Computing

At Larkspur we have high expectations of all our pupils and believe that all children want to achieve.  We encourage them to reach their goal and provide support to those children who need it.

Lessons begin with a power point presentation which consists of labelled pictures and small introductory tasks.  Children can ask questions and demonstrations of the tasks are given by the teacher.  More complex steps will be broken down into smaller, achievable tasks, often written onto a whiteboard which the child can work through at their own pace.

Most of the children prefer to work independently as they take pride in their finished outcome, however, some children will opt for partner work, and it is ensured that both children take part in the activity. The teacher is also readily available to sit with a child and guide them through a task, withdrawing and returning at regular intervals.

For children who struggle with reading and writing, a framework or template is provided, and the task simplified, this ensures that the children are still producing and achieving the objective, which in turn, boosts confidence and a sense of pride.

Coding involves a lot of computational thinking and logical reasoning.  Barriers to this are addressed in different ways.  Blocks of code (in card) are provided, from which the learner can physically build the code, talk about the sequence and the outcome, before committing it to the computer.  Errors are discussed and talked through, the learner being encouraged to think about what went wrong and why.

When designing a game, the design often takes precedence over the given task.  In this case, a model is given to the learner, and they can concentrate on the task set, once this has been achieved, the learner can then add their own additions to the game, giving a feeling of ownership.

Children who find the concept of ICT daunting are encouraged to help other children.  The child is taught a small step and then given the task of helping other children who may find a particular concept tricky. 

Modular vocabulary is introduced at the start of each lesson and displayed in the ICT suite. Meaning and misconceptions are discussed, and learners prompted to use the correct language when speaking.

Computers assist children in cross curricular subjects, they have access to ‘text to voice’ which enables listeners to hear what is written on the screen.  Chrome books are available to use in all classrooms and are sometimes utilized as word processors, this aids children with poor handwriting, to be able to produce a clearer and more concise piece of work; used alongside the ‘text to voice’ utility, helps the learner to hear what they have written.

There are many maths and English games available to assist and re-enforce learning as well as a range of activities for EAL children. Many of the activities are available as links on our website for ease of access.

Children from Early Years are introduced to computing through colouring activities and games.  They are taught how to navigate the screen using a mouse, and carry out simple activities to develop co-ordination and fine-motor skills. They learn to select tools and develop artistic choice within their paintings.

Children will learn how to navigate Purple Mash and secondly, the school website and select the activity they wish to use, becoming confident and independent users.

Children will be introduced to the keyboard and learn to select the letters of their name and how to input a password.

Children will be taught the rules of using a computer safely.

Most children enjoy ICT but rarely get the time to explore their particular interest. We aim to rectify this by giving the children different activities to carry out during ‘enrichment’. Enrichment is offered on Friday afternoon whereupon classes are allocated to two activities, on a half termly basis.   These sessions offers opportunities for the children to look at the different apps that may not be used within a scheduled lesson.  They particularly enjoy making digital music, creating pictures and coding.  Many children enjoy making power point presentations of their favourite hobby, pets, games etc, and can carry this out in a relaxed time frame, not governed by learning objectives, and show great creativity in an independent activity.

We hold a lunch time computer club several times a week.  Children drop in and work on their own Scratch projects, create a gaming world with Kodu Lab, and make frame by frame animations on Pivot Animator.

The computer suite is open for Breakfast Club users, where the children have an opportunity to play on games, use Purple Mash and the many activities within our ICT webpage.