Ryelands Computing Curriculum
Intent
At Ryelands, we endeavour to prepare our students for their future, especially their digital teenage and adulthoods, further education, and for the future job market. As the technological landscape constantly evolves, we teach Ryelands pupils the principles of technology so that they can apply their learning to new concepts and the stay on the cutting edge.
Implementation
Our Computing curriculum can be organised into three areas: Digital Literacy (including online safety, word processing and digital creativity), Computer Science (including physical programming of devices and digital coding) and Information Technology (including data handling and digital systems in the wider world).
Ryelands’ pupils have a plethora of devices available to them to enhance learning across all areas of the curriculum (including Chromebooks, iPads, Crumbles, Micro: Bits and Beebots).
Computing lessons are taught weekly as discrete units of study. We utilise various resources to ensure high quality curriculum coverage.
Progression within units and across year groups is ensured by the implementation of our Ryelands Computing progression documents, which specify how knowledge is built on year-by-year as pupils progress through our school.
Online safety is awarded a high priority at Ryelands. An Online Safety Team (comprised of our Online Safety Governor, the Designated Safeguarding Lead and the Computing Subject Leader) oversee online safety provision in school, informed by annual pupil, parent and staff questionnaires.
Our online safety curriculum can be organised into three key areas: Contact (we teach pupils the need for caution when communicating with others online), Content (we teach our pupils to scrutinise online information and abide by copyright laws) and Conduct (we teach our pupils the significance of their digital footprint).
Parents are provided with topical half-termly online safety newsletters which provide information and advice on issues relevant to our pupils and their families.
Online Safety Day is observed every year with a whole-school project including pupils and their families.
Each half term, the school focuses on a different strand of online safety. A whole-school assembly is followed by an in-class lesson exploring the relevant concept further. Focus on the online safety strand is then enhanced by revisiting and developing the children’s understanding during the weekly Computing lessons.
Online safety principles are also taught within our PSHE curriculum.
Online safety safeguarding issues are managed sensitively and effectively by our Learning Mentor Team, who also provide additional support for families who would like assistance in managing their children’s digital lives.
Impact
How we measure impact
The Computing subject leader oversees teaching and learning across the school.
The impact of Computing teaching is measured through formative assessments completed by class teachers, and summative assessments (evaluated by the subject leader).
Computing learning is monitored through digital portfolios on Google Classroom, photographs, assessments and classroom workbooks.
Teaching observations are conducted by the subject leader to evaluate teaching and learning and to inform future staff training.
Annual pupil, parent and staff questionnaires are used to measure the impact of online safety teaching and to inform future actions.
Outcome
Our pupils are confident and competent users of technology. They use technology to create, investigate, present, research, explore and problem solve within Computing lessons and also across the curriculum. Our pupils can navigate multiple operating systems towards specified purposes and understand the various risks that they face when they go online.
