Our children are growing up in a society that has become reliant on technology, including smart phones, iPads, the use of apps, interactive online games and virtual communities. The use of Internet enables children and young people to connect, communicate and be creative in a number of different ways, on a range of devices. Access to information allows pupils to share their research, findings and ideas to others (Article 13) and to explore their wider talents and interests (Article 29). These constantly evolving technological changes bring new and wider possibilities for future career pathways for our pupils to choose in years to come.

At East Acton, we believe that children should be at the forefront of new innovations and develop substantial knowledge and skills in computational literacy that will allow them to become responsible citizens in the increasingly technology-driven digital world they live in. Our aim is to provide opportunities for children to explore, assess and evaluate the potentials of these innovations and to be confident in the choices they make. Our curriculum is based around the essential knowledge that there is always a choice.

We invite members of our local community who work within the Information Technology industry to participate in our careers day events and ignite further our pupils’ curiosity about many career fields in which technology is purposefully used. We want our children to feel inspired and to apply their skills and understanding in order to utilise positive experiences and opportunities; we strive for our children to become creators of content in the 21st century, including the world of robotics, coding and application development.

As a Rights Respecting School, we acknowledge the right of every child to have access to reliable information from a variety of sources (Article 17). Whilst there are obvious advantages in pupils accessing and using the modern technology, we also recognise that by doing so, there are many risks to their personal safety, as well as to their physical and mental health.