Implementing a primary computing curriculum

Let’s cut to the chase. You recognise computing is important. Your timetable is under considerable pressure already, especially from the core subjects. How can you not only fulfil the National Curriculum requirements, but actually deliver an outstanding curriculum that prepares your pupils for their future?

My approach

Every school approaches computing differently. I developed my framework (download it freely below) in consultation with primary teachers, primary computing leads, primary head teachers and crucially, secondary computing departments. There were a number of key features that each group demanded and the framework was developed in response to those requirements:

PRIMARY TEACHERS and computing leads

There were two commonly requested features from classroom teachers. Firstly, it must be accessible for teachers who are perhaps not confident in computing. Secondly, it must have clearly defined success criteria without being overly prescriptive. That is, it can be delivered either as a standalone weekly lesson or as part of a cross-curricular approach and either way, children’s progress should be easy to identify.

Computing leads had one overriding concern – that teachers were under pressure from so many other areas of the curriculum. This meant that computing was frequently the first subject to be squeezed out.

PRIMARY HEADS

The most important consideration from a head teacher’s perspective was the demand for a robust curriculum that could be realistically delivered but would provide the cultural capital that OFSTED demands. Is there evidence that their curriculum prepares and equips children for the real world?

Head teachers recognised that there are pressures on teachers to fit computing into packed timetables and deliver it effectively. They wanted an effective way of ensuring that any deep dive into this subject would reveal an outstanding computing curriculum however teachers were delivering it.

SECONDARY COMPUTING LEADS

The overwhelming response from secondary computing leads was that children arrive in Year 7 without the fundamental skills needed to succeed in computing at KS3 and beyond. Interestingly, one of the strongest concerns was that children were arriving at secondary schools with very limited transferrable skills.

There are 12 years between Reception and Year 11. In those 12 years, the technology they use will advance considerably – just think about the equipment your school had twelve years ago. Children must be able to adapt to changes and primary schools should equip them with the skills to do this – without knowing what future technology will be.

How does my framework address these needs?

The framework focuses on key skills for children to acquire and develop. It asks a question at every step of the way. This enables straightforward assessment opportunities, even for non-computing specialists.
The framework links to a range of computing schemes of work so that, if required, teachers can take a more prescriptive, lesson by lesson approach if this is what the school requires or what enables teachers to feel more comfortable and confident.
However, by focusing on acquiring key skills, it can be delivered in any way a teacher wants to as long as, by the end of it, the child can achieve the step that has been clearly set out. This means that it can alternatively be delivered as part of an integrated cross-curricular approach, enabling teachers to ensure they are meeting their computing objectives even if timetable pressures force computing to be combined with other subjects.
Each year follows the same skills progression model. In the first Autumn half-term, children learn fundamental computer skills, such as clicking and dragging or keyboard shortcuts. In the subsequent half-terms, children are given the chance to consolidate these skills in a creative and engaging way.
By following the same structure each year, progression of skills is not only fully mapped out but is also easily tracked.
The skills have been carefully selected so as to be transferrable across technology changes. This increase in focus on cultural capital not only addresses the requirements of the National Curriculum, it exceeds them and prepares children for KS3 from an early age.
On a half-termly basis, the framework covers (1) fundamental computer skills, (2) creative computer applications, (3) safe and effective internet usage, (4) real world productivity, (5) programming skills and (6) debugging and overcoming problems.

Framework Download

I created this framework because we needed it at our school.

I am sharing it freely because it is a solution to a problem I know many schools are dealing with.

I am not asking for any money for it because you should be spending your budget on the children and staff, not on me.

You are free to use it as is or adapt it however you want within a primary school setting. You may not sell it on (either in its existing form or any derived works) or use it for commercial purposes.

If you make any changes to this framework, it would be nice if you left an acknowledgement in the document that you got it from here so that others will be able to find and use it too.

DOWNLOAD HERE

Don’t forget, if you are planning on buying any new computing equipment I have lots of advice on exactly what to look for and how to buy.

Advice on buying computer equipment