Our vision for Computing at St. Joseph’s
At St. Joseph’s, we believe that computing is an essential skill for all children to learn in order to thrive in the 21st century. Our vision is to develop children's computational thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities so that they can become resilient and responsible digital citizens, whilst also giving them the knowledge and understanding of how to stay safe and be empathetic online.
We want our children to be able to use technology to create, communicate, and collaborate effectively. We also want them to be aware of the potential dangers of the online world and to be able to use technology safely and responsibly. We aim to teach our children that the high expectations they withhold in school should extend to their actions online.
We believe that computing should be integrated into all areas of the curriculum, and we are committed to providing our children with the opportunities they need to develop their computational thinking skills and to become aspirational users of technology.
What does Computing look like at St. Joseph’s?
Computing is taught using the NCCE’s Teach Computing curriculum, a scheme of work funded by the Department for Education. They aim to transform the way computing is taught in schools across the country – and enable more young people to benefit from studying this important subject. Through this, they believe that their skills and career opportunities will be enhanced.
Our computing curriculum is separated into three areas of learning:
Computing Systems and Networks
- Children learn how to identify technology, as well as the variety of ways that computers can share information.
Creating Media
- Children learn how to create a variety of media using technology, and compare it with non-digital equivalents.
Programming
- Children progress through a variety of programming environments to enhance their programming skills and to allow for greater degrees of customisation/independence.
Please also visit our Policy page to view the following policies:
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Safeguarding for Technology
Resources for Parents/Carers
Below you can find relevant guides to help keep your child safe online, including guides to popular online platforms.
ParentHub is particularly useful. It has been created by YGAM (Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust). The guide for gamers has a glossary of terms to aid adult understanding, as well as a catalogue of games explaining the risks and reasons for certain age ratings.