ICT

Statement of Intent

Technology is an increasingly significant part of modern life, influencing how children learn, play and interact. At Wincle CE Primary School, we acknowledge that integrating technology into children’s experiences is contentious and therefore seek to do it with care and diligence. We are also aware that the demographics of some of our families mean that our children are not as exposed to some aspects of technology as they might be elsewhere. For this reason, we devise our ICT programme carefully to ensure that none of our pupils are at a disadvantage when they begin secondary school. More importantly, we ensure that all children leave Wincle with the skills and knowledge to use technology independently, able to self-assess risk and tailor it to their needs and interests.

 

Key features of our ICT curriculum:

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• Digital literacy begins developing before children start school. However, to define children as ‘digital natives’ is not representative of their actual range of abilities. For these reasons, ICT is taught across all year groups, starting from reception, to ensure that all children are given a strong technological grounding.
   

• Purple Mash is used as a resource to supplement all aspects of the ICT curriculum. This allows us to teach the more challenging aspects of computing and digital literacy, such as coding, to a high standard and provides clearly differentiated resources catering to every aspect of the National Curriculum.
   

• Whilst Purple Mash is an excellent learning resource for teaching specific aspects of the ICT curriculum, we also recognise that it is sometimes more useful, and ambitious, to teach children to use the adult versions of some tools. For this reason, we ensure that we do not rely on child-friendly versions of every programme, teaching children how to use Microsoft programmes and search engines from Key Stage One.
   

• Technology is inclusive and, as such, all pupils participate in ICT lessons, irrespective of SEND or other diversities. Technology is recognised as an aid for many aspects of communication and learning that some children with SEND may find difficult, so is utilized, where appropriate, to support more inclusive learning.
   

• Despite the many benefits of improving computer literacy, all staff recognise the potential risks associated with using technology and, specifically, the internet. Pupils’ understanding of risk in digital environments is continually consolidated throughout their primary education to ensure that they are competent in managing and reacting to risk.
   

• Using technology develops skills necessary to be effective learners in all arenas. Our ICT curriculum is delivered with the intention of supporting research skills, problem-solving and innovation.  
   

• Technology exists in different forms in and out of school, posing different potentials and challenges in different environments. For this reason, we work in close partnership with home to deliver our ICT curriculum, ensuring that parents are well-versed in promoting e-safety and age-appropriate use of devices and digital environments.

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• Children enter school with vastly diverse levels of skill, dependent on the presence and nature of technology-use at home. In recognition of the extreme diversity of skills, we use careful planning and well-differentiated resources to ensure that higher ability pupils are continually stretched whilst lower ability learners are supported to develop at their own pace.

 

 

 

Our ICT curriculum supports children to develop skills in the following key areas:

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• Using Technology
  Children are given opportunities to use a variety of devices throughout their education, gaining competence in operating them and selecting the most appropriate equipment for different tasks. They are trained in specific skills essential to the effective use of technology, including working to increase their typing speed.  
   

• Using the Internet
  The internet contributes to the effective use of most aspects of technology and, as such, pupils are taught to use it safely and competently from reception. They are given access to sites such as BugClub and Purple Mash. Through this, they are taught the importance of password security and trained to recognise potential risks and identify appropriate responses. They are also taught to understand the basic features of the internet, such as search bars, favourites and refresh buttons. By the end of their time at school, pupils should possess an understanding of the need to be critical when using the internet and should be able to explain how and why some information is more useful than others.
   

• Communicating and Collaborating Online
  In preparation for future academic and working environments, it is essential that all pupils have a strong understanding of how the internet can be used to communicate and collaborate, justifying why one method might be more appropriate than another in a specific context. Pupils should be taught how to use email to communicate, gaining an understanding of various useful functions, such as BCC and attachments. They should also be given opportunities to collaborate online, contributing to shared Google Docs and blogs. All pupils should develop a cynicism with regard to online communication, recognizing the need to be cautious when sharing details or communicating with people they have not met in person.
   

• Creating and Publishing
  A key academic use of technology is creating and publishing information and ideas. Pupils should not be taught using child-friendly adaptions of publishing software but should be given opportunities to use word-processors, presentation programmes and online editing tools. Where, at the beginning of their education, they should be taught basic skills such as text formatting and copy-and-pasting, pupils at the end of their primary education should be able to create basic websites, use online publishing tools and produce portfolios of products that match in style.
   

• Digital Media
  With the range of media they are exposed to on a daily basis, it is important for children to understand what digital media is, how it is created and why it is used in different contexts. Pupils should learn to use a range of devices and techniques to record audiovisual media, developing skill in editing media – including sound, video and photographs - to suit a variety of purposes.
   

• Using Data
  Pupils should understand how computers store data and be able to identify a range of real-life applications for this. In Key Stage One, they should be able to use child-friendly software to input and present data. By the end of primary school, all pupils should be able to use more complex programmes, including excel, to represent and analyse multi-faceted, integrated data.
   

• Programming, Modelling and Simulations
  Coding and programming are difficult skills to teach and understand but are, nonetheless, growing in significance. All pupils are taught how to code and debug with increasing skill and complexity. Purple Mash is used to effectively assess the pupils’ coding ability and differentiate resources accordingly. Pupils should also learn how to create and utilise 3D-modelling software to plan solutions to creative and scientific problems.
   

Click to download our curriculum map: