- • Equal Opportunities.

All children are entitled to equal access to all Computing equipment in order to develop their personal Computing abilities . Children with a computer or device at home are encouraged to use it for educational benefit and parents are offered advice about what is appropriate. Children will be encouraged to practise keyboard skills at home and develop proficiency. For pupils who do not have computers at home, opportunities will be given to have more regular access during the school day.

- • Special Educational Needs

Wherever practicable, provision will be made for pupils with special educational needs, where this affects their ability to take part in Computing activities; for example children with sensory difficulties, physical difficulties, learning difficulties and behavioural difficulties. We provide learning opportunities matched to the needs of children and we take into account the targets set in Pupil Passports. Teachers are encouraged to use a range of strategies to support children in Computing including: the use of specialist keyboards; an accompanying adult for Computing activities; screen overlays; for visual impairment; positioning and radio aids for hearing impairment. Consideration will be given to modifying the task, or providing peer or adult support, for children with additional needs. We recognise that children with SEND may achieve well in Computing. Teachers liaise with the SENCO on the use of Computing to improve their involvement in the curriculum - for example, to improve writing and presentation or to practise specific skills.

#### Able Gifted & Talented Children

We aim to provide stimulating and challenging problem solving activities to meet the needs of able gifted and talented children in Computing. We expect our more able children to undertake extension work or more challenging tasks and provide them with opportunities to work more independently. Provision for more able children is identified in teachers plans in the same way as special needs provision. Computing as a tool is regularly used to provide enrichment or extension activities to broaden a child’s experience by adding width and variety to it and to take the child to a higher level of thinking. Teaching assistants contribute to the support of more able children when relevant to extend their learning or skill development in or through Computing.

#### Race Equality

Through our use of Computing we aim to fulfil our commitment to race equality by ensuring that the computing curriculum incorporates the principles of race equality and promotes knowledge and understanding of, and positive attitudes towards diversity. We are sensitive to different backgrounds and respond to social and emotional as well as intellectual needs.

## Differentiation

We recognise the fact that in all classes there are children of widely different abilities in Computing and we seek to provide suitable learning opportunities for all children by matching the challenge of the task to the ability of the child. Mixed age classes are catered for through effective differentiation set out within teachers’ planning which also provides for SEN and AGT pupils. We use a variety of methods to differentiate Computing and to use it as a tool itself for differentiation across the curriculum. However we also believe children should be given their entitlement to the curriculum and to discover the world around them, therefore are supported whilst being offered experiences to reach to their next step and towards their end of year expectations. Using a variety of approaches, we consider:

- • Pupil groupings, e.g. ability or mixed ability groupings; group, paired or individual activities.
- • Open-ended tasks where the outcomes will differ according to individual ability.
- • Problem solving where children can show opportunities for ‘thinking skills’ where they can focus on knowing how as well as knowing what they will learn.
- • Gifted and talented pupils who may employ creative thinking to look for alternative and innovative outcomes.
- • Pupil activity e.g. different tasks, roles & responsibilities to develop a wide range of skills including Computing skills.

## Assessment Recording and Reporting.

On-going teacher assessment is the main method of assessing children’s Computing progress and attainment.

Information about the curriculum in Computing is presented to parents through the curriculum overview on the website and sent home each term or half term. Parents are invited to discuss their child’s progress at the autumn and the spring term parents’ evening. The yearly written report to parents also details attainment and progress in Computing. . Standards and progress are reported to the Head teacher annually as part of the ICT Co-ordinator’s role.