Computing and the use of ICT technologies is an essential part of teaching and learning at Strand and is integrated across all areas of the curriculum in its use by both teachers and pupils. Teachers use ICT technologies as essential tools to enable, deepen and extend learning through access to the vast range of information and resources that the Internet enables, and use of the range of digital technologies available within our school.

Children are active programmers and create ‘unplugged’ programs for a wide range of situations around the school to support them in transferring their understandings of the real world onto their understandings of the different programming languages of a range of technologies. They steadily develop these skills further through the use of an increasing range of programs, apps and programmable toys. Our children are engaged and enthused when applying their computing skills and continually develop their competencies from Nursery through to Year 2 by learning and applying their skills across the full range of curriculum areas relevant for their age range. We are committed to growing children’s confidence to enable them to make decisions about how to creatively use a range of ICT technologies to enhance their own learning. In the Early Years this may be children using the digital camera or iPad to record the nature they observe within their outdoor environments, operating music players confidently enabling them to select and play music they would like to move creatively to, or using computer programs and apps to build upon their maths and literacy skills. In Key Stage 1 children may use digital microphones or iPad apps to record themselves reading out loud or retelling a story, use a word processing program or multimedia presentational app to present their work to others using a wide range of creative manipulation tools, or research topics and answers to puzzling questions through use of the Internet. 

LGfL 

As a London school we are also a full member of London Grid for Learning (LGfL) and its many learning resources.  This ensures that learning is not only enhanced within school but all of these resources can also be accessed from any home with Internet connection. These learning tools are used within our school to develop learning and they provide a safe and managed learning content that is familiar and meaningful to our children. Each child is provided with a personal LGfL unified sign on (USO) login that enables access to all.

Online Safety

Along with the vast positives that online digital technologies bring to learning there are also many risks. As a school we have a responsibility to educate our pupils to stay safe when operating within online environments and working in partnership with parents is the only way this can be truly effective due to the nature of this being such an integrated home and school resource.

Online safety is embedded within both the Computing and PSHE curriculums and drip fed to children throughout every school year to keep it present in their thinking. Individuals use a variety of online resources therefore their needs in terms of online safety can be very different; as well as communications sent home, the links provided below are excellent in providing information and guidance for both teachers in schools and parents at home. In addition, school staff receive regular training regarding online safety and are available to support you with any particular concerns.

View our curriculum overview for computing here;

KS1 Computing Curriculum Overview