This document outlines considerations for developing a scheme of work for the new UK computing curriculum. It provides an overview of the curriculum aims and expectations at different key stages, focusing on core concepts like computational thinking, digital literacy and computer science. It also discusses important themes, assessment approaches, and the balance between skills, knowledge and understanding. The document concludes by reflecting on key decisions needed to structure the scheme of work, including topics, format and ensuring it builds on children's interests in learning.

1. Miles Berry
University of Roehampton
27 June 2013
Developing a scheme of
work for the new
computing curriculum

2. What is the
curriculum for?

3. What is the
curriculum for?

4. What is the
curriculum for?

5. A high-quality computing education equips pupils to
understand and change the world through
computational thinking. It develops and requires
logical thinking and precision. It combines creativity
with rigour: pupils apply underlying principles to
understand real-world systems, and to create
purposeful and usable artefacts. More broadly, it
provides a lens through which to understand both
natural and artificial systems, and has substantial links
with the teaching of mathematics, science, and design
and technology.
DfE 2013
Computing

6. 0%# 10%# 20%# 30%# 40%# 50%# 60%# 70%# 80%# 90%# 100%#
Skills#
Knowledge#
Understanding#
None#or#very#limited# Basic#grasp# Competent# Proficient# Expert#

7. Creativity
“Imagination is not the same as
creativity. Creativity takes the
process of imagination to another
level. My definition of creativity is
“the process of having original
ideas that have value.” Imagination
can be entirely internal. You could
be imaginative all day long without
anyone noticing. But you never say
that someone was creative if that
person never did anything. To be
creative you actually have to do
something.”

8. Constructionism
“Constructionism - the N word
as opposed to the V word -
shares contructivism’s view of
learning as“building knowledge
structures”through progressive
internalization of actions... It
then adds the idea that this
happens especially felicitously in
a context where the learner is
consciously engaged in
constructing a public entity,
whether it’s a sand castle on the
beach or a theory of the
universe.
Papert 1991

9. Beauty or utility?
“If you want a golden rule
that will fit everybody,
this is it:
Have nothing in your
houses that you do not
know to be useful, or
believe to be beautiful.”
William Morris, 1880

10. Children use and apply their ICT knowledge,
skills and understanding confidently and
competently in their learning and in everyday
contexts. They become independent and
discerning users of technology, recognising
opportunities and risks and using strategies to
stay safe.
(QCDA, 2009)
ICT Capability

11. ICT to Computing

12. • Digital Literacy (DL) is the ability to
access, use, and express oneself using
digital technology, including a critical
understanding of technology’s impact
on the individual and society.
• Information Technology (IT) covers the
use and application of digital systems to
develop technological solutions
purposefully and creatively.
• Computer Science (CS) is the subject
discipline that explains how computer
systems work, how they are designed
and programmed, and the fundamental
principles of information and
computation.

13. CS, IT, DL
Foundations
Applications
Implications

14. Computing Curriculum
At the core of computing is the science and
engineering discipline of computer science, in which
pupils are taught how digital systems work, how they
are designed and programmed, and the fundamental
principles of information and computation. Building on
this core, computing equips pupils to apply
information technology to create products and
solutions. A computing education also ensures that
pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and
express themselves through, information and
communication technology – at a level suitable for the
future workplace and as active participants in a digital
world.

15. Finding things out
Developing ideas and
making things happen
Exchanging and sharing
information
Reviewing, modifying and
evaluating work as it
progresses

16. • can understand and apply the fundamental principles of
computer science, including logic, algorithms, data
representation, and communication
• can analyse problems in computational terms, and have
repeated practical experience of writing computer
programs in order to solve such problems
• can evaluate and apply information technology,
including new or unfamiliar technologies, analytically to
solve problems
• are responsible, competent, confident and creative users
of information and communication technology.
Aims for computing

17. KS1
understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as
programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by
following a sequence of instructions
write and test simple programs
use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
organise, store, manipulate and retrieve data in a range of digital
formats
communicate safely and respectfully online, keeping personal
information private, and recognise common uses of information
technology beyond school.

18. KS2
design and write programs that accomplish specific goals,
including controlling or simulating physical systems; solve
problems by decomposing them into smaller parts
use sequence, selection, and repetition in programs; work with
variables and various forms of input and output; generate
appropriate inputs and predicted outputs to test programs
use logical reasoning to explain how a simple algorithm works
and to detect and correct errors in algorithms and programs
understand computer networks including the internet; how they
can provide multiple services, such as the world-wide web; and
the opportunities they offer for communication and collaboration

19. KS2 continued
describe how internet search engines find and store data; use
search engines effectively; be discerning in evaluating digital
content; respect individuals and intellectual property; use
technology responsibly, securely and safely
select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet
services) on a range of digital devices to accomplish given goals,
including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data
and information.

20. KS3 continued
undertake creative projects that involve selecting, using, and
combining multiple applications, preferably across a range of
devices, to achieve challenging goals, including collecting and
analysing data and meeting the needs of known users
create, reuse, revise and repurpose digital information and content
with attention to design, intellectual property and audience.

21. KS3
design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state
and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems
understand at least two key algorithms for each of sorting and searching;
use logical reasoning to evaluate the performance trade-offs of using
alternative algorithms to solve the same problem
use two or more programming languages, one of which is textual, each
used to solve a variety of computational problems; use data structures such
as tables or arrays; use procedures to write modular programs; for each
procedure, be able to explain how it works and how to test it
understand simple Boolean logic (such as AND, OR and NOT) and its use in
determining which parts of a program are executed; use Boolean logic and
wild- cards in search or database queries; appreciate how search engine
results are selected and ranked

22. KS3 continued
understand the hardware and software components that make
up networked computer systems, how they interact, and how
they affect cost and performance; explain how networks such as
the internet work; understand how computers can monitor and
control physical systems
explain how instructions are stored and executed within a
computer system
explain how data of various types can be represented and
manipulated in the form of binary digits including numbers,
text, sounds and pictures, and be able to carry out some such
manipulations by hand

23. KS4
develop their capability, creativity and knowledge in
computer science, digital media and information technology
develop and apply their analytic, problem-solving, design, and
computational thinking skills.

24. Themes?

25. Themes
• Coding
• CS
• Networks and the Internet
• Communication and collaboration
• Creativity
• Productivity

26. Themes
• Computational thinking
• Design
• Criticality
• Responsibility

27. Themes
• CS
• IT
• DL
• Foundations
• Applications
• Implications

33. “At the heart of the
educational process lies the
child”
“One of the main educational
tasks of the primary school is
to build on and strengthen
children's intrinsic interest in
learning and lead them to
learn for themselves”

34. Decisions
• Discrete vs Embedded
• Waterfall vs Agile
• NC vs NC+
• Themes
• Structure
• Format

35. An outline SoW
• Topic title
• Curriculum coverage
• Learning objectives
• Outline of activities
• Resources
• Cross curricular links
• Assessment opportunities

37. Assessment
“In order to ensure that every child is expected to
master this content, I have ... decided that the current
system of levels and level descriptors should be
removed and not replaced”
June 2012
“By the end of each key stage, pupils are expected to
know, apply and understand the matters, skills and
processes specified in the relevant programme of
study.“
Feb 2013

38. Assessment
Schools will be able to introduce their own
approaches to formative assessment, to support
pupil attainment and progression. The assessment
framework should be built into the school
curriculum, so that schools can check what pupils
have learned and whether they are on track to
meet expectations at the end of the key stage,
and so that they can report regularly to parents.
June 2013

39. Badges

40. bit.ly/ittcomp

41. m.berry@roehampton.ac.uk
milesberry.net
@mberry