Computing
We believe that all our children should leave Year 6 as safe and responsible digital citizens with the ability to engage with and utilise key technologies in their learning. Our curriculum includes e-safety, programming and application topics, where skills are developed incrementally each year, to ensure all learners have an understanding of the digital world. Alongside our curriculum offering, we are committed to supporting the learning of key skills including; basic procedures (logging on, managing passwords, saving work), using presentation, data and creative software, touch typing and effective research skills using the Internet.
Our Computing Curriculum
Resources – Home Use
There are many excellent online Computing resources that you can access at home to support your child’s learning.
· Scratch is a coding program used extensively in schools. It is free to sign up, watch tutorials and have a go at home: visit https://scratch.mit.edu/.
· Further coding projects and ideas are available as part of The Coding Club: https://www.codeclub.org.uk/projects
· If you have access to (or are interested in) using a Raspberry Pi for coding visit: https://www.raspberrypi.org/resources/
· Learn and practise typing skills with a fun dance mat game: https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zvnrq6f
· The BBC Bitesize website has a very clear Frequently Asked Questions section to help answer questions about technical vocabulary and key processes: https://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zvnrq6f.
To follow monthly developments in online safety issues please check out #Ditto - the online magazine from Education Consultant Alan Mackenzie/ #Ditto is designed to keep you up to date with risks, issues, advice and guidance related to keeping children safe online, with a view to enjoying and learning about technology.
Encourage good digital habits!
We often have parents ask us for advice about managing screen time and devices at home. All year groups teach a half term of E-safety (digital citizenship) each year, covering topics from how to communicate in an email to how to spot false advertising and stranger danger online.
Your child’s chances of being a stronger (and safer) digital citizen are greatly improved if you are a part of the conversation: setting boundaries and sharing in your child’s online experiences. Apps like Google’s Family Link (other apps are available!) help manage your child’s access and enable you as a parent to monitor and discuss what your child can see online. With the app you can view what your child is seeing, set time limits for apps and devices and point you in the direction of recommenced apps (Scratch is particularly recommenced by us to support computing lessons).
You can down Family Link here to get started:https://families.google.com/familylink/