What do we hope to achieve?

Through the course of four year following the Computing course at VGMS the intention is to give every pupil a rich and varied experience of what Computing in the real world has to offer through a variety of units and activities that will challenge and develop a greater understanding of this world in which they live, and prepare them for further study in the subject. Developing the necessary skills to operate in a safe and responsible manner while getting to grips with an array of applications.

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science, and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work, and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Aims

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

  • can understand and apply the fundamental principles and 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 technology.

What Computing looks like at Valley Gardens

Pupils follow a series of units throughout their time at Valley Gardens that will address the three strands of the Computing Curriculum:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Digital Literacy

Where appropriate links with external organisations are used to establish a deeper understanding of the practical application, of the content delivered in lessons, in the outside world. Generating excitement and curiosity in the technological world and in digital making is a key goal of the curriculum. All areas of the Computing Curriculum are underpinned by the concepts and approaches of Computational Thinking. Through practical sessions pupils are challenged and encouraged to develop all aspects of their knowledge and IT skills to prepare them to become effective digital citizens. Coupled with this is a drive to act safely and responsibly in an ever developing online world.

Curriculum Overview

CURRICULUM MAPS

 

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