication technology.