Computing has links with virtually all other areas of learning, but also has some defined strands in its own right too. It used to be called Information and Communications Technology (ICT) but is now called computing, to reflect the emphasis on computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming – then how to use and apply the skills across all areas of learning.
The key aims are to ensure that children:
- can understand and apply fundamental principle sand concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation
- can analyse problems in computational terms, and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs in order to solve such problems
- can evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems
- are responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technologies.
The use of computers has been a key part of recent educational development, and remains at the heart of twenty-first century education, and we are eager to ensure that our use of computers in
school puts our children in a strong position for their future in a rapidly changing technology world. We have interactive whiteboards projectors in every classroom, and teachers regularly use these for many aspects of their teaching. They are also used by children as interactive tools for learning, as a range of good quality applications are available for class use using this technology.
Across the school there are a good bank of laptops and All in one PC’s. All these have access to our core server and full internet through our whole school wireless network, and the laptops therefore allow flexible working in classrooms and around the whole school building. Our latest addition of technology is iPads. We currently have 30 in school, of which have been primarily used in KS2, but are now fully integrated into all classrooms. Children have developed a range of computational skills on this hardware and are eager to develop further.
