It is our intention that the computing curriculum at St Paul’s CE Primary inspires and engages children, instilling ambition in our children to progress in the modern world allowing them opportunities to utilise technology that they may not otherwise have access to. Through a range of tasks, focused on building skills, students will learn to work independently and collaboratively to gain an in-depth understanding of online safety, programming, networks and digital media. The planned outcomes are designed to give children technological experiences, as well as  showing them how technology is used in both everyday and extraordinary items which they use. 

Following the national curriculum requirements, computing at our school incorporates opportunities for children to apply, strengthen and deepen their competence in other curriculum areas, including English, mathematics, science, geography and art. The computing curriculum aims to be a vehicle to present and display work efficiency where children can apply their skills from computing lessons to decide the best way to represent their work.  

As children develop computing skills, they will develop their oracy, discussion and presentation skills, allowing children to present their work through a medium they have chosen, whilst sharing their learning with each other and learning from one another in addition to presenting their work in a way that recognises the progressive and modern world. It is our aim that the computing skills learnt at St Paul’s, prepare children for the future, ensuring they are full of potential for the demands of their future careers and opportunities. . 

Planning is based-upon the ‘Teach Computing’ schemes of work, which is adapted to the particular needs and requirements of our children, ensuring the National Curriculum is followed. Whilst online safety planning is guided by ‘Project Evolve schemes of work, adapted to meet the particular needs, requirements and backgrounds of our children in conjunction with the PSHE curriculum we follow at St Paul’s .

The leader of this subject has a STEM member account and follows the latest news and blog updates to ensure latest trends, resources and knowledge are incorporated and that the curriculum is constantly kept up-to-date. Key skills and knowledge for computing are mapped across the school to ensure clear progression through the year groups. Key concepts and technical vocabulary are also included in planning and resources to allow children to talk confidently, and accurately about the subject and the ways this can benefit the modern age. Encouraging the use of technical vocabulary during discussion opportunities links directly into our school focus on oracy. Computing is taught in half-term blocks with revisited concepts, which build on skills and understanding from previous years and phases. 

Beginning with the skills they need to learn using a specific software, children are encouraged to build on previously taught skills from experiences of different software and identify how technology can be manipulated to produce more efficient results. We aim to promote creative problem solvers, both as individuals and part of a team, and help pupils develop their understanding of the ways in which people in the past and present have used design to meet their needs. Children program, design and create  using a range of software, technology, and devices; make connections with their learning across the curriculum including maths, Design and Technology, science, and art and reflect on and evaluate techniques using subject-specific vocabulary. As the children progress through year groups, phases and key stages, their outcomes become more complex and involve a variety of software. 

Children will have clear enjoyment and confidence in computing, which they will then apply to other areas of the curriculum. Through carefully planned and implemented learning activities, pupils will develop the creative, technical and practical expertise needed to perform everyday tasks confidently and efficiently and will participate successfully in an increasingly-technological world. Through programming, children will develop skills they can use beyond primary school and into adulthood, identifying how all the technology around them is designed to function. In creating media, children will identify the careful step-by-step processes in film, adverts and photography which they can use in their future lives and careers. Data and information studies will prepare the children for the world of work identifying systematic and efficient ways of organising information.  

The leadership of the ‘Digital Leaders’, the computing pupil voice group’, will model how to use digital vocabulary to talk confidently about the systems and software used. 

Pupil’s skills and knowledge, when assessed by the class teacher as part of an ongoing process throughout lessons, will show that they build on previous knowledge and experiences. More formal assessment such as half-termly written assessments and monitoring of outcomes will, alongside more informal child interviews and photographic and video evidence, show progress over time. Careful questioning and planning of child-led discussions will support the computing leader in measuring impact and will enable the class teacher and curriculum lead to measure the success of the computing curriculum and adapt planning, overviews and support where necessary.

Progression of Skills and Knowledge in Computing

The Learning Journey shows what will be taught in computingin each year group.

Online Safety Overview

An overview of the online safety content taught can be found here:

Computing at St Paul's

St Paul's Digital Leaders

This pupil group works with the Computing Lead to develop and evaluate the computing curriculum and ensure that children are confident to be safe online.

More information about computing and online safety