Intent:

At Dobwalls, our aim is to provide a high-quality computing education which equips children to use computational thinking and creativity to solve problems and enhance their learning. The curriculum will teach children key knowledge, skills and concepts relating to computers and computer systems.

Throughout their time at Dobwalls, children will use computational technology to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information in a variety of ways. They will also develop the critical skills necessary to be able to use information technology in a safe, responsible and effective way.

By the time they leave Dobwalls, children will have gained key knowledge and skills in the three main areas of the computing curriculum: computer science, information technology and digital literacy. They will leave Dobwalls as proficient digital citizens thus enabling them to be confident, creative and independent learners.

Implementation:

• We use the National Curriculum objectives as outlined by the Government and adapt these to suit our spiral curriculum which is centred around the computing concepts and SECRET skills across key stage one and two.
• The concepts in computing are: E-Safety, Computer Networks, Programming and Communication.
• The SECRET skills are interwoven throughout lessons to develop our character education in conjunction with concepts, knowledge and skills.
• Teachers use a combination of ‘Switched On: Computing’ published by Rising Stars and ‘Teach Computing’ published by NCCE, as a starting point for planning their lessons. We tailor the learning to suit the class and individual needs and integrate the learning into our topic focus each term. Teaching is adapted to meet the needs of children with SEND.
• The teaching, learning and sequencing of computing follows a weekly curriculum approach to ensure coverage and progression to ensure learning builds year-on-year. 
• The spiral curriculum ensures there is a balanced coverage of the three strands outlined in the National Curriculum - Digital Literacy, Computer Science and Information Technology, with more complex skills being taught as children progress.
• E-Safety is interwoven throughout computing and the wider curriculum and is highlighted across the academic year. 
• To support teaching and learning, we have a set of laptops which can be accessed by all classes. We also have iPads, tablet computers and desktops devices loaded with a range of software packages. This ensures that all year groups have the opportunity to use a range of devices and programmes for many purposes across the wider curriculum, as well as in discrete computing lessons.

Knowledge Organisers 

We use knowledge organisers to support children's  knowledge and long term memory retention of key vocabulary. See below for link to knowledge organisers used in the Autumn first half. 

Dobwalls Computing knowledge organisers - Autumn 1st half

Dobwalls Computing Overview 

Dobwalls Computing Progression of Skills 

Keeping Children Safe Online

We know keeping children safe online is an essential part of our ever-changing world.  The overview below gives an overview of key e-safety events over the academic year. 

Dobwalls Online Safety Overview

 

Impact:

Our approach to the curriculum results in a fun, engaging, and high-quality computing education. Examples of children’s learning is evidenced on the school’s server. This allows pupils to access, share and evaluate their own work, as well as that of their peers. Evidence such as this is used to feed into teachers’ future planning, and as a topic-based approach continues to be developed, teachers are able to revisit misconceptions and knowledge gaps in computing when teaching other curriculum areas. This supports varied paces of learning and ensures all pupils make good progress.

Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed in our computing lessons equip pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces. From research methods, use of presentation and creative tools and critical thinking, computing at Dobwalls gives children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives. 

 

Enrichment

We have a computing club after school and have competitions during the year to promote being safe online. We annually mark Safer Internet Day each February. 

 

Apple Store, Plymouth Trip

On Thursday 14th November, 2024, children had a wonderful time at the Apple Store in Drake Circus. We had the opportunity to use iPads and apple pencils to create our very own emojis on ProCreate. Children used their knowledge of technology and their artistic skills to create some wonderful designs! All children who attended even got their very own Apple t-shirt!