Our Vision For Computing

Technology in the current global environment, particularly coding and online information sharing, have become vital tools for success in both business and education. As such, a robust curriculum is required to ensure that children can utilize these tools to overcome any barriers to learning in their paths.

At Peterhouse, we want children to be the masters of the 21st Century technology that will play a pivotal part in their lives. Therefore, we want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology in a safe, responsible and proactive way.

Our  comprehensive curriculum encompasses aspects of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. Technology should be used to expand, horizons, explore the wider world and take advantages of the opportunities it offers. As a school we model the positive use of ICT, helping children to understand the responsibility and consequences of actions in the online world. The best prevention for a lot of social media issues is through education, raising more positive content creators and discerning content consumers. Building our knowledge in this subject will allow pupils to effectively demonstrate their learning through creative use of technology. We recognise that technology can allow pupils to share their learning in creative ways. We also understand the accessibility opportunities technology can provide for our pupils with barriers to learning, such as social, emotional and environmental issues, as well as cognitive and language challenges.

Our Aims For Computing

At Peterhouse, we have four fundamental aims to the computing curriculum, making sure our pupils:

1) Understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including algorithms, coding and data representation.

2) Analyse problems in computing terms and language, using repeated practical experience of writing computer programs to solve these problems.

3) Evaluate and apply new and familiar technologies and ICT to solve a variety of problems both practical and virtual.

4) are confident, competent and creative users of information and communication, understanding their responsibilities in the virtual world, and it's consequences in the real one.

How do we deliver the Computing Curriculum?

The programme of lessons will be taken from the Teach Computing syllabus, with each year group having access to a systematic, structured curriculum. These lessons, taught in chronological order, will help to develop the relevant skills required for both the following year’s topics, as well as providing an exceptional grounding of technological knowledge in the wider world. By creating a 'spiral curriculum', children also get to revisit those key skills throughout the Peterhouse career to cement their technical abilities. Each course is split into the following 4 areas: 

Computing systems and networks - Creating a firm foundation of understanding about how computers and their components function individually and together as part of a system. We also examine how links between networks (including the internet) allow for the sharing of information across systems.

Creating media- Using ICT resources such as laptops and iPads to effectively create images, websites, videos and information sharing media, becoming the creators of their digital world.

Data and information – Gathering, collating and representing information collected with relevant technologies, such as databases, graphs, or information web pages.

Programming - Putting to good use knowledge of algorithms and coding in software such as Scratch Jr, or hardware such as Code-a-pillars and MicroBits.

Each half term syllabus teaches these areas in this order (there is one additional session for creating media and programming in each term). The course is sequential across all key stages and covers all National Curriculum criteria.

By developing these computing skills separately, they can then be used to greatly enhance other areas of the curriculum. Many children, as part of the gaming generation, are already search engine experts, and have excellent hand-eye coordination. By using these resources in other lessons, pupils will have a chance to show off knowledge and skills that we hope will surpass those of the generation that have gone before them, and give a more accurate reflection of a child's potential. It also gives us the chance to redress the imbalance of the digital deficit. 

EYFS and the computing curriculum

Through the delivery of a knowledge rich curriculum children in EYFS build a focused and sequenced body of knowledge which students are able to remember. Children in the EYFS should be aware of the technological diverse world that they live in. They will recognise that a range of technology is used in places such as homes and schools. They may select and use technology for a particular purpose. The children will use the IWB across their curriculum such as playing phonic games, maths games, singing and dancing to music and exploring the world during ‘flag of the week’. They will be encouraged to interact with other technology in the classroom such as Beebots, Code-a-pillars and IPads. A variety of old technology will be incorporated into the role play area to allow the children to use it in their play. Children will explore how technology has changed over time.

Assessment in Computing

Peterhouse uses a range of assessments to monitor pupil progress, making sure that they are appropriate for both age and ability. Whilst some pupils will be working at age-related expectations and should be able to meet the success criteria for lessons, some may take longer to grasp the fundamental technological skills and concepts and will show progress at  different rate.

Formative Assessment

Every lesson includes opportunities to both assess  work and ensure that misconceptions are recognised and addressed if they occur. Assessments are varied from teacher observations to end of unit activities, and are vital to ensure the lessons suit the needs of the children.

Summative Assessment

In computing, we are assessing a pupil’s understanding of computing concepts and skills, rather than reading and writing skills covered in other curriculum areas. In Key Stage 1,  summative assessment comes from end of year observations of progress.

In KS2 every unit includes a summative assessment framework in the form of either a multiple choice quiz MCQ or a set task. All units are designed to cover both skills and concepts from across the computing national curriculum; when the focus is on more on conceptual areas, quizzes are used whereas units that focus more on skills development end with a project and include a set task.