Computing

EMPOWERING THE TECHNOLOGICAL GENERATION TO ENGINEER AN INNOVATIVE FUTURE.

Children leave us creating a positive, safe environment online, being tech savvy, future-proofed, ready to take on jobs that don't exist right now.

Our Team

Mrs H Brampton - Subject Leader

Mr Y Mohammed - I.T Technician

Computing Quality Framework Award

William Shrewsbury celebrates receiving The Computing Quality Mark (December 2025)

William Shrewsbury has been recognised for delivering high-quality computing education to young people, developing their digital skills and preparing them for the future.

William Shrewsbury has achieved the national Computing Quality Mark after evaluating its computing education and demonstrating high-quality provision. The Computing Quality Mark is awarded by the National Centre for Computing Education and recognises excellence of computing education offered by a school as part of their curriculum development through the Computing Quality Framework (CQF).

William Shrewsbury completed all seven aspects of the CQF in order to receive the Computing Quality Mark, which recognises achievement in:

Leadership and vision
Curriculum
Teaching, learning and assessment
Workforce development
Addressing the needs of each pupil
Enrichment, destinations and careers
Impact and outcomes

Claire Garside, senior lead facilitator at the NCCE, said:

“Congratulations to William Shrewsbury, on becoming an NCCE ‘Computing Quality Mark’ school! They’re among the schools leading the way to deliver high standards in computing education. The Computing Quality Mark recognises the quality of their provision to ensure all students receive the computing skills and knowledge so valuable for today and in their future careers.”

Computing Substantive and Disciplinary Knowledge

At our school, Computing plays a vital role in developing pupils as digitally literate, creative, and resilient problem-solvers. We equip children with the skills to use technology purposefully, understand the principles of information and computation, and safely navigate the digital world.

Our curriculum makes strong links with Mathematics, Science, Design and Technology, and Art, enabling pupils to apply their computational thinking across the curriculum in meaningful ways.

Defining Knowledge in Computing

Substantive Knowledge: Refers to the essential facts, concepts, principles, and vocabulary that pupils need to know, such as how networks function, the structure of a database, or specific programming commands.
Disciplinary Knowledge: Refers to how pupils use their substantive knowledge to think and act like a computer scientist—applying logic to solve problems, debugging code, and evaluating the effectiveness of digital content.

The Computing Learning Journey

Computing units are structured around a consistent learning sequence that supports depth of understanding and technical competence.

Skills Practice (Unplugged & Guided): Pupils are introduced to key concepts and tools in a supportive environment, often starting with "unplugged" activities to reduce cognitive load before moving to digital devices.
Research and Exploration: Pupils explore existing digital systems, websites, or programs to understand their purpose, design, and user needs.
Design and Algorithm Planning: Before coding or creating, pupils plan their logic using algorithms, storyboards, or wireframes to communicate their ideas.
Create and Implement: Pupils apply their technical skills to create digital products (e.g., a program, a vector graphic, or a webpage), refining their work as they go.
Evaluate and Debug: Pupils reflect on their work, testing for errors (debugging) and evaluating how well their final product meets the original criteria.

Core Curricular Pillars

Across all year groups, learning is categorised into four key pillars:

Pillar	Substantive Knowledge (Pupils learn to...)	Disciplinary Knowledge (Pupils learn how to...)
Computing Systems & Networks	Understand how digital devices work and how they are connected to form networks like the internet.	Identify technology in the world around them and explain how it facilitates communication and collaboration.
Creating Media	Master tools for digital writing, painting, animation, audio production, and web design.	Select and use appropriate software to design innovative, functional, and appealing digital products.
Data & Information	Understand how data can be collected, organised, and presented in tables, databases, and spreadsheets.	Use research and data analysis to inform decision-making and answer complex questions.
Programming	Learn the syntax and logic of languages like Scratch, Logo, and Python, including sequences, loops, and variables.	Think logically to design, write, and debug programs that solve specific problems.

Integration of Resources

Teach Computing (NCCE): Provides the core structural framework and tiered vocabulary lists to ensure clear progression from KS1 to KS2.
Oak Academy: Used to supplement classroom teaching with high-quality slides and interactive video lessons, particularly for revisiting prior learning and independent skills practice.
Physical Computing: Devices such as Bee-Bots,iPads, iPods and Micro:bits are used to bridge the gap between abstract code and physical outcomes.

Progressing with Vocabulary

A clear understanding of vocabulary is essential for mastery. We use a Tiered Vocabulary model:

Tier 1 (Basic): Everyday words like computer, keyboard, mouse.
Tier 2 (Academic): High-utility words used across subjects like evaluate, sequence, consistency.
Tier 3 (Technical): Specific computing terms like algorithm, HTML, packet.

Our Curriculum

At our school, we have adopted the Teach Computing curriculum to ensure our students receive a world-class, rigorously sequenced digital education. This curriculum is designed by subject experts to build "computational thinking"—the ability to solve complex problems and think logically—while fostering creativity. By moving away from just "using" computers to "understanding" them, we empower our children to be creators and innovators. This progressive approach ensures that knowledge is built incrementally, moving from tactile robots in Key Stage 1 to complex data handling and physical computing in Year 6.

Learning Progression by Year Group

Year 1: Exploring Technology

Systems: Identifying technology around us and understanding its purpose.
Programming: Learning to give precise instructions (algorithms) to move floor robots like Bee-Bots.
Media: Developing early "mouse" or touch skills through digital painting and writing.

Year 2: Developing Algorithms

Programming: Transitioning from floor robots to on-screen coding by using "Quizzes" and "Algorithms" to predict and debug programs.
Data: Exploring Pictograms and attribute-based searching to understand how data can be organized and presented visually.
Media: Mastering Digital Photography and Music Creation, focusing on how to capture, edit, and improve digital content for a specific purpose.

Year 3: Connecting Systems

Systems & Networks: Identifying how digital devices have inputs, processes, and outputs, and how they connect to form networks.
Programming: Using "sequencing" in Scratch to create animations and exploring how events (like a key press) trigger actions.
Media & Data: Creating stop-frame animations and building branching databases to group objects using yes/no questions.

Year 4: The Power of the Internet

Systems & Networks: Exploring the internet as a network of networks and how the World Wide Web provides a wealth of information.
Programming: Introducing "repetition" (loops) to create efficient code in shapes and games.
Media & Data: Developing audio production skills (podcasting/editing) and using data loggers to sense and record real-world environment changes.

Year 5: Complex Conditions

Programming: Moving into "selection" (if-then statements) using Crumble controllers for physical computing—making LEDs flash or motors turn based on conditions.
Media: Creating professional-grade video productions and learning the precision of vector graphics.
Data: Developing and searching flat-file databases to organize large amounts of information effectively.

Year 6: Sensing & Variables

Programming: Using Micro:bits to sense movement and environment, and introducing "variables" to track scores or timers in game design.
Systems: Understanding how we communicate and collaborate globally through the web.
Media: Mastering 3D modeling and building functional web pages to share information with a wider audience.

Resources & Progression

Our commitment to progression is backed by a diverse range of hardware. From Bee-Bots in KS1 to Micro:bits in KS2, we ensure that as the logic gets harder, the tools become more sophisticated. This "spiral" curriculum means children revisit key concepts like algorithms and data every year, but with increasing depth and better technology at their fingertips.

Our Journey

Device Overview

National Curriculum - Purpose of study

A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world. Computing has deep links with mathematics, science and design and technology, and provides insights into both natural and artificial systems. The core of computing is computer science, in which pupils are taught the principles of information and computation, how digital systems work and how to put this knowledge to use through programming. Building on this knowledge and understanding, pupils are equipped to use information technology to create programs, systems and a range of content. Computing also ensures that pupils become digitally literate – able to use, and express themselves and develop their ideas through, information and communication technology – at a level suitable for the future workplace and as active participants in a digital world.

Aims

The national curriculum for computing aims to ensure that all pupils: can understand and apply the fundamental principles and concepts of computer science, including abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation 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

Attainment targets

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.

Key stage 1

Pupils should be taught to:

understand what algorithms are, how they are implemented as programs on digital devices, and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions
create and debug simple programs
use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs
use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content
recognise common uses of information technology beyond school
use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; identify where to go for help and support when they have concerns about content or contact on the internet or other online technologies

Key stage 2

Pupils should be taught to:

design, write and debug 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
use logical reasoning to explain how some simple algorithms work 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
use search technologies effectively, appreciate how results are selected and ranked, and be discerning in evaluating digital content
select, use and combine a variety of software (including internet services) on a range of digital devices to design and create a range of programs, systems and content that accomplish given goals, including collecting, analysing, evaluating and presenting data and information
use technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; recognise acceptable/unacceptable behaviour; identify a range of ways to report concerns about content and contact

(National Curriculum, 2014)

Online Safety & Digital Citizenship

We believe that being a "Rights Respecting School" (RRS) goes hand-in-hand with digital literacy. Our curriculum ensures that Article 17 (Access to Information) and Article 13 (Freedom of Expression) are exercised safely and responsibly.

Integrated Safety: Online safety is not a one-off lesson; it is woven into every unit. Before we search, we discuss reliability; before we share, we discuss privacy.
Progression of Risk: As children grow, our safety teaching evolves from basic "stranger danger" to complex topics like online reputation, fake news, and data privacy.
Key Resources: We regularly use and signpost families to ThinkUKnow, Childnet, and Parent Zone to ensure a consistent message between school and home.

Online Safety

WE ALL HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT OUR CHILDREN STAY SAFE ONLINE.

Being online is an integral part of children and young people’s lives. Social media, online games, websites and apps can be accessed through mobile phones, computers, laptops and tablets – all of which form a part of children and young people’s online world.

The internet and online technology provides new opportunities for young people’s learning and growth, but it can also expose them to new types of risks.

Online Safety should form a fundamental part of schools’ and colleges’ safeguarding and child protection measures.

Government guidance for schools across the UK highlights the importance of safeguarding children and young online.

William Shrewsbury Primary School