The National Curriculum

Basic Skills Policy

Mansfield Primary Academy

EYFS expectations 

Learning about technology starts from birth because it’s the way the world works today. Technology is an integral part of all young children’s environment and world. They are surrounded by technology just as they are surrounded by language, print and numbers. In the home, technology includes remote controls for television, DVDs and sound systems, toys that have buttons and buzzers, mobile phones, washing machines, microwave ovens and other machines that require programming, and of course, computers and mobile devices such as iPads. Outside the home, children are also immersed in the technological world: they see automatic doors, cash machines, bar code scanners, digital tills and weighing machines, and security cameras. Technology is something children are going to grow up with, learn about and master, and use as a tool to increase their understanding in all areas of learning. 

Many activities in the early years revolve around children developing an understanding of their environment. Settings encourage children to explore, observe, solve problems, predict, discuss and consider. ICT resources can provide tools for using these skills as well as being examined, with computers not the only resources. ICT equipment added to role-play reflects the real world, builds on children’s experiences and allows them opportunities to understand how, why, when and where different forms of technology are used in everyday life. 

Early experiences form a foundation upon which KS1 and KS2 can build and the current early learning goals have specific objectives relating to ICT. As part of continuous provision and when instructed to use by an adult with supervision or when requested to be used by the child, across a variety of platforms.

Skills across using the IT system: 

If asked by a child, adult will supervise the children in logging on and use of apps within airhead – (statement 40-60+ months – completes a simple program on a computer) 

Children should be shown how to open the apps within airhead and how to interact with them, and when showing an interest to use this independently should be assisted in logging on. 

Children should have access to a variety of IT equipment, tablet, computer, camera, bee bots, tills, talking tins, sound buttons and a variety of real-life equipment such as washing machines and microwaves etc and know the uses of each of them. 

Children should be able to experience typing/writing on a computer or touch screen device. Such as on apps like writing repeater within airhead. This also has a simplistic save version - so the children, with adult supervision, can begin to learn to save and open documents. 

 

 

Children should be exposed to a variety of different apps and websites by the time that they leave EYFS and know that different apps will serve different purposes and functions and be able to begin to choose the correct app for the functionality required.

 

National Curriculum

Please find below the national curriculum expectations for computing in primary schools.