Technology

In recent years Palatine has focussed heavily on promoting the access to and use of technology to promote teaching and learning across the curriculum as well as delivering the discrete computing curriculum.

At Palatine children learn to use technology safely through our online safety curriculum – this is part of everything we do.  Technology is a cross curricular subject which we include in all areas of the curriculum, from writing to cooking.

Children begin exploring technology through switch toys, buttons and cause and effect activities. They also explore games and programmes through digital devices such as iPads and the class Clever Touch board.

As children develop skills in technology they use programmes which support them to research, create, edit, present, solve problems and do. They also use technology to communicate in a variety of different ways, including video calls to their friends in other classes.

Children explore technology and how it is used in the home, school and the wider community. They learn how technology benefits our lives now and how it might be used in the future.

Children at Palatine begin to learn about algorithms and how a computer uses these to understand what we want it to do. Children learn about these through games and play, leading onto coding and creating their own content and programmes.

Pupils now have access to a range of technology that supports learners at all ends of the access spectrum. These include:

• Each class has an iPad which is used to support the curriculum. Some pupils also have their own individual iPads which enable them to be able to communicate with more efficiency during their school day using Pro Lo Quo Software.
• Our sensory room which is fitted with kinects hardware and our immersive room allow pupils to activate and engage with sensory equipment through kinaesthetic control.
• Pupils now have a new laptop trolley! This provides children with access to technology which is flexible and can be used in different environments and activities around the school.
• There are Clever Touch screens in all of our classrooms.
• Eye Gaze technology allows pupils who are unable to access ICT through physical movement to be able to interact with software through the movement of their eyes. This particular supports our learners with PMLD and is significant in allowing some pupils independence in their communication and computing skills.
• The school Nintendo Wii allows pupils ways of interacting in a physical kinaesthic way with software programmes that encourage gross motor skills, hand eye coordination and communication/ interaction skills.