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Computing

To be a computing expert.....

Hello, I am Miss Ward and I am the Computing Coordinator

Why do we need to teach Computing skills at Hayfield Lane?

The Review of publicly funded digital skills qualifications makes the following points:

For the UK to be a world-leading digital economy that works for everyone, it is crucial that everyone has the digital skills they need to fully participate in society.
Many jobs have a digital element, and it is predicted that within 20 years 90% of all jobs will require some element of digital skills.
By 2023 the Tech Partnership estimates the economy will need over one million new recruits for specialist digital roles.
This is not just about supplying skills for the digital workforce, but ensuring that every individual, regardless of background, experience or aspiration, has the opportunity to develop appropriate digital skills (see diagram below).
Digital skills have the power to transform lives – supporting individuals to make new connections, embrace new opportunities, and ultimately engage with an ever more digital world.
We should not confuse the confidence young people have using technology with the overwhelming need to put in place a robust structure to deliver digital skills to the level required in the UK, today and going forward.

These points illustrate the importance of the teaching of Computing skills at Hayfield Lane Primary, so that we can provide our children with the opportunities to take a leading role in the future of technology.

At Hayfield Lane, the skills that we teach the children in Computing are placed into 3 categories, based on the National Curriculum:

Computer Science in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming.
Information Technology in which pupils build upon their knowledge to create programs, systems and a range of content.
Digital Literacy in which we ensure that pupils are able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

At Hayfield Lane, pupils study the following skills:

Skill	Reason
Using technology safely (DL)	So that our children are able to become responsible digital citizens, both as teenagers and in their adult lives and know how to deal appropriately with issues that arise.
Computer science, coding and control and monitoring (CS)	So that our children can be creators of content rather than consumers enabling them to lead the way with future developments in technology and so that they can be introduced to skills needed for a range of careers e.g. engineering.
Word processing, data handling, image and video editing (IT)	So that our children have the basic skills needed to be successful both in their future education and adult lives.

Knowledge-based concept	Reason
How computer networks work (including the internet; how they can provide multiple services such as the World Wide Web, and the opportunities they offer for communication) (CS)	So that our pupils can make the most of these opportunities in their future learning and adult life, ranging from communicating with family and friends to networking with business colleagues around the world.
Algorithms (designing writing and debugging programs including controlling or simulating physical systems) and Sequencing (using logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work and to detect and correct errors) (CS)	So that our children can be the app and game creators of the future, instead of just playing the games at home!
Use of search technologies – Appreciating how results are selected and ranked and evaluating digital content (DL)	So that our children are able to use the Internet in a discerning way, equipping them with skills to protect them both in their future education and their adult lives.