THE CUBE

‘The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew’.

- Abraham Lincoln

Digital learning has become a highlight of the learning week for many pupils. Our sole focus this year has been to motivate both pupils and teachers’ enjoyment of using technology. To do this we revamped our computing long term plans and created an engaging, purposeful curriculum, in which pupils acquire essential skills which would feedback into their topics and day to day classroom learning.

‘’I love answering questions on the laptops and doing fun quizzes, because they make my brain smarter’’. Alina 1S Our Sherborne Prep ICT curriculum is bult around the 3 pillars of – information technology, digital literacy and computer science. It is a curriculum created to develop digitally literate and innovative pupils: pupils who have the ability to introduce new ideas and who are original and creative in their thinking, helping them to navigate their evolving world.

‘’In my old school we didn’t do too much with technology, but when I joined Sherborne we used technology everyday which made my learning more fun’’. Alana 6T

This year, for example, KS1 have learnt how to create infographics for recipes, express their artistic flare using pixel art, create working eBooks and use a digital camera to take photos and videos. LKS2 pupils have explored media, text and image using Microsoft software, created working robots from LEGO, programmed dancing sprites, designed thematic posters, stop motion animations and 3D models.

‘’Every term I learn something new, I love building with the LEGO and getting to bring my own laptop to class has helped me a lot with my learning’’. Mads 3F

‘’I get excited for my computing lesson because there are loads of new things to learn. I enjoyed making posters with the music on canva’’. Mohammad 2G

UKS2 have been busy making podcasts, video documentaries, learning how to present their understanding using ThingLink, Sway and Flipgrid, engineering and programming Bluetooth future transport, 3D modelling sports stadiums and buildings on TinkerCad and spending time on the Virtual Reality headsets to fully immersive themselves into their topics to gain greater insight.

Create Unlock Broaden Explore

‘’I feel like computing this year has been like stepping into a different world and I feel I am ready to go to senior school with all the new skills I have’’. Naba 6M Additionally, in UKS2, Years 5 and 6 have had technology fully integrated into their learning through the Bring Your Own Device initiative (BYOD). This is where pupils bring personally owned mobile devices (laptops and tablets) to school to access information and appropriate applications that support their learning. This has really enhanced a range of skills, such as independence and curiosity as children can now freely explore their own interests and explore their learning more deeply.

‘’The use of technology has enhanced the children’s learning in so many ways. As a teacher, it has allowed me to explore new ways of teaching, as well as allowing me to broaden the children’s experiences. It has been fantastic to watch them flourish in new ways and it has added even more excitement and creativity to our curriculum!’’ Miss Gittins, Year 5 teacher.

‘’Digital learning lessons are so much fun; they are interesting and teach me new skills. BYOD in class makes my learning more interesting and I can share my learning at home with my family.’’ Malak 5G

To complement our digital learning, we also introduced The CUBE – a set of learning environments to give the pupils the opportunity to Create, Unlock, Broaden, Explore ideas and explore their passions and interests. Pupils develop skills such as: risk-taking, communication, collaboration, problem solving and resilience, through experiential learning experiences. The space ranges from our Virtual Reality Room, where pupils are immersed in experiences that support writing and topic understanding, to the MakerSpace, a multi-functional room which focuses on developing art and engineering skills, to our ICT Hub, in which children learn how to become digitally literate, using information technology and computer science to enhance their knowledge, to our Musical Production Studios and Science Lab, where children investigate and experiment with a range of hypotheses.

To summaries this year, “It has been a very fun year in school’’ Nasser Year 3.

Follow our learning @thecube_sherborneprepqatar Instagram page.

Andy Callas Head of Digital Innovation and Learning Technologies