Rothley Church of England Academy

                                     
                                                      Computing

"Wise men and women are always learning, always listening for fresh insights." — Proverbs 18:15

Intent.
Our Computing Curriculum empowers children at Rothley to make safe, informed decisions about their use of digital technology and devices. It helps them develop the knowledge, understanding, and skills necessary for lifelong learning. We encourage all students to become computational thinkers by breaking down problems (decomposition), exploring systematic solutions (logical reasoning), writing instructions
(algorithms), testing and fixing (debugging), and evaluating their work. Success in computing enables students to apply their skills independently when tackling challenges.

We strive to offer a knowledge-rich curriculum that inspires and emphasizes practical learning. The computational skills and knowledge gained will prepare children to navigate the digital world safely and provide a solid foundation for further studies in computing beyond Key Stage Two. Our students will emerge as innovative, resilient problem solvers with critical and creative thinking abilities. They will be equipped to design and create technology-based solutions while understanding the opportunities and risks of the online environment. Ultimately, they will possess the confidence and independence to make informed choices in challenging situations.

Implementation.
To enable the children to become safe, responsible, creative, curious, logical and competent learners the computing curriculum is decomposed into four Learning Areas: e-safety; programming; all about computers; desktop publishing and software. As children transition through Rothley they are introduced to new knowledge and skills within each Area of Learning (AoL). Each academic year these are revisited
allowing each child to retrieve, consolidate and build upon prior knowledge in a systematic and structured way.

Each Area of Learning (AoL) is delivered using carefully selected units from Kapow and the National College Schemes which have been tailored to meet the specific needs of children at Rothley. These units collectively ensure comprehensive coverage of the National Curriculum while facilitating the progression of essential computing knowledge and skills. They support each child’s understanding by introducing key concepts, terminology, and vocabulary, and by creating opportunities for a shared and consistent grasp of the material.
Lessons within each unit are sequenced to build upon previous learning, with activities designed to be scaffolded where necessary, allowing every child to succeed and thrive. Scaffolded activities break down knowledge into manageable parts, using question prompts, modeling, and verbal explanations to clarify decision-making processes. This approach helps all students reach the same learning objectives as their
peers. Additionally, children are encouraged to deepen their understanding by applying what they’ve learned in various contexts and by connecting it to other learning experiences.

EYFS
Our EYFS curriculum prepares children for future learning in Computing by nurturing their curiosity, encouraging questioning, and developing everyday problem-solving skills (Computational Thinking), all while helping them understand our diverse technological world.

Children enhance their Computational Thinking abilities through a variety of "unplugged" activities that promote exploration (tinkering), creation (making, checking, and fixing), collaboration (working with others), and perseverance. They will learn to describe and compare their observations, explain their choices, understand why things happen, and break down the steps they took to solve problems.
Additionally, they will share their learning by recording their thoughts, taking videos or photographs, creating images, and adding label.

Impact
Our goal is for the impact of our thoughtfully designed curriculum to result in significant progress over time across key stages, tailored to each child's individual starting points and skill development. We envision our ambitious Computing curriculum as a means to empower students at Rothley to become enthusiastic learners, computational thinkers, and problem solvers who understand the benefits and risks associated
with technology.

We actively seek to demonstrate how much our students enjoy and engage with the Computing curriculum through various methods, including pupil feedback and teacher assessments. We ensure that all children, regardless of whether they are excelling or require additional support, are identified and provided with tailored strategies and provisions in collaboration with class teachers, aiming for successful outcomes for
everyone.