COMPUTING
“Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or you just want to pursue a career in the 21st century, basic computer programming is an essential skill to learn.” Stephen Hawkins
At NFJ&I through our comprehensive computing curriculum, we are equipping children with the knowledge to become computational and creative thinkers who can confidently use information technology to create and improve digital programs and systems. We use the KAPOW Computing scheme as this ensures a progressive currculum. In each unit of work, the teacher explicitly models the skills children need in order to complete the given task. Children are then provided with the means and opportunity to practise and refine these skills. By the end of each unit children will have learnt and developed the necessary skills showing a clear understanding of how these are used. Key vocabulary will be shared with the children and they will be expected to use and understand vocabulary relating to the unit of work. As children move from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 2, the skills and knowledge gained in the younger years will be practised, consolidated and built upon. To gain a clear understanding of how our curriculum is progressive see the document titled ‘Progression of Skills and Knowledge’ below.
Computing is the use of digital technologies to solve problems, understand systems and create purposeful products and new and better innovations. There are 3 strands of computing, these are;
Computer Science
Information Technology
Digital Literacy
Computer Science is about using computational thinking to solve problems. To understand about computer networks, programming, coding, algorithms.
Information Technology is about ensuring you can use a wide range of products and software to enable you to plan, develop and create for example creating videos, audio, art, photography or music using information technology.
Digital Literacy is the ability to use computer systems confidently and effectively for example understanding why you are choosing to use something for a particular purpose. This strand also covers Online Safety, knowing how to use things safely, respectfully and responsibly.
DIGITAL LEADERS
A Digital Leader is a pupil who is part of a Digital Leaders Team within our school. Their role is to support the use and to further develop ICT in school. Digital Leaders have been apointed in each class Year 1 to 6. They support with the daily set up and safe storage of iPads and laptops.
Computing 2024/25
Developing Knowledge and understanding in the Foundation Stage
Joseph and Oliver laugh as they discover that one of the cars in the set can move quickly. They both take it in turns pulling the car back and watching it roll across the carpet. Oliver sometimes stops the car from moving by placing an obstacle in its way.
Harry and Edvards in upper foundation are exploring the IWB. Harry said "I can draw on this big tele." Harry asked how to make things bigger, he is shown how by the teacher- using two fingers and pulling them apart. At first he tries to use the palm of his hands but this rubs the lines on the screen out. After only a minute of experimenting he is able to 'zoom in'.
"Look I can make the screen green!' Harry said as he zoomed in on the green lines he had drawn.
Ash and Cherry class have been using pictograms to analyse data. We used https://www.j2e.com/jit5#pictogram to create a pictogram of fruit choices though the week. This pictogram shows fruit choices on Tuesday. We will continue to record snack choices looking at the information required to create the pictogam (such as changing the choices dependant on the fruit available) as children become more familiar with this process.
Harry showed me that he had made an iPad using cubes. "I can click a picture and play a game". The teacher talked with the children in the area about 'apps' and that these were the pictures that they click on to play a game.
LO: To follow instructions as part of practical activities and games
In this activity children had to think about how to give instructions to guide their partner from a starting point through a number of obstacles. The instructions they needed to give was: – step over – turn left – turn right – walk straight on – duck under etc. If the instruction was not correct children were guided by the teacher to look at ways of correcting the problem in a process of 'debugging'.
Computing in KS1
Unit outcomes: Pupils who are secure will be able to: Create a flip book animation. Decompose a story into smaller parts to plan a stop motion animation. Create stop motion animations with small changes between images.
| Children in year 1 really enjoyed learning how to create animations. To effectively animate an object to move across a background the children use a technique called 'onion skinning' . |
| The children try out their own ideas using the program J2E. |
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The possibilities are endless!
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Children in the year 2 class used Stop Motion to create small movement between images that when played created a short animation of a penguin which linked to thier literacy text the 'Emperors Egg'.
In Key Stage 1 the children used their topic 'Dinosaurs' to experiment with taking photos, editing and creating collages. The children worked collaboratively for some of the computing lessons in order to create a collage of images where they had used skills such as resizing, dragging images and adding decoration.
Pupils with secure understanding indicated by: Recognising that a collage means several photos on a page. Adding both images and text. Resizing and dragging images around the page.
Pupils working at greater depth indicated by: Considering layout – resizing and adding decoration appropriately.
Computing in LKS2
In Lower Key Stage 2 the children used their topic 'Volcanoes' to create animations of an errupting volcano. Using Scratch on the iPads they created an animation that would show a volcano erupting. The children added additional effects such as loops and sound. Children shared ideas as they developed a worked example to create an animation of their own.
Safer Internet Day
E-safety values and attitudes are part of our everyday teaching and learning at NFJ&I and we are proud to support this years Safer Internet Day on the 7th February 2023. The theme is 'Want to talk about it!'
We are encouraging children to talk to their friends, talk to the adults they know and trust about e-safety. Whether this is talking about the funny things they see online, or their favourite game or app to use.
Talking about the latest trends, or a favourite video, or the trick to beating your favourite level in a game.
Talking about the things online that are frustrating, or the things that make them laugh out loud.
Talking about how they think you can best support them in their online life.
Computing in UKS2
In UKS2, we will be working with small programmable devices called micro:bits. We will use a block coding language (similar to Scratch) on the micro:bits to create animations and even create our own thermometers and pedometers! Watch the video below to find out more about micro:bits or visit Micro:bit Educational Foundation | micro:bit (microbit.org)