Great Wakering Primary School. Computing Policy

Transcription

1 Great Wakering Primary School Working together at the heart of our community Computing Policy Status: Frequency of review: Recommended Triannual Date of last review: November 2015 Date of next review: November 2018 Inspire Achieve Respect

2 Vision Information and communication technologies are firmly embedded in all aspects of our society. Children are growing up at a time of rapid technological change and are adopting these technologies as a matter of course both at school, at home and in their leisure time. Consequently and in line with Every Child Matters, it is our responsibility at Great Wakering Primary School, to ensure that every pupil develops the necessary knowledge, skills and understanding in order to achieve future economic well being. Every member of the school community is therefore entitled to become a confident and competent user of Information Technology and have the opportunity to develop and practise their Computing skills in a variety of curriculum contexts. Aims To make all children Computing capable as defined in the National Curriculum characterised by an ability to use effectively Computing tools and information sources to analyse, process and present information and to model, measure and control external events To enrich all areas of the curriculum through our use of Computing. To enhance the quality of teaching and learning experiences for all. To integrate Computing into the everyday working lives of both staff and pupils. To use a variety of Computing equipment & information sources to solve problems, and learn to select the appropriate Computing tools to use in any situation. To enjoy using technology in the process of achieving satisfying outcomes. To assist all staff in their delivery of quality Computing through access to appropriate CPD. Teaching and Learning Pupils at Great Wakering Primary School will be taught Computing regularly, this should be linked to topics and themes being covered by the class at that time. Each class can book sessions in the Computing Suite each week. All teachers have interactive whiteboards in their classrooms and should use Computing as an integral part of their teaching where appropriate. Each classroom also has access to 2 shared banks of sixteen laptops. Computing is taught in a variety of ways eg. whole class, groups, pairs and individually at times. Pupils of all abilities, irrespective of gender, race or creed will be provided with the opportunity to use and develop their COMPUTING skills in context appropriate to their current needs and experience. Children will be grouped in a variety of ways to support learning. When working in pairs children will be encouraged to share their time on the computer.

3 Computing skills should be taught through a cross-curricular approach to give them a purpose and context. Children should be taught the skills that they need and be given the opportunities to apply these in other areas of the curriculum. Teaching is matched to the needs of the class and individual children to ensure that all children make good progress. Pupils will be encouraged to access the Computing resources whenever appropriate in order to develop their work. Planning Teachers plan in line with the school s scheme of work as suggested by Essex LEA (Appendix 1). This shows a progression of capability from the foundation stage through to key stage three, and covers the Computing themes: Finding things out - Handling data Research Developing ideas and making things happen - Control and sensing Modelling and simulations Exchanging and sharing information - Communication Teachers plan to use Computing across a range of subjects, embedding opportunities to develop capability within appropriate curriculum contexts, and as a tool for teaching or as a means of recording or developing learning. All of the Computing themes are expected to be covered in the course of the academic year. This approach is constantly under review in accordance with Government guidelines, Outcomes for the pupil During Foundation Stage, KS1 and KS2 pupils would be expected to develop the following: Knowledge and Understanding Understand that Computing can be used to solve problems in a range of contexts. Know when to use a particular Computing tool in the solution of a problem. Know the limitations of Computing and when it is better not to use it. Understand the concepts associated with Computing including the vocabulary. Begin to understand the impact of new technologies on society. Skills Handle the hardware with increasing confidence. Continue to develop skills in the use of software. Apply those skills in a wider range of contexts. Personal Development

4 Show confidence and autonomy when using the new technologies. Become purposeful and discerning users. Be able to reflect on the value of their work and on the work of others. See how the skills they are developing are used in society. Assessment and recording The school is introducing summative assessments to inform future planning to ensure that any gaps in the children s basic skills are met. Teachers, together with the HLTA, will track progress of children with the use of the Progression Statements and level descriptions for each year group (Appendix 2). The purpose is to assist teachers to see the progression in Computing capability through year groups and also to assist in assessment and the levelling of work. The progressions are shown by year group and indicate what most children will be able to do by the end of the year. Assessment for learning will also be introduced and used during Computing sessions. Children should be aware of the level at which they are working and know where to find the next steps for their learning ( I can statements displayed in the Computing suite). Children will be encouraged to evaluate their own and the work of others in a positive and supportive environment through peer assessment in line with the I can statements. Where appropriate Computing work will be printed/recorded in the book appropriate to the subject on which the activity is based or Theme book and stored electronically in the individual files. Implementation Responsibility for Computing is devolved to the Computing co-ordinator (currently Alison Goodman). The coordinator is responsible for: Providing leadership and vision Providing planning to ensure that children are given the opportunity to reach the key objectives for the year group and provide support for staff. Reviewing the policy and development plan to ensure that it is in line with current teaching and learning. Monitoring the delivery of Computing in the classrooms Gathering samples of children s work to review progress and continuity Organising appropriate INSET Providing an overview of the hardware and software provision, enhancement and replacement. The Computing co-ordinator is currently supported by the Network Manager Gill Fitz-Gibbon. Equality of Opportunity

5 Each child, regardless of gender, ability or social and cultural background, has an equal entitlement to Computing capability. Special Educational Needs Each child will have access to appropriate Computing activities that allows them to develop in their learning. Computing can provide opportunities for children to be more able to access the curriculum, and support their communication. Children who would benefit from these resources will be assessed for their need and where possible resources made available. Administrative use of Computing Administrative computers have password-protected screen to prevent unauthorised use and access to information. Wherever possible, correspondence to the County Council will be electronic. Pupil data will be transferred electronically e.g. Census and attendance records. School laptops are allocated to specific teachers. These computers are configured to connect to the school network enabling access to relevant curriculum software to aid lesson preparation and teaching. All COMPUTING equipment is the property of the school and will be returned to the school when the staff leave. Health and Safety The school will work to promote e-safety across the school, e.g. use of the SMART rules and will implement a comprehensive e-safety policy (see E Safety Policy) for pupils and staff. All pupils will be supervised when using the internet. Computer equipment will be PAT tested in accordance with the school schedule. However any potentially dangerous faults should be reported to the Computing coordinator/deputy Headteacher/HLTA and the equipment should be withdrawn from use with immediate effect. Review This Computing policy was updated in November 2015, and is due for review in November 2018 It was presented to and passed by the school s governing body on Author Alison Goodman Computing Co-ordinator