Computing
Our Vision
The ever-developing technological world is changing the lives of everyone, especially children and young people. Through the teaching of Computing, at St. Peter’s we strive to equip and prepare children to participate in a world where work and leisure activities are increasingly transformed by technology. Our curriculum will enable them to find, explore, analyse, exchange and present information in many different ways using a range of devices and computer software. We want our pupils to use their initiative and be independent learners, and for them to do this, it must be our intent to enable all children in the school to develop the knowledge, skills and understanding in computing lessons and across the wider curriculum that will enable them to be confident and flourish in this digital age.
Our Provision
At St. Peter’s we provide the children with many opportunities to use technology. As children progress through the academy, all the basic IT skills are covered, such as making and formatting a simple Word document to using paint programs and simple coding. However, we aim to extend the children’s experiences by giving them opportunities to create their own computer games, design their own web pages and be familiar with the functions of Office 365. We also aim to incorporate ICT into the wider curriculum by using ICT in their ‘learning journey’ topics. This could be using reliable sources to research information on a historical figure, or creating an iMovie to highlight the learning from a science investigation. We also value the use of our portable technology in our outdoor learning in our extensive grounds and will incorporate its use in lessons such as PE, art and geography. Each KS2 class will also have their own ‘Digital Leaders’ who will be computing ambassadors for the school. They will host assemblies, organise competitions and run a KS1 Computing Club. By giving our pupils a wide variety of experiences, we believe it gives them all the confidence and skills they need to prepare them for 21st century lifestyles.
At present, we have an ICT suite which is equipped with 30 networked computers which the children access for their weekly ICT lesson. We also have 50 Ipads across the school which the children have access to throughout the day in order to enhance their learning where appropriate. Each class contains a teacher’s interactive whiteboard that is used to support learning. Each child will be able to access the Internet and use the World Wide Web in a safe and respectful way. They will understand the necessary precautions to take through the teaching of internet safety lessons and know where to seek help. No child will feel threatened or unsafe whilst online at school. The school will engage with parents online through the school Instagram account, where we will showcase excellent work and achievements. Seesaw is also used as an effective method of communication between parents and teachers, and children can also showcase their work in school and at home by posting on their Seesaw Journal.