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“At Freegrounds Infant School we are ‘building the future together’ and believe that an exciting and stimulating curriculum, that incorporates the use of the latest technology, will create motivated,   independent learners.

Led through a cohesive project approach, and high quality inclusive teaching, computing skills and technology will be embedded in all areas of the curriculum. Children will learn to use skills and apply them to be effective communicators, problem solvers and to know how to keep safe in an ever changing world.”

At Freegrounds Infant School we use a range of teaching and learning styles when teaching technology, we teach stand-alone computing and E-Safety lessons but we also mainly teach technology in a project approach, linking computing skills and learning into other subjects to aid a real life approach to using technology. An example of this is in using technology to aid Year Two’s research about Brilliant Brazil. There are a range of ways we use and teach this subject, these include activities such as group and class discussions, investigations, the use of games, problem-solving activities all whilst designing, researching, exploring and evaluating using technology and linked to the main topic the year groups are looking at that half term.  

Every time we use technology, we also explicitly teach the children how to be safe online, following ‘an education for a connected world’. This teaches children many ways of staying safe when handling and using technology. This is started from EYFS and continued to Year 2 so children know not to share their password and many other ways of keeping themselves and others safe. The key message throughout all the E-safety is who to tell if the children see something they are not comfortable with.

We encourage pupils to take ownership over the technology and the work they are producing. At Freegrounds we believe it is important to ensure that children have as many opportunities as possible to use technology to be skilled, confident and careful when growing up in a world of technology.

What does that look like in each year group?

Teaching and Learning 

EYFS

Computing is available and is embedded in our EYFS environment. We feel it is important to expose children to different technologies. This could be the interactive whiteboard where the children independently choose lunches or using talking tins in their Role Play Area. We introduced remote controlled vehicles to explore spaces both indoors and outdoors and to support the foundations of the children building their own algorithms. The children have then shown increased confidence within using a range of technologies in a range of topics to support and aid their future learning.

KS1

Computing and technology is taught every half term within Year One and Year Two. These lessons have specifically been designed to ensure the children are achieving the age-related expectations taken from the Nation Curriculum.  This means the children get exposed to a range of skills and technologies whilst having the confidence and skills to be safe using them.

Staying Safe Online.

We are commitment to protecting our pupils online by working with National Online Safety- providing resources for all parents and carers.

The links below contain valuable information for parents to help children stay safe online and while using digital technology. Please note that although these sites are safe, there may be links that lead away from them. Please exercise care, as always.