Computing

The Essence of Computing at Albany Infant School and Albany Junior School

At AIS/AJS, we teach computing by meeting the requirements of the national curriculum. A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

We aim to achieve this by teaching knowledge, skills through high quality sequences of lessons: The sequence of these lessons are as follows.

• To understand and create a simple algorithm to follow a path. E.g. (BeeBot/ Scratch and Purple Mash Coding)
• To analyse problems and repeat practical experiences of writing computer programming, including debugging programmes.
• To evaluate and apply information technology. Learning how to manipulate different software e.g. Microsoft technology.
• To confidently and competently apply these new skills on new and different software. E.g. Applying word skills on Purple Mash to inputting data on an excel spreadsheet

Teaching is designed to take account of our five key curriculum drivers with skills and knowledge taken from our progression documents to ensure age appropriate content. Where appropriate, links are also made to ensure that children’s social, moral, spiritual and cultural development is enhanced through computing.

Purple Mash

As a school, we have an affiliation with Purple Mash, an online resource which helps us in the teaching of computing. Purple Mash is an extremely useful platform which is interactive and easy to use. The school staff and children have become very confident in using this tool over the past year and there have been some adaptations in the way we approach Purple Mash.

Below, you will find knowledge organisers for each unit that each year group will cover and the order we will teach them in, according to our newly refurbished curriculum progression document. This has been adapted to the way the world now works with technology and how we live our lives. You are welcome to have a look at some of the things we will be covering in lessons.