'Technologies such as artificial intelligence, automation and robotics are changing the way that we live, work and socialise. Schools play a vital role in teaching young people the skills they’ll need to thrive in a digital future, through the national computing curriculum.' 

Through our computing curriculum at Our Lady of Lourdes we aim to give our pupils the life-skills that will enable them to embrace and utilise new technology in a creative and responsible manner. Technological devices and software are an integral part of everyday life and we endeavour to teach our children to become suitable for the future workplace as active participants in the digital world.

We teach children to become digitally literate so that they are able to express themselves and develop their ideas through technology while gaining confidence and enjoyment from their activities. We encourage the use of technology to support learning across the entire curriculum.  

Not only do we want them to be safe digital citizens and digitally literate but we want them to develop resilience, problem-solving, and critical thinking skills.  We ensure that pupils can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science by overcoming problems, working together and learning from their mistakes. This ensures our children are well equip to utilise and enhance these skills in the future.

Programme of Study:

We teach Computing through the 'Switched on Computing' scheme, developed by Rising Stars. This scheme aligns to the National Curriculum and ensures progression through each year group. 

As pupils progress through the computing curriculum, explicit links and connections are made to support pupils to continually build upon the knowledge and skills they have accumulated in previous year groups. The sequence of learning builds pupils’ understanding of how computers and a range of computational systems work, and how they are designed and programmed.

There is a ‘spiral’ approach to sequencing the units, with themes recurring year by year. This provides ample opportunity for pupils to consolidate technical skills, achieve fluency using key applications and develop their knowledge and understanding of the principles that underpin digital technologies.

Each year includes units covering the foundations, applications and implications of computing, ensuring that pupils progress in the computer science, information technology and digital literacy strands of the computing curriculum. It also encourages creativity, collaboration and thinking skills.

Click the link below for more information regarding 'Switched on Computing'.