Brockmoor Primary School: Computing Curriculum

A Curriculum That Develops Digital Literacy, Computational Thinking, and Responsible Online Citizens

A Curriculum That Develops Digital Literacy, Computational Thinking, and Responsible Online Citizens

At Brockmoor Primary School, we are committed to preparing our pupils to thrive in a digitally connected world. Our computing curriculum is delivered through the Teach Computing Curriculum, a nationally recognised, evidence-based programme developed by the National Centre for Computing Education (NCCE).

This curriculum ensures that children build secure knowledge and skills in:

💻 Digital Literacy – Developing the confidence to use technology for communication, collaboration, and creativity.
🧠 Computational Thinking – Learning to solve problems through decomposition, pattern recognition, abstraction, and algorithmic thinking.
⌨ Programming and Coding – Understanding how computers execute instructions and writing their own code to solve problems.
🌍 Online Safety and Responsible Use – Knowing how to stay safe, act ethically, and be kind in digital spaces.
🔄 Knowledge Retention and Mastery – Revisiting key concepts to strengthen understanding and build fluency over time.

Our vision is for every child to leave Brockmoor as a confident, creative, and responsible user of technology, well-prepared for secondary education and digital life beyond school.

We are currently working towards the Computing Quality Mark as part of our commitment to delivering a high-quality, inclusive, and ambitious computing education.

Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Laying the Digital Foundations 

In EYFS, computing is integrated into the Understanding the World and Expressive Arts and Design areas of learning, with a focus on early technology experiences:

🖥 Exploring Technology in the Environment – Learning to use simple devices like tablets, interactive boards, and programmable toys (e.g. Bee-Bots).
🔍 Understanding Cause and Effect – Discovering how actions (e.g. button presses) produce digital outcomes.
🧩 Problem-Solving through Play – Engaging with basic coding games and interactive stories to develop logical thinking.
🛡 Early Online Safety – Introducing simple rules about using technology safely and respectfully.

Children take part in structured and exploratory activities such as:

🎨 Creating digital drawings using touchscreen apps.
🕹 Programming toys to move in specific directions.
🏡 Talking about the technology they see at home and in school.
📺 Watching age-appropriate videos and stories about online safety.

These experiences lay the groundwork for more formal computing learning in Key Stage 1.

Key Stage 1 and 2: A Structured and Progressive Curriculum

We follow the Teach Computing Curriculum, which is built around a spiral model—concepts are revisited and built upon year after year to strengthen understanding and skills.

The curriculum is structured into four key strands:

✅ Algorithms and Programming – Creating and debugging simple programs using block-based and text-based languages.
✅ Computing Systems and Networks – Understanding how computers work, how data is transferred, and how networks function.
✅ Creating Media – Using a range of software tools for digital art, publishing, audio, and video creation.
✅ Data and Information – Learning how data is collected, presented, and analysed.
✅ Digital Literacy – Teaching pupils how to be safe, kind, and responsible users of technology.

Lesson Structure: Teaching for Depth and Mastery

Each lesson follows a consistent approach aligned with cognitive science and best practice in computing education:

1. Retrieval and Prior Learning
   🔹 Pupils activate previous knowledge and connect it to new concepts.
   🔹 Key vocabulary is introduced and discussed.

2. Explicit Instruction and Modelling
   💻 Teachers use clear examples to demonstrate computing processes or software use.
   🧠 Concepts are broken down step-by-step for clarity and understanding.

3. Guided and Independent Practice
   🎮 Pupils explore and apply new learning through hands-on activities and challenges.
   🧩 Mistakes and debugging are embraced as part of the learning process.

4. Review and Reflect
   🗣 Pupils discuss their approach, reasoning, and any challenges faced.
   ✅ They reflect on outcomes and identify areas for improvement.

Curriculum Strands in Detail

1. Computer Science: Programming and Problem-Solving

👨‍💻 Pupils explore algorithms and how computers process instructions.
🎮 They build programs using tools using scratch 
🔁 Concepts such as loops, conditionals, and variables are introduced progressively.
🕹 Pupils design simple games, animations, and simulations.

2. Information Technology: Using Digital Tools

📝 Pupils develop skills in word processing, digital publishing, and online collaboration.
🎨 Creativity is encouraged through digital painting, music composition, and video editing.
📊 They learn to collect, organise, and present data using spreadsheets and charts.

3. Digital Literacy: Online Safety and Digital Well-Being

🛡 Pupils learn how to stay safe online, manage digital footprints, and respect others.
🔍 They evaluate the reliability of websites and digital content.
📱 Pupils consider the role of technology in their lives and learn to use it responsibly.

Online safety is embedded across all units and taught in line with the Education for a Connected World framework.

Online Safety: A Whole-School Priority

We teach online safety as a continuous and developmental strand from EYFS to Year 6. Pupils learn to:

🔹 Understand privacy, passwords, and personal information.
🔹 Recognise and respond to cyberbullying and inappropriate content.
🔹 Use search engines safely and evaluate information sources.
🔹 Balance screen time with offline activities for well-being.

We reinforce these messages through assemblies, Safer Internet Day, and cross-curricular links with PSHE.

Connecting Computing to the Real World

At Brockmoor, we make computing relevant by:

💡 Introducing pupils to digital careers in cybersecurity, programming, and design.
🏭 Exploring how automation, AI, and technology affect modern industries.
🌍 Inviting local professionals to share real-world computing applications.

These experiences broaden horizons and inspire pupils to see themselves in the digital future.

Assessment: Monitoring Progress and Mastery

We use a range of formative assessment strategies to track pupil progress:

📊 Digital Evidence – Pupils save and share work using Google Classroom 
💡 Coding Challenges – Pupils demonstrate skill development through open-ended tasks.
🗣 Discussion and Reflection – Teachers assess understanding through oracy and peer collaboration.
🔍 Online Safety Checks – Quizzes and class discussions track understanding of digital citizenship.

Assessment is skill-focused and designed to reflect real-life computing application.

Impact: What Our Pupils Achieve

By the end of Year 6, pupils at Brockmoor Primary School will be:

💻 Digitally Literate – Able to confidently use technology to learn, communicate, and create.
🧠 Computational Thinkers – Equipped with logical reasoning and programming skills.
🌍 Responsible Citizens – Understanding how to stay safe, respectful, and ethical online.
🎮 Creative Digital Makers – Ready to innovate, explore, and express themselves through technology.

Our use of the Teach Computing Curriculum ensures pupils receive a rigorous, engaging, and future-ready computing education and our Digital Leaders help make computing fun and safe by running Coding Clubs and encouraging everyone to use the internet responsibly.