At Smithdown Primary, we believe the use of information and communication technology is an integral part of the National Curriculum, a key skill for everyday life and vital for a successful future for our children. Computers, tablets, programmable robots, digital and video cameras are a few of the tools that can be used to acquire, organise, store, manipulate, interpret, communicate and present information. In an evolving world where technology is at the heart, we aim to develop enthusiasm in computational thinking and confidence in using the latest technologies for a range of purposes.
We are fortunate to have MGL work alongside our teachers to deliver our KS2 curriculum; providing a range of challenging computing activities.
Due to the cohort of children at Smithdown, we intend to shape our Computing curriculum to the children’s skills at the time which will differ from year to year. Thus, our teachers have the ownership to explore skills that may not have been embedded prior to their own year group.
At Smithdown, it is paramount that children are confident users of technology, including the internet, whilst exploring it safely. As a school, we have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of our children which includes online safety.
Please click on the links below to find out more about our curriculum:
Progression in Computing
Please click here to see the coverage of skills and progression across all year groups in: Computer Science, Information Technology and digital literacy.
Online Safety
The Internet is an amazing place. Our pupils can play, create, learn and connect – the possibilities are endless. But there are also risks. Therefore we regularly discuss the importance of online safety with our pupils and they have all agreed to follow our acceptable use policy. Please click on the links below for copies of these documents.
Key stage 1 Acceptable Use Policy
Key stage 2 Acceptable Use Policy
Online Safety Newsletters
This month’s online safety newsletter, please click on the image to access.
Previous Online Safety Newsletters – please click on an image to read.
Year 3 were so excited to resume their computing lessons. This term, the children will be leaning how to find, save and edit photos. The children enjoyed searching for photos of different animals and adding a filter to them 🐶🐱🐻🐰🐤
An amazing Mario Kart tournament to celebrate the holidays!
We have been working on our barefoot computing skills. We followed patterns and created our own for a partner too
For our PSHE lesson we are celebrating differences. In previous weeks we have spoken about racism, bullying and rumours and now we are researching a range of countries and what their culture looks like.
Year 6 recapped over what we had been creating last week. Children ensured their code worked for moving their spaceship and ensuring their laser would move when space key was pressed. Children then inserted ‘power-ups’ to add extra time and lives and then used conditional statements to get them to work in their game.
Year 5 built on their knowledge of Variables with the focus today being on using a Score and timer variable. We created a quiz program were children had to get a Sprite to ask a question and using a conditional else statement they were able to code the correct and incorrect answers. Children then coded the ‘stage’ to begin the timer for their quiz.
Year 5 looked at how we can use variables in programming. We discussed as a class what variables are, providing examples and how computers can use them to store information. We then moved onto create a program on Scratch recapping how we can use different events and movements on characters and included a timer variable.
Year 6 have been starting a new project on Scratch. Children have begun to create their own space invaders game. Yesterday we focused on laying the ‘foundations’ ready to start coding during the next lesson, children designed a different series of backgrounds in order for a program to broadcast a message.
Year 5 started a new topic using Scratch. Today we focused on conditionals and how they are used. We discussed as a class what a conditional was and how we can use ‘If’ statements to give our programs a condition to work in. Children then created a program to get a character to move using the keyboard and pick up a ball when they reached it.
We are loving our photography work in computing! We are getting so good at taking pictures and recognising when we need light, dark, flash, close ups etc
Year 3 really enjoyed this weeks computing lesson. They all love using scratch to code and create their characters.
This week year 3 have their computing lesson consolidating the coding that has been covered over the past few weeks. We have managed to get two characters to move separate ways by using different events and different motion blocks, we then introduced repeats and how we can use these to keep our code nice and tidy.
In Year 6 today, we combined our learning from Geography and English by using our computer skills to present the information we have discovered into Google Sites to create our own web pages.
This week we have explored using portrait and landscape when taking photographs. We identified when it was better to use portrait and when it was better to use landscape. Great work Year 2.
On Thursday afternoon children continued to create programs using repeat loops. This program consisted of using repeat and forever loops to allow a pattern to be created using the pen tool on Scratch.
Year 3 have been introduced to scratch. Children navigated to the website and created a new project. Today we focused on being able to create and insert sprites and backgrounds and then looked at how we can code a sprite to change costume when pressing the green flag.
Year 4 continued to look at how we can use repeat loops to benefit code. They focused on being able to use a repeat loops to get two separate characters to move in different ways, one moving when the mouse is moving and the other to move by itself and change direction when hitting a wall.
We have started our new topic in computing – photography! We decided which objects could take photographs before playing photography bingo. We took selfies, objects, close ups and action shots. We then reviewed our work and picked our favourite photographs.
A great afternoon in our computing lesson.
Today, the children used the IT suite and developed computing skills by logging onto the computer, opening a website and paying a coding game, ‘Rodocodo.’ Mathematics and direction skills game into play when deciding how many jumps their character needed to make. The children really enjoyed this.
In Year 2 we have discovered Blooket and we can’t get enough! We’ve used it to test our times table knowledge this week (as well as lots more too.)
As part of our Geography topic we are comparing Kenyan villages and cities with Liverpool. We are making pic collages in computing to depict life in each area. On Thursday we made our Village posters of Maasai. Keep your eyes peeled for more next week as begin to compare and contrast in more detail,
Year 6 this looked at PEGI ratings. We discussed as a class what PEGI ratings are and why they are used. We looked at different types of PEGI ratings and how the company decide different games the ratings. Children then used Canva to create an informative poster on PEGI ratings.
What are age ratings? How do they apply to us? What do they mean? Where are they used?
Year 6 has spent the last few weeks investigating social media. Children have spent sessions investigating the different types of social media and how you can access features of them in a range of ways. Children picked some different examples and created a pros and cons list about each one.
We created posters on Word.
We shared our favourite animals, changed the font, colour, size and style and even added images too,
Amazing work Year 2
Today we explored the bold, italic and underlining tools (as well as recapping our knowledge of fonts, colour and size.)
Year 3 have continued to look at Altering media. Children recapped how we can edit the photos to change its appearance. They were then set a task to use a photo editor to change a bright image of a forest into a dark and ‘gloomy’ one.
Year 2 have started to usePowerPoint in Computing. We have looked at how to add text, change the font, colour and size. We also started to change the theme.
This afternoon Year 3 continued looking at Altering Media, the focus today was being able to edit pictures to change their appearance. Children used Flickr to search for images linked to Italian food, then using the edit feature in Microsoft Photos children needed to change the appearance of the photo by changing the position, adding in filters and making other adjustments.
Children have built on their knowledge of coding in Scratch. They have created a program today using repeat loops, controlling a character with a mouse as well as including a Score variable.
Year 3 continued their new unit Altering Media. Today we focused on the importance of using the correct style of images when making a collage of pictures to advertise a place. We used Google images and Flickr to get a selection of images to advertise Italy. We discussed the importance of picking the correct type of image ensuring the brightness was correct and it demonstrated the features wanted to show.
Monday afternoon Year 3 started their unit focusing on media and photographs. Children spent the lesson becoming familiar with how to correctly take a photograph. We created a checklist on the best way to use the camera on an iPad and children then spent the lesson taking a range of images. 
Year 5 continued to look at how we can use variables in our programming. Children created a multiplication quiz on Scratch including variables for scores and a timer.
In the last two computing sessions Year 6 have been getting themselves familiar with Google Sites. Children have explored how to add content blocks, edit text and embedding videos. Children have then created a website about a topic of their own choice.
Year 6 are finding out about AI as part of their Safer Internet Day work.
How will AI change our lives?
This afternoon Year 3 have been using all the skills that have been developed over the past few weeks to create a pong game. Children needed to use repeat loops, If statements and motion blocks to create their game.
This afternoon Year 4 have been converting a mosaic into a pixel-style image. Children had to work out how they could convert the different sections into a 14 x 14 grid to ensure their design stayed symmetrical, children designed it onto a piece of paper ready to create a digital version next week.
This afternoon we focused on being able to use the wait block when controlling Sprites. Children used this block to get two Sprites to tell a knock knock joke.
This afternoon Year 4 have continued to build on their understand of how Pixels are used. Children used a website to recreate an image in pixel form. Children created it on paper first and then used excel to start to recreate their image.
Year 3 have continued to explore Scratch. Yesterday we investigated how we can use the x and y axis to get a Sprite to move to a specific location on the screen. Children were able to plot their Sprite to move to a certain position and then change costume
As part of our RE unit, we are finding out about mosques around the world and presenting our findings in Google Slides.
Year 6 focused on using python coding to make a Christmas tree. As a class we created code for a triangle to be drawn, focusing on the importance of our use of brackets and spacing between words. Children then used the base code to create a Christmas tree image, each section had to be a different colour.
This afternoon children have looked at how we can use a Micro:bit to create a multiplication game. Children needed to create number variables and then use multiplication to be able to get the numbers to multiply and together and display on the Micro:bit.
This afternoon Year 5 have continued to explore how we can code a Micro:bit. Today we looked at how to set and change the brightness of the LED lights on the Micro:bit when a button was pressed. Children then created code for it to display a sequence of different images.
48
This afternoon Year 6 have continued to look at Python coding using Edublocks. Today children used lists, logic, loops, variables, and math to get a “turtle” to create a pattern with whilst changing colours after a number of turns.
This afternoon Year 5 completed a coding activity on Hour of Code. Children used blocked coding to create images and animations. Children focused on the positioning of their shapes as well as inserting different blocks to make their code more efficient. Children then had to debug their code to makesure it works.
Year 6 this afternoon continued to look at Python coding. Children used If statements and variables to create a program that drew a shape in a particular colour by asking questions.
Wednesday afternoon Year 5 have continued to explore Mico:bits. Children used variables, If statements and Inputs to get a Micro:bit to play Rock, Paper & Scissors.
We reviewed our favourite photographs and discussed the impact the darkness or light had on our pictures #smithdowncomputing
In computing we took photographs in dark places. We then spoke about lighting, used torches and other light sources to improve our pictures #smithdowncomputing
We are loving our computing topic – photography! Today we thought about what makes a good photograph and had to capture a range of different images using different criteria. #smithdowncomputing
We then went back to class and reviewed our work
We started our new computing topic and became photographers this week. We played photography bingo and experimented with different subjects #smithdowncomputing
