Computing
Lead Teacher: Mrs Z Ellahi
Rationale
At Alkrington Primary School, we believe that Computing is an exciting and essential part of children’s education. Our Computing curriculum helps pupils understand how technology works and how it shapes the world around them. We want our children to be confident, creative and responsible users of technology who can use it to learn, explore and express their ideas.
In order to achieve this, we use a combination of the Purple Mash scheme of work and Common-Sense Education, which has been carefully tailored to meet the needs of our pupils and staff. We ensure that the skills in Computer Science, Information Technology, Digital Literacy and Online Safety are mapped progressively and systemically between and across Key Stages 1 and 2. We have carefully selected the units to build on prior learning and give a fair coverage of all four skills. This prepares our children for a technology-driven society and enables them to build on the skills essential for academic success and future careers. Coding is taught in every year to enable children to learn to break down complex problems therefore enhancing their analytical and critical thinking abilities.
Computing is taught explicitly on a weekly basis. At the start of every term, Online Safety lessons are delivered using Common-Sense Education’s UK Digital Citizenship Curriculum, which is mapped to the UK Education for a Connected World Framework. This is done to ensure that we are regularly revisiting and building on year group appropriate topics that are pertinent in an evolving technological world. Computing is also complimented by Twinkle’s Digital Wellbeing units taught as part of our PSHE curriculum in Years 1, 3 and 5.
Learning is consolidated through regular review through the use of our feedback files to recap learning, address misconceptions, highlight and praise success, and also outline the next steps in the learning journey. In addition, the Purple Mash sequence of lessons and resources provide opportunity for the review of prior learning, ensuring that all pupils are supported and then challenged with the upcoming lessons.
By the time our pupils leave Alkrington Primary School, they are confident, creative and responsible users of technology, ready to embrace the opportunities of the digital future.
Intent
Our aim is to provide a computing curriculum that is designed to balance acquiring a broad and deep knowledge alongside opportunities to apply skills in various digital contexts. We want to inspire children to become confident, creative and responsible users of technology, developing their computational thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Through the use of Purple Mash and Common-Sense Education, we ensure that our computing curriculum enables pupils to:
- Develop computational thinking by exploring coding, algorithms, and problem-solving through the progressive and hands-on approach provided by Purple Mash.
- Create and use technology purposefully, producing digital content and learning to use software and hardware to support learning across the curriculum.
- Become digitally literate, understanding how technology works and how it can be used to communicate, collaborate, and express ideas in creative ways.
- Stay safe and act responsibly online, following the Common-Sense Education Digital Citizenship curriculum to build awareness of online safety, privacy, media balance, and respectful online behaviour.
We have embedded a spiral curriculum to ensure that there is a clear progression of knowledge. This is done by revisiting topics studied in Key Stage 1 at a greater level of complexity in Key Stage 2, for example by building on basic coding concepts (sequencing) into more complex ones (debugging). The skills are explored from a simpler level upwards and the lesson objectives are matched to the year group appropriate expectations.
The Purple Mash Computing Scheme of Work is designed to be inclusive and accessible for all learners, including those with SEND and disadvantaged pupils. It offers adjustable fonts, backgrounds and zoom features to support visual and reading needs, alongside audio tools for instructions and pupil responses. Lessons include differentiated activities, scaffolding, and multimedia resources to cater to varied learning styles. Teachers can personalise tasks through 2Dos and access guidance for adapting content, ensuring every child can engage meaningfully with computing while developing digital literacy and online safety skills.
Furthermore, our scheme is fully aligned with the National Curriculum and promotes cross-curricular learning by embedding computing skills into meaningful contexts across subjects such as English, Maths, Science, and PSHE. It develops pupils’ understanding of computer science, digital literacy and information technology while fostering creativity, problem-solving and responsible online behaviour. Through practical projects and integrated tools, the scheme supports thematic learning, encourages collaboration, and ensures progression of skills, making computing an integral part of the wider curriculum.
Implementation
Our children in EYFS experience Computing through the ‘Understanding the World’ and ‘Expressive Arts and Design’ areas, where technology and foundational digital literacy skills are integrated. Children use age-appropriate apps on tablets, operate interactive whiteboards and use ‘smart’ toys like talking buttons or remote controls. They also incorporate directional language in PE or maths, use a camera to document learning or use software to create pictures. Through digital literacy, children are taught how to safely use a device, open and close apps, and make choices about what to select on a screen.
Purple Mash and Common-Sense Education are used to deliver our Computing curriculum from Y1 to Y6. Both allow students to explore and advance their knowledge in a creative and imaginative manner. The challenges they are assigned enable children to progress and build on their prior experiences, using their knowledge, vocabulary and abilities to become responsible, active users of the internet. Skills and information are built upon and sequenced year after year to optimise learning for all students. Online safety lessons are completed at the start of each term using Common-Sense Education, which also cover current topics that may be significant. As a school, we also participate in activities around the annual ‘Internet Safety’ day.
The units of work covered in our scheme have a clear end point with assessment statements defining what pupils should achieve by the end of the unit. There are also key knowledge organisers that outline the vocabulary, concepts and ‘sticky knowledge’ to ensure clarity on what pupils need to know by the end of the unit. Skills and knowledge are mapped out across the three strands on Purple Mash (Computer Science, Information Technology and Digital Literacy), which are sequenced logically, with prior learning explicitly linked to future units. For example, in Year 1, children are introduced to basic algorithms and debugging, before building on this in Year 2 with collision detection and timers in coding. This continues to build throughout Key Stage 2 with more complex programming concepts.
Our lessons are taught in a hands-on manner, with children actively using computer programs to complete activities. Lessons are delivered with clear guidance and resources for our teachers through the Purple Mash scheme. Lessons often start with questions or challenges that encourage pupils to explore concepts and key vocabulary. Units often include problem solving tasks where children investigate solutions using coding tools and digital applications. Skills are modelled step-by-step with the presentations clearly scaffolding the learning and providing worked examples. Open-ended challenges are often provided to allow some to extend their learning. Additionally, there is regular opportunity for retrieval built into the lessons as links to prior and future learning are embedded in lesson plans and assessment tools and quizzes allow teachers to check retention regularly.
Formative assessment is embedded in every unit, with teachers using questioning and feedback files to identify misconceptions and address gaps swiftly within each lesson. Pupil outcomes are celebrated and successes shared through the work set and submitted on Purple Mash, reinforcing progress and motivation. This information feeds directly into future planning to ensure the needs of all learners are met.
Teachers are supported in delivering Computing through access to detailed lesson plans and resources as well as receiving support from the subject lead, who provides guidance, and monitors the consistency and impact of teaching. Collaborative planning and shared resources ensure that staff feel confident in their subject knowledge and are well-equipped to effectively teach Computing.
Assessment in Computing is ongoing and reflective. Teachers use discussion, observation and recorded work to check understanding and track progress. Assessment outcomes are used to adapt teaching, address misconceptions, and ensure that all pupils are developing the skills outlined in the curriculum end points.
The Purple Mash Computing Scheme actively supports the development of children’s language, communication, and literacy skills by embedding opportunities for reading, writing and discussion within computing lessons. Through activities such as creating digital stories, blogs and presentations, pupils learn to structure ideas clearly and use appropriate vocabulary. Collaborative tasks encourage speaking and listening, while coding projects develop sequencing and logical thinking, which underpin narrative skills. By integrating computing with cross-curricular writing and comprehension tasks, Purple Mash promotes confident communication alongside digital competence.
Impact
The Purple Mash Computing Scheme has a strong impact on pupil learning by providing clear knowledge and skill progression across all phases. By the end of Year 2, pupils develop foundational skills such as understanding algorithms and basic coding, while Year 3 and 4 build on this with more complex programming concepts and digital literacy. The lessons in Key Stage 2 ensure pupils can design, debug and evaluate programs, preparing them for secondary education and future workplace demands in a digital world. Progression is carefully structured so each stage equips pupils with readiness for the next, fostering confidence and competence.
Impact is measured through a range of evidence-gathering strategies, including pupil voice, work scrutiny and low stakes quizzes, ensuring a holistic view of achievement. Long-term retention is supported through spaced learning, revisiting key concepts, and practical application, so pupils demonstrate sustained understanding rather than short-term performance. Through using a combination of teaching schemes, we ensure our children have a solid foundation and enjoyment in their understanding and application of Computing skills.
Computing Progression of Skills and Knowledge
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