Welcome to Computing

At Ark Bentworth, we prepare our children for their futures by giving them the opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills that will equip them for our ever-changing digital world. We teach our children to use computing for many purposes but most importantly we teach them how to use technology safely. Understanding that technology is now essential to many aspects of life we teach children to be equipped with the skills to embrace emerging technology and to use it confidently and efficiently.  

We use Purplemash as the basis of our weekly computing lessons. The programme teaches pupils about computer science, digital literacy, information technology and online safety: 

• Computer science supports pupils in understanding how computers work through teaching them about programming. 

• Digital literacy teaches pupils about the uses of technology for communication and collaboration. 

• Information technology is about how technology can be used to search for, collect and present information. 

• Online safety ensures that pupils feel confident when using the internet and explains what to do if they come across something which is inappropriate or makes them feel uncomfortable. 

 In addition, we hold half-termly online safety assemblies for each year group. We also celebrate safer internet day each academic year 

 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