Computing & Digital Literacy

DIGITAL LEADERS 2023-24

Meet our new Digital Leaders. This lovely group of year 6 pupils will help support pupils and staff with Computing over the next year before sharing their knowledge with the incoming team.   They are available to help teachers and their classes with queries and support with the ICT equipment.  They will be helping to monitor the ICT Suite and will be promoting online safety through out the year.  

What Parents and Carers Need to Know about Persuasive Design Online 

Apps and sites are all competing for our attention 📢👀 Over the years, numerous strategies have been developed which are intended to influence users’ behaviour – making us more likely to remain on a site, game or platform for longer periods of time. These techniques are known as ‘persuasive design’ and can have a particularly profound effect on children and young people 😳

Despite these tactics’ evident effectiveness, there are still plenty of ways to help prevent yourself (and your child) from being psychologically swayed. This week’s #WakeUpWednesday guide breaks down the potential risks posed by persuasive design online – and offers some top tips for recognising and reducing its impact on young people’s decision making.

Be #OnlineSafetySavvy

Keep up with the latest apps games and tech your children are using, with the worlds most comprehensive online safety app for parents.

On the National Online Safety app you’ll find:

• Hundreds of online safety guides on the topics you need to know about – from screen addiction, fake news and trolling to hacking, social media influencers and sexting;
• An online safety training course for parents – developed by our experts and delivered by online safety ambassador Myleene Klass;
• A user-friendly interface with increased functionality – find exactly what you need, when you need it;
• The option to get notifications to your phone as soon as new content becomes available – so you can stay up-to-date with the latest online crazes (and risks);
• An in-app voting system so you can help determine the subjects you’d like us to cover in future;
• The facility to personalise your content by favouriting key resources.

Scan the QR code on the photo below, to get started.

Digital Leader Assembly - Staying Safe Online

Our amazing digital leaders did an assembly to celebrate National Internet Safety Day on 'Want to talk about it?' and how important it is to get help if worried.

National College Online Safety

The online world is posing an ever-increasing risk to children, and it is important that schools, parents and carers work together to take an active role in teaching children about online dangers. Learning how to act safely when using the internet is an incredibly important part of safeguarding our children.

We are therefore delighted to announce that Brentry Primary School have shown our commitment to protecting our pupils online by working with National Online Safety- providing resources for all parents and carers. 

The resources include Parents & Carers courses (presented by Myleene Klass), online video resources and weekly guides covering a huge range of topics, including:

To create your account, please follow https://nationalcollege.com/enrol/brentry-primary-school and complete your details. When you’re set up, you’ll be able to set ‘Parent/Carer’ as your user type. 

You can access National Online Safety online via any device- including via our brand-new smartphone app. To download the app, please go to:

https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/national-online-safety/id1530342372

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.nationaleducationgroup.nos

Alternatively, search for ‘National Online Safety’ in the App Store/Google Play Store.

Answers to frequently asked questions and customer service can be accessed at https://helpdesk.thenationalcollege.co.uk/helpcentre .

Kind Regards

Hannah Jack

DIGITAL LEADERS 2022-23

Meet our Digital Leaders. This lovely group have additional responsibilities within School to help support pupils and staff with Computing.   They are available to help teachers and their classes with queries and support with the ICT equipment.  They will be helping to monitor the ICT Suite and will be promoting online safety through out the year.  

Rational and Intent

Computing

The teaching and learning of Computing at Brentry Primary School helps us achieve our school Mission.  It impacts directly on the areas of Safety & Achievement and helps pupils to embrace life-skills that will enable them to embrace and utilise new technology in a socially responsible and safe way in order to flourish.  We want our pupils to be able to operate in the 21st century workplace and we want them to know the career opportunities that will be open to them if they study computing.  We want pupils to become autonomous, independent users of computing technologies, gaining confidence and enjoyment from their activities.  We would like the use of technology to support learning across the entire curriculum and to ensure that it is accessible to every child.  Not only do we want them to be digitally literate but through our structured lessons ensure that pupils cover the skills required to meet the aims of the national curriculum whilst developing creativity, resilience, problem-solving and critical thinking skills.  The content of the scheme of work allows for a broad, deep understanding of computing and how it links to children's lives as individuals within their community but also as members of a wider global community and as a responsible citizen. It offers a range of opportunities for consolidation, challenge and variety.

The computing curriculum is delivered through a scheme of work based on Twinkl PlanIt.  Every lesson in our scheme has been planned so that it can be effectively taught using the infrastructure we have in place at school, building on prior knowledge at the same time as introducing new skills and challenges so that we can meet the needs of all our pupils.  Our scheme of work was written to address the aims of the 2014 curriculum. Online safety is taught under the umbrella of PSHE and closely linked to specific events in the academic year to raise the profile of specific issues, such as online bullying with anti-bullying week to allow the pupils to see the connections of what they are being taught in the real world. Where appropriate, meaningful links are made between the computing curriculum and the wider curriculum.  In KS1, computer lessons focus on developing the use of algorithms, programming and how technology can be used safely and purposefully. In KS2, lessons still focus on algorithms, programming and coding but in a more complex way and for different purposes.  Pupils also develop their knowledge of computer networks, internet services and the safe use of the internet and technology.

Safer Internet Day 2020

Safer Internet Day 2020 was celebrated globally with the theme: Together for a better internet. All pupils in Y1 - 6 at Brentry Primary School will be taking part in lessons and assemblies with regards to using technology responsibly, respectfully, critically and creatively.

This year we specifically looked at online identities and all children during their Computing lessons got the opportunity to create their own online avatar. We have been discussing how avatars reflect our identities or not and what the advantages and disadvantages are of using avatars online. 

Coordinated in the UK by the UK Safer Internet Centre the celebration sees hundreds of organisations get involved to help promote the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people. Find out more at www.saferinternetday.org.uk.

Computing Lessons

All pupils at Brentry Primary School from Y1 - Y6 receive weekly computing lessons and cover the following subjects:

Digital Literacy

Children and young people today are using the immense power of digital media to explore, connect, create, and learn in ways never before imagined. With this power, young people have extraordinary opportunities, and yet they face many potential pitfalls.  Meanwhile, schools are dealing with the associated ramifications – for example, cyberbullying, digital cheating, desensitisation and the lack of understanding of permanency and replication. These safety and security concerns underscore the need for children and young people to learn -- and for teachers to teach -- digital literacy and citizenship skills and for schools to support their pupils to act responsibly and to use the internet in a better way.

SWGfL have produced schemes of learning for all year groups, from Foundation Stage to Keystage 5. These are based on Common Sense Media’s FREE Digital Literacy and Citizenship Curriculum, which empowers learners to think critically, behave safely, and participate responsibly in our digital world. These 21st-century skills are essential for children and young people to harness the full potential of technology for learning.
 

Brentry Primary School follow the SWGfL schemes for years 1 - 6.  Full details can be found at https://digital-literacy.org.uk/