Computing
Denton West End recognises the importance of new technology in modern day life and as such aims to equip children with the necessary skills to not only enable them to use technology but also understand some of principles and disciplines that are at the core of many modern devices . We believe in fair and equal opportunities for boys and girls, giving active encouragement, where necessary, when undertaking activities. We also understand how important online safety is in modern day life and strive to protect our children online both in school and out.
Aims of our teaching
Our role in developing effective ‘computing’ teaching should encompass the following:
- Provide enjoyable activities that deliver the ‘computing’ curriculum.
- Develop skills, both practical and process, by offering ample opportunity for pupils to work independently to carry out computing projects and problem solving activities.
- Provide computing provision throughout the curriculum.
- Provide children with access to a range of coding and programming resources.
- Provide opportunities for individual and collaborative work.
- Enable children to succeed at an appropriate level by offering activities differentiated either by task, outcome or support given.
- Recognise, and be aware of, existing conceptual frameworks which may affect a child’s learning.
- Challenge and consolidate children’s understanding by requiring them to apply it to new contexts.
- Use a range of teaching styles.
- Enable children to become independent learners.
- Set clear child friendly objectives and outcomes.
How we deliver computing
- An hour of computing suite time is allocated to Year 1-6 for the teaching of discrete or cross curricular computing. Reception are allocated an hour per week for teaching basic computing skills and cross-curricular computing work.
- Children have the facility to work on their own PC as the computing suite contains 30 PCs. Children are grouped depending upon the task in hand. Groupings are determined by the class teacher and might include same-ability or mixed-ability pairs.
- Children have access to a bank of iPads for use in the classrooms. Teachers have the opportunity to book up to 32 iPads for class activities to aid cross-curricular computing.
- Where relevant, discrete computing is taught in a cross-curricular way.
- Teachers have an iPad per classroom for administrative tasks and interventions.
