Computing
Intent
At Canada Hill, our Computing curriculum develops pupils as confident digital creators, responsible online citizens and thoughtful problem-solvers. Built on the NCCE Teach Computing Curriculum and enriched with the Charanga Creative Music scheme, our offer ensures that pupils progressively secure knowledge across programming, data, computer systems, digital media and music technology. Learning follows a clear spiral structure, allowing pupils to revisit key ideas—such as algorithms, networks, data handling, digital creativity, sound design and music production—at increasing levels of depth from Year 1 to Year 6.
Alongside this, we teach the Common Sense Media Digital Citizenship programme from EYFS to Year 6, ensuring pupils understand how to navigate the online world safely, respectfully and ethically. Children learn about privacy, digital footprints, media balance, cyberbullying, online identity, copyright and credibility. Through this fully integrated approach, pupils gain the technical knowledge to use technology well and the ethical awareness to use it wisely.
Our intent is that all children leave Year 6 as safe, skilled, critical and empowered digital citizens, ready for the challenges of Key Stage 3 and the digital world.
Implementation
Our curriculum blends the structured, research-informed pedagogy of the NCCE Teach Computing Curriculum with the creative, industry-focused Charanga/YuStudio digital composition units, ensuring pupils experience a rich and balanced diet of computing and digital media. Each mixed-age phase (Year 1/2, Year 3/4, Year 5/6) studies the full breadth of computing through the NCCE strands: Computing Systems & Networks, Creating Media, Data & Information, Programming A, and Programming B, supplemented by Charanga’s digital music production units which develop skills in sound design, sequencing, audio layering and multi-track composition. These units are carefully mapped into the Creating Media progression so pupils encounter a broader range of creative technologies.
Digital Citizenship is taught through regular, purposeful lessons and embedded across computing units. When pupils search online, they also explore credibility and misinformation; when creating digital content or composing music, they learn about copyright, licensing and giving credit; when collaborating in shared spaces, they examine respectful communication, cyberbullying prevention and digital reputation. This ensures online safety is not a bolt-on but a thread running through every digital task.
Teaching draws on the NCCE’s 12 pedagogical principles, including modelling, PRIMM, exploratory tasks, hands-on physical computing, unplugged activities, and program comprehension strategies. Lessons are adapted using NCCE SEND guidance through visual scaffolds, vocabulary support, structured tasks and Parson’s Problems. Across the school, pupils use high-quality tools such as Scratch, Powerpoint, Google tools, YuStudio, Micro:bit, Crumble and data loggers, supported by clear lesson slides and ongoing formative assessment.
To promote consistency, pupils regularly reflect on both technical learning and responsible online behaviour, including dilemmas, scenario-based tasks, and creative outputs such as evaluating online profiles or designing positive online interactions. Summative assessment comes through MCQs, project rubrics, digital artefacts and reflective tasks, ensuring a rich picture of pupil understanding.
Impact
By the end of Key Stage 2, pupils at Canada Hill know more, remember more and can do more in computing. They confidently design, write and debug increasingly sophisticated programs using sequence, selection, repetition, variables and inputs/outputs. They understand how networks, the internet and search technologies function; can use spreadsheets, databases and data loggers to analyse information; and can produce high-quality digital content—including video, audio, graphics, and multi-track digital music compositions—designed for a specific purpose and audience.
Pupils also demonstrate strong digital citizenship and online safety skills. They understand how to protect personal information, evaluate online information critically, manage media balance, recognise manipulation and online harms, and respond appropriately to cyberbullying or unkind behaviour. They show respect for copyright, creative credit and fair use across all digital work, including music and multimedia creation.
As a result, pupils become independent, resilient and creative users of technology who can think logically, collaborate effectively and apply their skills across the curriculum. They leave Year 6 fully prepared for the demands of Key Stage 3 and equipped to make safe, informed and responsible choices in an increasingly digital world.