Computing
Children have opportunities across the curriculum to access IT. All classrooms have an Interactive whiteboard which gets the children involved in the teaching of lessons. The school also has a set of Ozo bots and Bee Bots, which the children use in maths and ICT to support their positional language and computing skills. Children have also been using iPads to support the computing curriculum across the curriculum. Staff have had Barefoot computer training. This programme, supported by BT, ensures children become confident 'computational thinkers' which will ultimately enrich their career options and life chances.
Key skills are begun in Pre school, where children can play simple games to develop their mouse control. Letter and number activities also help their learning.
In Reception children continue to develop their mouse skills with a wider range of exploration games. They also begin to understand that computers can be used to find out things about our world.
In KS1 Children have weekly ICT lessons where all children work on the computers together. Here they begin to work on word processing skills, Power point and using the internet safely.
Children also work throughout the week to do research and topic based activities on the computers. Simple word, paint and simulation games. Children are taught to open and save documents they are working on and shown how to print. Children are taught how to use floor roamers and use I pads to take photos and as a voice recorder.
In KS2 children have numerous opportunities to research topics and to present their work in a variety of ways. Children can edit fonts, size of writing, colour and experiment with layout options, borders etc. Children use Nortle, for which they have their own password, to create work for the school website. Data handling and roamers link well to the ICT curriculum.
I am learning is used in KS2 to encourage extra practice of key skills. Children can attend a lunchtime homework club if they wish to use I am learning more and do not have access at home.
E-safety is taken very seriously. Children are made aware of the risks of using the internet and they are supervised at all times when using the computers and websites are checked by teachers when planning an activity. Unsuitable websites are blocked and children can follow school procedures if they were to find anything they were not happy with. Class discussions about staying safe on the internet and appropriate websites are frequent.