Intent

At Mickley Village Primary School, we recognise the importance of Computing in preparing our pupils for the digital world, equipping them with the necessary skills to thrive in an increasingly technological society.  We want to model and educate our children on how to use technology positively, responsibly and safely.  We aim to encourage our pupils to be creators and masters of technology and our curriculum encompassing computer science, information technology and digital literacy reflects this. We want our pupils to understand that with technology comes choices and as a school we want to model and support these positive choices and highlight the risks that may possibly come by making incorrect ones. We want children to become fluent with a range of tools to best express their understanding. We want children to feel comfortable and confident with using and exploring these tools with increasing independence as they progress through school. 

Implementation

At Mickley Village Primary School, our scheme of work for computing is the ‘Teach Computing’ which covers all aspects of the National Curriculum. This scheme was chosen as it has been created by subject experts and is based on the latest pedagogical research. The curriculum can be broken down into three strands: computer science, information technology and digital literacy. 

A key part of the computing curriculum is ensuring that children are accessing technology safely and responsibly. Children have a right to enjoy childhood online, to access online spaces safely and to benefit from all the opportunities that a connected world can bring them, appropriate to their age and stage.

Children have access to a range of hardware: laptops, tablets, programmable equipment and software in order to develop knowledge and skills of digit systems and the applications.

Impact

We encourage our children to enjoy and value the curriculum we deliver. We want children to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and well-being. Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed from our computing curriculum equips pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces. We want children to be confident using technology, but also recognise the impact and implications it can have if used inappropriately.

Project Evolve

Alongside Teach Computing, we use a scheme of work to teach aspects of online safety explicitly throughout the year. Project Evolve is an online toolkit that covers knowledge, skills, behaviours and attitudes across eight strands of our online lives, in age-appropriate stages. Through Project Evolve lessons, children are provided with regular opportunities for discussion and presented with scenarios and questions that give them the vital information they need to navigate the online world and also challenge any misconceptions they may have. 

E-Safety support for parents and staff

All of these sites have activities, resources and information to help your children to stay safe online and with digital technology. 

Please note that although these sites are safe, there may be links on them that may lead away from them and to potentially undesirable sites. Please exercise care, as always.

Thinkuknow – This is the first place to look for online resources and activities to help children stay safe online.

Safety Centre - Guides on how to stay safe on the most popular platforms

Netware is a parents’ guide to the social networks children and young people use. Stay up to date and keep your child safe in today’s digital world.

Kidsmart – Childnet International’s Kidsmart website has a section for children under 11 dealing with a huge range of safety issues including file-sharing, mobile phones, social networking, digital footprints, net nasties and safe surfing.

Hector’s World is part of the Thinkuknow site and is particularly suitable for younger children

CEOP’s Thinkuknow Cybercafe for Key Stage 2 pupils. It sets out to develop a set of safe behaviours for children to use when using digital technology

CBBC Stay Safe - Safe Surfing Guide

BBC Online Safety

Bullying UK - a site for parents, teachers and children with extensive advice on how to deal with Cyber Bullying

ParentInfo - A guide to keeping your child safe on Minecraft

CyberQuoll - A site for children aged 8-12 developed by NetAlert –Australia’s Internet Safety Advisory Body

Cybersmart Kids Online – Another Australian site providing resources and information on ‘smart net surfing for kids and their grownups.’

Hectors World – NZ A site that has a lot of advice and information. It also has ‘Hector safety button’ for children to use online if they find something upsetting.

iKeepSafe is an American online safety site – the home of the Internet Keep Safe Coalition.

PhoneBrain is a website for older children and teens. It’s provided by PhonePay Plus the phone-paid service regulator) It covers four key areas – mobile, landline, TV and PC.