At Byker Primary School, we are committed to providing a purposeful and empowering curriculum that fully prepares learners for their next steps. We believe that computing is integral to all aspects of life and with this in mind, we endeavour to ensure that children develop a positive and enthusiastic attitude towards computing that will stay with them beyond their time at our school. Computing has the power to make a significant contribution to teaching and learning through experience, conversations and connections, which unite us with the world around us. Woven through the three strands of computing, Computer Science, Digital Literacy (including Online Safety) and Information Technology, the supportive study of significant people and rich stories, ensures children develop their sense of self and their aspirations for the future.

Our curriculum is underpinned by three drivers. By understanding our place in the world, computing facilitates contextualised learning. Children begin to develop their sense of identity in the wider world and how technology can influence this both positively and negatively and begin to recognise and discriminate information effectively to support their development of cultural capital. With technology becoming an increasingly profound aspect of the modern world, the computing curriculum provides opportunities for children to broaden their horizons.

At Byker Primary School, we provide access to workshops delivered by people working in a range of establishments. Not only can children apply their learning beyond the school gates, but they also begin to understand the importance of computing within their future careers. We encourage children to aspire to achieve, where progression of both skill and knowledge is vitally connected throughout the school. Computing lends itself to many opportunities of enquiry and experience as children take responsibility for their own learning. We facilitate independent learning, child-led study and application of knowledge. This supports children in mastering their own knowledge and allows a deeper level of thinking.

Subject Aims:

At Byker Primary School, we follow the national curriculum for computing, which 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.

E-Safety

Technology opens up new possibilities that many of us never had when we were growing up. Children use technology in amazing ways to do amazing things. Using the power of the internet, children can create their own websites, music, videos, photographs and upload and share these online with friends, family or the whole world. Laptops, handheld devices such as portable music players, and games consoles and mobile phones can access the internet from any location at any time. As adults, we may not use the internet and other technologies in the same way as our children, but we do need to understand what they are doing, what the risks might be, and how we can help them to keep them safe.

The school is already working to help keep children safe online, and to teach pupils about using technology safely. However we all have a role to play, and parents can help us by:

• Learning about the benefits and risks of using the internet and other technologies that your children use
• Discussing e-Safety concerns with your children
• Showing an interest in how they are using technology
• Encouraging them to behave safely and responsibly when using technology
• Modelling safe and responsible behaviours in your own use of technology