Computing

Intent 
Why do we teach this? Why do we teach it in the way we do?

At Edlington Victoria Academy, we follow the National Curriculum for Computing in KS1 and
KS2. We have developed our Computing Scheme of Learning, based around the Jam Coding
Curriculum and their pedagogy for teaching Computing. This has been sequenced into key
substantive and disciplinary knowledge for each year group from Nursery –Year 6. 

Our Computing Overview outlines when, and for how long, each topic should be taught in each
year group. It also makes clear links to prior and future knowledge, including for EYFS, as well as
key knowledge and vocabulary that children should know. Knowledge builds from prior learning,
with topics studied more than once through school. Sequencing within a topic will build on prior
learning and introduce the pupils to new contexts and links with other areas of learning. 

Computing is taught weekly as a distinct subject.

Implementation 
What do we teach? What does this look like?

Coherence and flexibility  

The Computing Curriculum is structured in units. For these units to be coherent, the concepts
within a unit must be taught in order. However, across a year group, the units themselves do not
need to be taught in order, with the exception of ‘Programming’ units, where concepts and skills
rely on prior learning and experiences.

Spiral Curriculum

The units for key stages 1 and 2 are based on a spiral curriculum. This means that each of the
themes is revisited regularly (at least once in each year group), and pupils revisit each theme
through a new unit that consolidates and builds on prior learning within that theme. This style of
curriculum design reduces the amount of knowledge lost through forgetting, as topics are
revisited yearly. It also ensures that connections are made even if different teachers are teaching
the units within a theme in consecutive years.

Inclusive and Ambitious

The Computing Curriculum has been written to support all pupils. Each lesson is sequenced so
that it builds on the learning from the previous lesson, and where appropriate, activities are
scaffolded so that all pupils can succeed and thrive. Scaffolded activities provide pupils with extra
resources, such as visual prompts and step by step guides to reach the same learning goals as
the rest of the class. Exploratory tasks foster a deeper understanding of a concept, encouraging
pupils to apply their learning in different contexts and make connections with other learning
experiences. Where there are mixed age classes, children are streamed in order to access
Computing at their own year group.