“People say ‘Aren’t you worried what students may do in the digital world?’ My response, ‘I’m more worried if we don’t teach them how.”

Scott Garofola

At Bedford Primary we aim to deliver a relevant, engaging and high-quality computing curriculum. In order to be a successful and active participant in the workforce in the future all of our pupils need to be digitally literate and able to use a range of information and communication technology.

We endeavour:

• To equip every pupil with the knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive in an increasingly digital world
• To ensure pupils become safe, creative and curious users to technology
• To teach pupils how to use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly
• To develop skills in coding, problem solving and logical thinking
• To encourage creativity through digital media, design and communication tools
• To support pupils in understanding the role of technology in their lives and the wider world
• To prepare pupils for the future by building digital literacy and critical thinking

Our Computing Curriculum:

The three main aims of the computing National Curriculum are:

• Computer Science – in which children are given the opportunity to explore how applications and software are made through programming (coding) and how things actually work “under the bonnet” of our digital devices. They will develop their creativity, computational thinking and logic, to design digital solutions for the world around them.
• Information Technology – in which children will use applications and develop their word processing skills to present their ideas. They will work creatively, linking with many of the other subjects in the wider curriculum, using a wide range of apps to create, save and retrieve data, music, art, photography, animations and their written work (plus more!).
• Digital Literacy – in which children will become confident, creative, respectful, responsible online users. Children will develop online skills to safely explore, safely manage their own online image and their online relationships. They will also develop their understanding of the World Wide Web and the Internet it is built on. The children will also connect to many of the other curriculum subjects via their own research.

Our Computing curriculum has been developed using a range of sources, including the Teach Computing lessons and BBC micro:bit. At the start of each computing lesson, children will complete an online safety starter adapted from the Project Evolve resources. The different strands have been mapped out for each year group to ensure full coverage.

Skills and strands covered throughout the curriculum:

Hour of Code
This is site which provides children with an introduction to Computer Science, using Minecraft, Star Wars, Frozen and other worlds to make coding easily accessible and fun.

Scratch
This is an online coding environment for children. Children can design, make and publish games and share with the world!

CAS Barefoot
This site provides resources and ideas to teach many of the key concepts of Computing – but without the computers!

CSUnplugged
This site provides ideas and resources to teach many aspects of the Computer Science curriculum “unplugged” – no computers!

CS4FN Computer Science for fun
An online magazine where you can explore how computer science is about people, solving puzzles, creativity, changing the future and, most of all, having fun.