Computing

Intent 

Our Swindon Academy Computing curriculum equips pupils to use computational thinkin and creativity to understand and change the world. Our curriculum aims to develop: 

• Our pupils computing skills for the workplace 

• Our pupils as active participants in a digital world 

• Our pupils as responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology 

• Our pupils abiity to use technology safely and responsibly.  

Our e-safety lessons are embedded across the curriculum as well as through our PSHE curriculum and our own Safeguarding Curriculum.  

 

Implementation 

At Swindon Academy we use the Teach Computing curriculum. The units are taught over three terms, with a weekly lesson. This ensures children are able to develop depth in their knowledge and skills over the duration of each of their computing topics.  The implementation of the curriculum also ensures a balanced coverage of computer science, information technology and digital literacy. The children will have experiences of all three strands in each year group, but the subject knowledge imparted becomes increasingly specific and in depth, with more complex skills being taught, thus ensuring that learning is built upon.   

In every year group, all pupils undertake a Media unit, where they: 

• Progress their skills in digital artwork, photography, animation, and filming 

• Use hardware and online apps/tools to gain practical experience for today’s digitally-focused creative world 

In the Data unit: 

• Younger pupils learn to sort items systematically 

• Older pupils use increasingly complex databases and organise collected data into spreadsheets 

Vital coding skills are developed across the curriculum: 

• Pupils begin by instructing mini robots 

• They progress to creating games with more complex rules and algorithms 

• These activities help pupils understand and build the fundamentals of programming 

 

Impact 

• Our approach to the curriculum results in a fun, engaging, and high-quality computing education. 

• As children become more confident in their abilities in Computing, they will become more independent and key life skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking and self-evaluation become second nature. 

• Much of the subject-specific knowledge developed in our computing lessons equip pupils with experiences which will benefit them in secondary school, further education and future workplaces.  

• From research methods, use of presentation and creative tools and critical thinking, computing at Swindon Academy gives children the building blocks that enable them to pursue a wide range of interests and vocations in the next stage of their lives.