Connected Curriculum For Computing - Primary
Welcome to our complete computing curriculum planning for primary schools, designed to empower pupils with essential computing knowledge.
We have designed and written key units of work covering Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Physical Computing. These resources are carefully integrated with other freely accessible materials from respected sources, including Code.org and Commonsense Media. Also included is our cutting-edge EYFS technology planning, designed to seamlessly incorporate technology experiences into the seven key areas of learning. With this approach, you'll be introducing pupils to the fundamental pillars of the computing curriculum: digital literacy, information technology, and computer science, right from the start.
The Connected Curriculum for Computing is delivered in manageable blocks, providing pupils with all of the essential elements of the computing curriculum and ensuring that they are well-prepared for the digital world of today and tomorrow.
When you invest in the Connected Curriculum for Computing, you are gaining access to hi-impact's 15 years of expertise in curriculum planning and design. We've delivered over 17,000 STEM workshops to more than 500,000 pupils in schools across the UK, solidifying our commitment to quality teaching and learning.
The Connected Curriculum for Computing planning solution is available at no cost to schools with a hi-impact Curriculum SLA, HOST subscription, or a Computing School Improvement Solution. The curriculum planning service can also be purchased as a standalone package. Please just get in touch for more information.
Information Technology and Digital Literacy
Pupils will delve into five carefully crafted blocks of lessons over the course of each year, focusing on key elements of information technology and digital literacy. This ensures that pupils receive regular exposure to these important areas of the curriculum.
The benefit of the Connected Curriculum lies in its progressive nature. Each block builds upon the knowledge and skills acquired in previous years but is presented in a more age-appropriate manner, utilising various apps and technologies that resonate with pupils of different ages. This approach allows for the gradual advancement and development of more complex concepts and knowledge.
Each unit is thoughtfully structured to equip pupils with the component knowledge they need to confidently tackle more sophisticated computing tasks. Our goal is to make the learning journey enjoyable, manageable, and effective.
Computer Science
Over the course of each year there are three blocks of engaging lessons for your pupils. Within each block are either three or four lessons packed with exciting content.
The first two terms of the year are dedicated to covering essential key concepts and knowledge in computer science. This allows pupils to build a strong foundation in this rapidly evolving field. As they progress to the summer term, we incorporate physical computing into the curriculum. Pupils can then apply the skills learned in the previous blocks, embedding their learning in a hands-on, practical way.
Our program is designed to gradually deepen pupils' understanding of coding concepts over the years. For example, in Year 3 we start with simple 'count-controlled' and 'forever' loops. In Year 4, we revisit this and introduce 'nested loops' to challenge pupils further. By Year 5, pupils delve into more complex nested loops and are introduced conditional loops like 'if/else' and 'until'. All of these concepts are then consolidated and mastered in Year 6.
Throughout the sequence of lessons there is an emphasis in logical reasoning and computational thinking skills, which are essential skills for pupils to develop to become problem-solvers and confident coders.
Digital Literacy
Pupils receive a dedicated lesson each half term that is specifically centred around one of the 8 themes of Education for a Connected World. These lessons serve as an introduction to the various issues they will explore in their information technology or digital literacy units that term.
To deliver these high-quality lessons, we recommend the Common Sense Media platform This offers lessons and resources that are free to access. Links to these lessons and resources are embedded within the long-term plans.
The Connected Curriculum prepares pupils to navigate the digital world responsibly and confidently. Education for a Connected World, widely recognised as the best practice guide for digital citizenship education, was developed by the UK Government working group, UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS), and is modelled after the six topics of digital citizenship education developed by Common Sense Education, a respected authority in the field.