Intent

A high-quality computing education enables pupils to employ computational thinking and creativity to comprehend and transform the world around them. Computing is closely intertwined with mathematics, science, and design and technology, offering valuable insights into both natural and artificial systems. At its heart lies computer science, where pupils learn the foundational principles of information and computation, how digital systems function, and how to apply this knowledge through programming.

With this understanding, pupils gain the skills to utilise information technology for creating programs, systems, and various types of content. Additionally, the computing curriculum ensures that pupils become digitally literate, allowing them to use, articulate, and develop their ideas through information and communication technology—preparing them for future careers and active participation in a digital environment.

Through Teach Computing, we empower pupils to adopt and internalise essential behaviours, fostering a dynamic relationship between the knowledge they acquire, the skills they develop, and their ability to express themselves clearly in speech—known as Oracy. Simply memorising facts for tests is insufficient; having extensive knowledge means little if pupils lack the skills to apply that knowledge to improve their lives and make positive contributions to society. Effective communication is key to applying skills and knowledge, enabling all pupils to think, act, work, and communicate like computer scientists.

The Teach Computing program aims to inspire children to dream, believe, and achieve, regardless of their starting points. Consequently, our curriculum is designed to maintain a balance between knowledge acquisition—minimising cognitive load—skills development, vocabulary enhancement, and intentional experiences that connect with the real world and local community. Our school’s curriculum is built on the belief that acquiring knowledge is essential for personal growth and development.

Implementation

The units for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 are designed around a spiral curriculum. This approach allows each theme to be revisited regularly—at least once in each year group—enabling pupils to explore each topic through a new unit that reinforces and builds upon their previous knowledge. This method of curriculum design helps minimise knowledge loss due to forgetting, as topics are revisited annually. It also fosters connections among pupils, even when different teachers deliver the units within a theme in successive years.

The Teach Computing Curriculum is organised into units. For these units to be effective, the lessons within each unit should be taught sequentially. However, within a year group, the units themselves can be taught in any order, except for 'Programming' units, which depend on prior knowledge and skills.

Impact

At St Augustine’s we encourage children to enjoy and value the curriculum we deliver. We want learners to discuss, reflect and appreciate the impact computing has on their learning, development and well-being. Finding the right balance with technology is key to an effective education and a healthy lifestyle. We feel the way we implement computing helps children realise the need for the right balance and one they can continue to build on in their next stage of education and beyond. We encourage regular discussions between staff and pupils to best embed and understand this. The way pupils share, celebrate and publish their work will best show the impact of our curriculum. We also look for evidence through reviewing pupil’s knowledge and skills digitally through tools like Scratch and Google Classroom. Progress of our computing curriculum is demonstrated through outcomes and the record of coverage in the process of achieving these outcomes.