I am the Upper Key-Stage 2 Phase leader. I started at Mayflower in 2023 having previously worked in another in school in Leicester, as well as a British International School in Qatar. I have been teaching for nearly 16 years and I have always enjoyed supporting children and helping them achieve their potential. Outside of school, I love to go the gym, watch a variety of TV shows and movies and enjoying eating out at a variety of places. I am very fortunate to have travelled whilst working abroad and to gain the experience of teaching in completely different environments.
Intent, Implementation and Impact
At Mayflower, it is our intention to prepare our pupils for their future by giving them the opportunities to gain knowledge and develop skills for an ever changing digital world. The ability to communicate digitally has become an important life skill in the modern world. We want our pupils to be curious, independent learners who are able to use technology to communicate safely and adeptly. When teaching computing, we aim to equip our children with the skills required to use computers effectively to enable them to maximise their potential. To do so, we deploy teaching strategies through the Purple Mash scheme of work that promotes resilience, independence, critical thinking, communication skills and problem solving. We use Purple Mash as a comprehensive scheme of work, addressing the statutory aspects of the National Curriculum. Teachers adapt the resources to meet the specific needs and interests of each particular cohort. In addition to the Computing Curriculum, we also teach one E-safety lesson to all of our children every half term. We recognise that our children often come from vulnerable backgrounds and are particularly susceptible to online dangers. We therefore prioritise the teaching of this of this particular area of the curriculum. We recognise that technology plays a major role in young people’s lives. We ask the ‘why’ and not just the ‘how’ to explore the depth of each objective in order to encourage children to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact that Computing has on their learning, development and wellbeing. Finding the right balance with technology is key to an effective education and a healthy lifestyle. We encourage regular discussions between staff and pupils to best embed and understand this. The way pupils showcase, share, celebrate and publish their work will best show the impact of our curriculum.
Assessment in Computing takes place during lessons through feedback provided by staff. As per our feedback and marking policy, this is most effective during the lesson. Formal assessments are made at the end of each term, and these are submitted to the Head Teacher, determining attainment, progress, and the overall impact of the syllabus on all our children. They are measured against age-related expectations across the syllabus, using a 4-point system, as follows:
Working below Key Stage
Working Towards Age-Related Expectations
Working at Age-Related Expectations
Working at the Greater Depth Standard
Differentiation helps all teachers to ensure that the children’s needs are being met through lesson content that is matched to their needs. Adaptations are also made to ensure that our SEND children can gain access to all lessons, with a strong focus on disciplinary and substantive knowledge, as opposed to the literacy and numeracy skills we may expect of them to access it. In this way, low outcomes in literacy and numeracy do not have to equate to low outcomes in Computing.
Golden Threads and Curriculum Enrichment
Computing supports the 3-Golden Threads in many different ways, and teachers will actively plan for this within their lessons. In terms of the Sustainable Development Goals, our computing curriculum will empower the children to develop a balanced world view of what is happening, why it is happening, and the impact of change over time. There are many programs and applications that will provide accurate data, all of which can deepen children’s interest and fuel their ambition to become leaders of change. The computing curriculum can often be taught outside, and external devices can enhance the curriculum in many different areas. Using the right portals will also help our children to gain insight into different environments around the world, which will contribute to their personal development and empathy. The computing curriculum also supports the social justice agenda, as it provides a reliable means of communication with figures in authority such as MPs, business leaders, and experts in the field. Being able to engage with such people will take their response beyond protest, and also giving them an opportunity to be the leaders we need in the future.
The Journey of the Child
Through carefully planned and progressive units that reference prior learning and prepare children for future learning, we can chart a child’s journey through our school from their entry in the Orchard, all the way through to the end of Year 6. Please tap on the following link to see how our children experience Computing at Mayflower: Click Here
Curriculum in Action
Talking about the curriculum is far less effective than actually seeing it in action. We love to capture our children’s engagement with the Computing Syllabus, both in the classroom and our local community. For more information, please tap on the following link:
