Computing

At Manland, we use the National Curriculum alongside the Purple Mash Computing Scheme of Work to deliver a progressive, engaging and ambitious Computing curriculum from EYFS to Year 6. Our aim is for every child to leave Manland as a confident, creative, responsible and knowledgeable user of technology.

Children learn not simply to use computers and digital devices, but to understand how technology works, how it can solve problems and create content, and how to use it safely and responsibly. Learning is carefully sequenced across Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy, with children building on previous knowledge and becoming increasingly independent.

Purple Mash provides the foundation for the curriculum and Computing is also applied purposefully across the wider curriculum.

The National Curriculum for Computing aims to ensure that all pupils:

• Understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation.
• Analyse problems in computational terms and have repeated practical experience of writing computer programs to solve problems.
• Evaluate and apply information technology, including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to solve problems.
• Be responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information and communication technology.

Computer Science

• algorithms
• programming
• debugging
• logical reasoning
• sequence, repetition, selection and variables
• networks

Information Technology

• Creating and manipulating digital content
• data
• selecting tools
• multimedia
• evaluating and improving digital work

Digital Literacy

• Searching and evaluating information
• communication
• privacy
• online behaviour
• respectful and responsible technology use

Purple Mash

We use Purple Mash to support the teaching and learning of Computing across Manland. It provides a secure digital environment and a progressive Scheme of Work from EYFS to Year 6, alongside structured lesson resources, knowledge organisers, learning materials and assessment opportunities. We want children to understand what they are learning through Purple Mash, use appropriate technical vocabulary and make connections with prior learning.

Online Safety

Online safety is taught and reinforced throughout children’s time at Manland. Pupils learn to keep personal information private, use secure passwords appropriately, communicate respectfully, evaluate online information, recognise potential risks and know how and where to report concerns or ask a trusted adult for help.

Families can extend and enrich Computing learning at home in simple, purposeful ways:

• Use Purple Mash at home to revisit and practise skills learned in school.
• Explore age-appropriate coding and programming activities.
• Create digital stories, presentations, animations or artwork.
• Practise organising and presenting information using different digital tools.
• Talk about how technology is used in everyday life and how to make safe choices online.
• Discuss whether information found online is reliable and how it could be checked.
• Encourage children to explain how a program or piece of technology works.
• Explore how technology can be used creatively to solve problems.

Every child at Manland will leave Year 6 as a confident, creative, responsible and knowledgeable user of technology, equipped with the knowledge and skills to understand, use and evaluate technology effectively in an increasingly digital world.