Computing

Technology is changing the lives of everyone. Through teaching Computing at Brierley we equip children to participate in a rapidly-changing world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology.

It is our intention to enable children to find, explore, analyse, and present information. We also focus on developing the computational skills necessary for children to be able to use and manipulate technology in an effective way. We want children to know more, remember more and understand more in computing so that they leave primary school computer literate and able to stay safe online.

Computing skills are a major factor in enabling children to be confident, creative and independent learners and it is our intention that children have every opportunity available to allow them to achieve this.

At Brierley CE Primary School, computing is taught through a series of topics.  This ensures all our children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of these computing topics. Teachers use the Kapow Primary scheme of work as a starting point for the planning of their computing lessons, which are often richly linked to engaging contexts in other subjects and topics.

We have a bank of laptops and iPads to ensure that all year groups have the opportunity to use a range of devices and programs for many purposes across the wider curriculum, as well as in discrete computing lessons. Employing cross-curricular links motivates pupils and supports them to make connections and remember the steps they have been taught.

The implementation of the curriculum also ensures a balanced coverage of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The children will have experiences of all three strands in each year group, but the subject knowledge imparted becomes increasingly specific and in depth, with more complex skills being taught, thus ensuring that learning is built upon. For example, children in Key Stage 1 learn what algorithms are, which leads them to the design stage of programming in Key Stage 2, where they design, write and debug programs, explaining the thinking behind their algorithms.

Our approach to the curriculum results in a fun, engaging, and high-quality computing education. Evidence is used to feed into teachers’ future planning, so they are able to revisit misconceptions and knowledge gaps in computing when teaching other curriculum areas. This supports varied paces of learning and ensures all pupils make good progress.
Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed in our computing lessons equip pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces. From research methods, use of presentation and creative tools and critical thinking, computing at Brierley CE Primary children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives.

The files show a couple of examples of a KS1 and KS2 lesson plan.

Please click on the images below to meet our Computing Subject Ambassadors.

Files to Download