Curriculum Intent

Belsay Primary School aims to develop citizens of global change through equipping them with knowledge and understanding of world affairs to help them to be informed members of society with a strong sense of social responsibility and justice. 

The digital world is evolving rapidly and plays a significant role in many aspects of our individual lives and society today.  At Belsay Primary, our computing curriculum equips children with the skills to use technology in a positive, safe and socially responsible way to express themselves and enhance their learning.  We want our pupils to be able to thrive in the 21st century workplace and be prepared for career opportunities by equipping them with the skills, confidence and enjoyment of using digital technology.

Our Computing curriculum provides rich, deep learning opportunities that balance the different aspects of computing.  In addition to becoming digitally literate and competent, we teach children to be developers as well as users of technology by drawing on our school values of creativity, resilience, collaboration and effort alongside problem solving and computational thinking.

Children are taught to explore technology and develop a robust understanding to ensure they become responsible digital citizens and positive members of a wider global community.

Implementation

• Our computing curriculum is underpinned by three core areas of learning: computer science, information technology and digital literacy
• Our curriculum is underpinned by the Oxfam Education for Global Citizenship with seven global learning themes developing knowledge and understanding, skills and values and attitudes
• Our school values serve to add integrity to attitudes and responses to the subject and to improve the learning environment
• Online safety is woven throughout the curriculum as well as being taught discretely in regular online safety lessons. We supplement this with a responsive approach to any topical issues which arise, either within particular cohorts or in society. 
• Children are exposed to an extensive range of vocabulary which builds year on year.

Computing systems and network

Our focus within this strand is on recognising technology in school and using it responsibly; identifying IT and how responsible usage improves our world in school and beyond; identifying and exploring how information is shared between digital systems, and recognising how the world wide web can be used to communicate and to find information.

Programming

Our focus in this strand is on understanding what algorithms are; how algorithms are implemented as programs on digital devices; creating and debugging programs, and programming physical devices by inputting precise block-based instructions. 

Data and information

Our focus within this strand is on collecting data; grouping information using its properties; building and using branching databases to order data; presenting findings using different charts and graphs, and using technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content.

Creating media

Our focus within this strand is on creating documents by modifying text, images, and page layouts for a specific purpose; capturing and editing audio; manipulating digital images, and reflecting on the impact of changes; creating images in a drawing program by using layers and groups of objects; designing, and creating webpages, and planning, developing and evaluating 3D computer models of physical objects.