Computing

“Teaching in the Internet age means we must teach tomorrow’s skills today.”

Jennifer Fleming

Aim

The aim of the ICT & Computing department is to ensure that all the pupils have the ability to use IT tools and information sources effectively in order to analyse, process and present information. 

In addition, they should be able to use ICT to model, measure and control external events. We are not aiming to simply create a group of unimaginative computer users, but creative, forward-thinking and able problem-solvers, programmers, web-designers, games-makers and app-developers of the future. – to be pioneers in the digital world.

Approach

In the Early Years and Infants, the IT & Computing curriculum pupils are introduced to a wide range of uses for IT. Children have discrete Computing lessons taught by the Head of IT & Computing from the Early Years, with support from other teaching staff. They are introduced to sound, graphics, presentation, animation, text and data handling, as well as simple programming and simulations.

In the Lower and Upper Junior departments (aged 7-11)  the IT & Computing curriculum is aimed at developing digital literacy and an understanding of an array of digital devices, through an introduction to programming, simulation, animation, website design, sound editing, digital imagery and graphics editing, along with more traditional areas of IT, such as presentation, text and data handling.

Online safety is also an integral part of this curriculum and we promote an emphasis on developing an awareness of e-safety both within the school and at home.

The school has a fully-equipped computer suite, along with computer banks located all over the school. The school has Wi-Fi in every classroom enabling the use of individual iPads across the curriculum.