Steve Jobs
Technology is everywhere and will play a pivotal role in our students’ education and beyond. Therefore, at Willow Tree, we aim to prepare our learners for their future by giving them the opportunities to gain knowledge and develop the skills that will equip them for an ever changing digital world. We want to make our children aware of the many career opportunities that will open up to them if they study computing.
We aim for our pupils to be autonomous creators and our curriculum focuses on a progression of skills, encompassing computer science, information technology and digital literacy. We also want to model and educate our pupils on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely and we recognise that the best prevention for a lot of the issues we currently see with technology & social media is through education.
We understand that technology can allow pupils to share their learning in creative ways and that it can also support learning across the entire curriculum. Our accessible and knowledge-rich curriculum is balanced with the opportunity for pupils to apply their knowledge creatively and to develop problem solving skills which will in turn help them become skilful computer scientists.
At Willow Tree, we offer our pupils at least one hour of Computing each week. To ensure a broad range of skills and understanding, Computing is taught across three main strands: digital literacy, computer science and information technology.
As part of information technology, children learn to use and express themselves and develop their ideas through ICT. For example, children will learn how to effectively use the internet as a research tool, create writing for different audiences or present their learning through a variety of software. Within digital literacy, children develop practical skills in the safe use of ICT and the ability to apply these skills to solving relevant, worthwhile problems, for example, understanding safe use of internet, networks and email. They will be given the opportunity to explore and respond to key issues such as digital communication, cyber-bullying, online security and social media.
In computer science, we teach children to understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts relating to coding, abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation. Children are also given the opportunity to analyse problems in computational terms and get repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems.
We also teach a progression of Computing vocabulary to support children in their understanding.
Computing is mapped out across the curriculum using the Purple Mash scheme of work which focuses on the objectives stated in the National Curriculum and provides a clear structure of progression which builds on pupils’ previous knowledge. It uses resources embedded within the platform which allows pupils to save, combine and import content which can be shared across the school safely.
Our Computing curriculum supports children to become confident users of technology and provides them with the opportunity to use a variety of software and hardware that supports their learning. They will have a secure and comprehensive knowledge of the implications of technology and digital systems which is important in a world where these are constantly evolving.
Children are not only equipped with the skills to use technology effectively but, more importantly, they will understand the importance of using it safely. As children become more confident in their abilities in Computing, they will become more independent and in turn, vital life skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking and self-evaluation will develop as well.
Our learning platform allows to children to ‘hand in’ work to their teacher so it can be easily accessed and assessed. We measure the impact of our curriculum through the use of summative assessment, questionnaires, pupil and teacher surveys ensure that consistent high quality lessons take place, and that sufficient CPD is put in place when and where needed.
Willow Tree is fortunate to be able to offer the children a diverse range of devices to create and to learn with including iPads, Google Chromebooks and Windows laptops.
Kent Conrad
