St Margaret'sC of E Primary School

'Man is still the most extraordinary computer of all'
John F Kennedy

Our Computing Vision and Intent

At St Margaret’s we believe in a broad and balanced curriculum that inspires and engages all children. We offer a structured sequence of lessons, helping teachers to ensure that they have covered the skills required to meet the aims of the national curriculum. The content allows for a broad, deep understanding of computing and how it links to children's lives. It offers a range of opportunities for consolidation, challenge and variety. This allows children to apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science. They develop analytical problem-solving skills and learn to evaluate and apply information technology. It also enables them to become responsible, competent, confident and creative users of information technology.

We also aim to provide children with ICT equipment that is current and is fit for purpose and allows the teaching of the Computing curriculum.

How We Teach Computing – Implementation

Through the sequence of lessons, we intend to inspire pupils to develop a love of the digital world, see its place in their future and give teachers confidence. Cross-curricular links are also important in supporting other areas of learning. Our lesson plans and resources help children to build on prior knowledge at the same time as introducing new skills and challenges.

Skills learnt through KS1 and LKS2 are used to support data presentation. We suggest a specific sequence of lessons for each year group, offering structure and narrative. These are not to be used exclusively but will support teachers' planning.

EYFS

In Reception children are encouraged to use technology in their free play. Playful use of technology is a natural prelude to more purposeful and directed uses of technology they will experience in KS1.

Key Stage One:

The National Curriculum Programmes of Study at Key Stage One focuses on developing children’s understanding of digital devices, how to stay safe when using them, logical reasoning when programming, understanding how to use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content and recognise technology in the world outside of school.

Key Stage Two:

The National Curriculum Programmes of Study at Key Stage Two focuses on developing children’s coding skills, understanding sequence and repetition, using logical reasoning when looking at algorithms and problems, understanding how to not only be safe online but to use the web safely and understand there is a variety of software that exists to do different jobs.

What Children Learn

The full 2026–27 Computing long-term overview is available below.

Inclusion and Adaptive Teaching

At St Margaret’s, we believe that every child can succeed in Computing. Our curriculum is ambitious and inclusive for all pupils, including children with SEND, disadvantaged pupils and those who may experience additional barriers to learning. We are committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to develop secure knowledge, think critically and experience success with technology in the world.

Teachers use their understanding of pupils’ individual starting points and needs to provide high-quality adaptive teaching, removing barriers to learning while maintaining high expectations and the ambition of the curriculum. Support is carefully tailored and may include visual timelines, explicit vocabulary teaching, practical resources, adult modelling, structured discussion, scaffolding and alternative ways for children to demonstrate their understanding.

Our approach is to adapt the support, not lower the ambition, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to flourish, achieve and develop confidence using technology.

Assessment and Impact

Learning in computing will be enjoyed across the school. Teachers will have high expectations and quality evidence will be presented in a variety of forms. Children will use digital and technological vocabulary accurately, alongside a progression in their technical skills. They will be confident using a range of hardware and software and will produce high-quality purposeful products. Children will see the digital world as part of their world, extending beyond school, and understand that they have choices to make. They will be confident and respectful digital citizens going on to lead happy and healthy digital lives.

We evaluate the teaching and impact of Computing, ensuring coverage of all skills throughout both key stages using the condensed KAPOW curriculum.

Flourish with technology

At St Margaret’s C of E primary school, we believe that all children should have experiences that allow them to flourish with modern technology. Through quality resources and visuals children have experience that enrich the curriculum. The children’s work is celebrated throughout the years and displayed through school.

Achieve success with technology

Feedback to pupils should be provided on their attainment against the objectives of computing. We believe that through individualised feedback to each child that they can improve on their own attainment allowing success for all.

Believe we can keep up to date with technology

At our school we teach computing to all children, whatever their ability. Computing forms part of the school curriculum to provide a broad and balanced education to all children. Through our computing teaching we provide learning opportunities that enable all pupils to make progress. We use a range of strategies to support pupils and ensure that pupils’ needs are catered for in each aspect of the curriculum.

Useful Links

Internet matters – information, advice and support

https://www.internetmatters.org/

Think U Know
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/

KS1 E-Safety Activities
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/4_7/

KS2 E-Safety Activities
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/8_10/