At Our Lady of Grace Junior School, our Computing intent is to develop computational thinking and creativity skills. Technology is driving change in the workplace, home and leisure activities. Our aim is to equip pupils to use and develop these skills to become future leaders of this change. We aim to develop confident, resilient, independent users of technology who are not afraid to take risks. The children use technology in a safe, purposeful and creative way in preparation for their future in the digital world.

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

• can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer
• science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
• can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology

Our whole school commitment to developing a growth mind-set develops many of the competencies required to be confident problem solvers.  We aim to develop a critical mind-set, developing children’s creativity, along with a resilience to deal with unexpected outcomes.

Online Safety

Teaching children how to be safe when using the internet is an essential element of our computing curriculum. Our school leaders including our safeguarding, RSHE and computing leaders have worked together to plan online safety lessons for all year groups.  These lessons are taught by class teachers and are a vital platform for discussion on current practices and how to remain safe when working, playing and communicating online.  The children are taught key safety rules using a variety of different activities that are appropriate to their age.  All children and their parents sign an acceptable internet usage policy when starting the school and at the start of each academic year.  Online safety is planned alongside our RSHE curriculum.

We use a variety of software programmes to support learning.  We use Microsoft 365 including MS Teams, Microsoft  Word, Powerpoint and Excel. Creative programmes such as the J2E are used to support cross curricular work along with LGFL provided software such as Busy Things.  Our French learning is supported by subscription to the ilanguages French app while we use Tinkercad and 3D Paint to support media learning. Independent learning is encouraged and accessed from home through J2E, MyMaths, TT Rockstars.

Computing lessons are timetabled fortnightly.  They may take place in our fully equipped multipurpose Willow View where every child has their own laptop or using one of our Ipads at their desk in the classroom.  Children will often use computers in a cross curricular capacity during other lessons too.