‘A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world.’ Computing programme of Study, DfE

Our approach to Computing

Intent:

We want our children to be masters of technology rather than slaves to it. We show our children how to use technology safely and responsibly. We recognise that the best prevention for the issues we see in technology/ social media is through education and teaching children how to use technology positively.

We recognise that technology can allow our children to share their learning in different ways, we understand how technology can remove barriers to learning for our children.

We encourage our staff to try and embed computing across the curriculum and not just be a stand alone subject. This is something we’re working on as a whole staff team.

Implementation:

Impact:

We encourage our children to enjoy and value the curriculum we deliver. We will constantly ask the WHY behind things and change and adapt where needed. Finding the right balance in technology is the key to an effective education and healthy life balance. The way pupils showcase, share and celebrate their work will best show the impact of our provision. We look to evidence through Seesaw and this is something we’re rolling out as a whole school going forwards.

At Ladycross, we believe that Computing is an integral part of preparing children to live in a world where technology is continuously and rapidly evolving. We believe computing should be embedded across the children's learning and is something that should take place across the curriculum. 

Online Safety for Parents 

The internet has changed all of our lives, particularly our children’s.  For parents and carers this opens up a whole new world of things to be aware of. For many of us, this can all be a bit too much.

You might be struggling to keep up with the things your child is doing online, you might wonder whether what they are doing is safe, and you might also be thinking how can I be as good a parent online as I am offline?

The ‘www.thinkuknow.co.uk’ aims to make online parenting simple.

Here are their Top Tips:

• Talk to your child about what they’re up to online. Be a part of their online life; involve the whole family and show an interest. Find out what sites they visit and what they love about them, if they know you understand they are more likely to come to you if they have any problems.
• Watch ‘Thinkuknow’ films and cartoons with your child. The ‘Thinkuknow’ site has films, games and advice for children from five all the way to 16.
• Encourage your child to go online and explore! There is a wealth of age-appropriate sites online for your children. Encourage them to use sites which are fun, educational and that will help them to develop online skills.
• Keep up-to-date with your child’s development online. Children grow up fast and they will be growing in confidence and learning new skills daily. It’s important that as your child learns more, so do you.
• Set boundaries in the online world just as you would in the real world. Think about what they might see, what they share, who they talk to and how long they spend online. It is important to discuss boundaries at a young age to develop the tools and skills children need to enjoy their time online.
• Keep all equipment that connects to the internet in a family space. For children of this age, it is important to keep internet use in family areas so you can see the sites your child is using and be there for them if they stumble across something they don’t want to see.
• Know what connects to the internet and how. Nowadays even the TV connects to the internet. Make sure you’re aware of which devices that your child uses connect to the internet, such as their phone or games console. Also, find out how they are accessing the internet – is it your connection, or a neighbour’s wifi? This will affect whether the safety setting you set are being applied.

Use parental controls on devices that link to the internet, such as the TV, laptops, computers, games consoles and mobile phones. Parental controls are not just about locking and blocking, they are a tool to help you set appropriate boundaries as your child grows and develops. They are not the answer to your child’s online safety, but they are a good start and they are not as difficult to install as you might think. Service providers are working hard to make them simple, effective and user friendly. Find your service provider and learn how to set your controls.