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
Autumn 1
Introduction to Computing
How do I manage files, folders and drives at VGMS?
How do I login to the school network and to the school website?
What applications will I use in Year 5 and how what do I need to be able to do?
How do I use the common Google Apps?
How do I create a model using Google Sheets?
What is a hardware and software?
What is a network?
Autumn 2
Computational Thinking
What is an algorithm and how do I create one?
What are the Approaches in Computational Thinking?
What are the Concepts in Computational Thinking?
How do I read code?
How do I use PRIMM and how can it help me be a better programmer?
Spring 1
Python Programming
What is Python?
How do I use the Turtle module in Python?
What is iteration and how do I do it in Python?
How can I use Python to draw shapes and patterns?
Spring 2
Game Design
How do I collaboration online?
How do I create online forms?
What is a storyboard and how can it help me plan a game?
What is a specification and how can I create one?
What is binary and how do I use it?
Summer 1
Physical Computing
What is an ebots and what can it do?
What sensors can I use with an ebot?
How can I program the sensors on an ebot?
What is control technology?
How can I create programs to manipulate Lego?
How do I effectively give my ideas across in a presentation?
Summer 2
E-Safety
Who are you talking to online?
What is photo editing and how can it be used in positive and negative ways?
How do I keep myself safe online and report any abuses?
Autumn 1
The World of Computing
Who’s who in Computing?
What are the current issues involved in being online?
How do I create professional publications?
How can I best showcase my work?
Autumn 2
Audio Production and Manipulation
What are file extensions and how can they help me recognize files?
How do I manipulate audio files in Audacity?
How do I create audio files in Dance Ejay?
What is Copyright Law and how does it affect me?
Spring 1
Game Design
How do I collaboration online?
How do I create online forms?
What is a storyboard and how can it help me plan a game?
What is a specification and how can I create one?
Spring 2
Programming in Scratch – Level 1
How do I create a game in Scratch?
How do I make my game ‘fit for purpose’?
How do I create my own sprites and backgrounds that meet the needs of my audience?
How do I promote my game online advertising?
Summer 1
Hardware and Software
What actually happens when we view webpages?
What hardware is needed to view webpages?
What are protocols and which ones are used to allow us to load webpages?
What algorithms are used by search engines, and could they be manipulated?
Summer 2
Physical Computing
What is a Microbit?
What sensors are on a Microbit and how can they be programmed?
How do I create programs and download them using the Microbit?
Autumn 1
World of Technology
What advances in Computing Technology are currently being made?
What ethical issues are there involved in the development of new technologies?
How can I remain within the law online and what laws impact on my online activity?
Autumn 2
Programming in Python – Level 3
What modules are available in Python and what are they capable of doing?
What are pre-defined and user-defined functions?
How do I create functions in Python?
Spring 1
Hypothesis Project
What advice is there available to keep me safe online?
What is a hypothesis and how can I test one?
What make an effective questions, and what types of questions can I use?
How can I target individuals with my questions?
How can I collect data that will be meaningful?
Spring 2
Hypothesis Project
How do I exporting/importing data from different applications?
How can I use multiple sheets to help in the analysis of my data?
Which functions in a spreadsheet will help me in the analysis of my data, and how do they work?
How can I present my data in a report?
Summer 1
Programming in Small Basic – Level 1
How do I program using a text window?
How do I create a quiz in Small Basic?
What are selection, sequence and iteration, and how can they be applied?
How can I effectively debug my programs?
Summer 2
Physical Computing
What are wearables?
How do I create a wearable using the Microbit?
How do I program in Touch Develop?
Autumn 1
Web Development
How are websites created?
What is HTML and how do I use it?
How do I embed video within a webpage?
How do I display images on a webpage?
What is CSS and how do I use it?
Autumn 2
Web Development
How do I program in javascript?
How do I create a form using HTML?
What is validation and verification?
How do I use javascript to validate entries within a form?
Spring 1
E-Safety
What is a digital footprint?
What is uncontained digital footprint?
How does uncontained activity contribute towards your digital footprint?
How can you manage your digital footprint?
What are the potential consequences of having a negative digital footprint?
Spring 2
Physical Computing
What is a Raspberry Pi and what is it capable of doing?
How can I program light sequences using LEDs, jump leads & breadboards?
How do I program a Raspberry Pi using Scratch GPIO?
Summer 1
Programming in Small Basic – Level 2
How do I program using a graphic window?
What is an array?
How do I use an array in Small Basic?
How do I create an animation in Small Basic using an array?
Summer 2
Physical Computing
What is a Crumble and Crumble-Bot?
How do I programming a Crumble?
How do I download programs onto a micro-chip?
How do I control devices using a Crumble?
