Caen Community Primary School

The Computing curriculum is designed to help our children meet the challenges of the digital world. Our statement can be downloaded below. The curriculum is split into three areas:

Computer Science (CS) This is the largest area of the curriculum and aims to develop children's computational thinking skills (the ability to solve problems). It starts with simple algorithms (sets of instructions), programming simple toys such as BeeBots, block based programming using Scratch Junior and Scratch 3.0, thorugh to text based programming using langauges such as Python.

Information Technology (IT) Information technology is the 'How things work' part of the curriculum. Children will identify the parts of a computer and learn then difference between input and output devices. They will look at how the we can communicate over vast distances using networks and the Internet.

Digital Literacy (DL) This part of the curriculum is designed to develop children into good digital cititzens and play a positive part in the digital world. A large part of DL includes eSafety (which is also part of the PSHE curriculum) and how to behave online.

To enrich the currciulum and offer children some unique learning opportunities we try, where we can, to include a STEM project for the children to take part in as part in. Not soley associated with Computing, but a great way to engage the children in a real life challenge making the learing contextual. STEM projects often add an element of ART and become STEAM. 

This term the children embarked on a STEM challenge with an environmental focus. The challenge was based on the MicroBit Educational Foundations 'Do Your Bit' UN Global Goals Challenges. We chose 'Healthy Oceans' as it is a subject close to home and one that the children are passionate about. 

To prepare for the challenge, we looked at how important the oceans are to our planet and then set about the task in hand, which was to to design an Ocean Monitoring Buoy.

The buoy would be fitted with sensors and record the health of the Oceans by measuring things like temperature, CO2 levels, direction etc. The children then had to draw a plan and build a model that would be waterproof, float and contain a working MicroBit (a small programmable computer). 

The MicroBit had to be programmed to transmit sensor data via Bluetooth to another MicroBit, simulating a land based receiving station. Using onboard senors, the MicroBit can detect temperature, movement and direction, so these were chosen and we had several lesson covering the use of these. Of these senors, the children had to choose one, two or all three of them and code thier transmitting MicroBit to send the chosen data.

Once built and coded, the children's models were to be tested in an ocean simulator (a water tank) during the last week of term. Sadly, as all the Year 5's had to isolate for the last week of term, this had to be cancelled. Fear not, Mr Harvey managed to arrange for all of the models to be collected and taken to his house where the test could take place and be recorded for prosperity! Check out the results below.

Here are some pictures showing a selection of the children's model buoys.