Computing at The Blue Coat School is an integral part of the children’s daily learning. We place great emphasis on developing their skills so that all pupils become confident, responsible and effective users of technology.
Our pupils receive specialist Computing lessons each week in our iMac-equipped Media Centre. As well as teaching core Computing skills (Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Presentations etc.), each pupil will learn a range of exciting skills ranging from touch typing, HTML web design, visual and code programming, to interactive game development and mobile app creation.
Our Media Centre enables the children to benefit from media based learning using equipment for Chroma Key (green screen) technology and to respond to the latest technologies such as augmented and virtual reality. The children use a variety of hardware and enjoy recording and editing video, digital photography and the manipulation of still images, the editing of slide shows, as well as videos to combine sound and picture. They are taught to use the Internet responsibly through a series of Online Safety lessons. Coding and programming are important aspects of the curriculum and pupils have access to a coding curriculum which they can work on at home and at school. We are increasingly embracing cloud computing so that pupils’ work is easily accessible at any time.
At Blue Coat, every opportunity is given for the children to use the School’s ICT facilities throughout the day, for example in other subjects, during clubs and activities, and in the Houses. All children have individual user accounts and passwords with access to e-mail and they are given access to cloud storage for a variety of resources.
We embed the use of technology in all lessons, where learning experiences are enhanced and transformed by the integration of Chromebooks and iPads. Banks of Chromebooks and iPads support the different curriculum areas and year groups and touch-screen interactive boards are installed in all classrooms.
We aim to ensure that when they leave The Blue Coat School, our pupils have a breadth of knowledge that has been taught to them using technology that is relevant not only in school, but in future life too.
Computing is a subject area that is constantly evolving. We respond to new technologies and what the children are now accessing. We must ensure that they have the skills they will need in an ever-changing digital landscape.
