Bishops Lydeard Church School 
Computing
Computing Curriculum Intent – Bishops Lydeard Church School
Our Computing curriculum is designed so that every pupil at Bishops Lydeard Church School builds secure, cumulative knowledge and disciplinary skills which they can retrieve and apply across year groups. We use a carefully sequenced progression rooted in the National Curriculum so that coverage and contact time systematically develop the key strands of computing: computer science (coding and programming), information technology (digital literacy and application), and digital citizenship (online safety and responsibility).
Each unit identifies the prior knowledge pupils need and the future learning it prepares them for, ensuring that learning is progressive and purposeful. Explicit retrieval practice and regular revisiting are embedded into medium-term plans so that pupils remember more over time. Lessons link substantive knowledge (e.g. understanding algorithms, networks and digital systems) with procedural knowledge (e.g. how to debug, create digital content and use software effectively) so pupils become confident, independent users and creators of technology rather than passive consumers.
Our curriculum is built around key principles: developing resilience through problem-solving, encouraging critical thinking when reviewing digital work, and ensuring all pupils can debug and refine code effectively. Pupils are given access to a wide range of technology, applications and resources so they develop the technical fluency needed in a modern digital world. Alongside this, digital safety and citizenship are central: children learn how to stay safe online, understand their rights and responsibilities, and behave respectfully in digital environments.
We bring computing to life through practical, hands-on learning and real-world applications. Pupils engage in purposeful tasks such as creating programs, designing digital content and solving problems through coding. Sequences of learning include modelling, guided practice and independent application, with opportunities for pupils to talk about and explain their thinking using structured vocabulary. Through our oracy approach, pupils articulate how their programs work, evaluate outcomes, and suggest improvements, strengthening both their computing understanding and communication skills.
National Curriculum Expectations & Links to Reception
Our curriculum maps directly to the National Curriculum for computing, with clear progression from Reception through to Year 6.
In Reception, computing focuses on early foundations of technology use: exploring devices, understanding simple instructions, developing logical thinking through play, and learning how to use technology safely. These early experiences build the foundations for programming, digital creation and online awareness in Key Stage 1.
In Key Stage 1, pupils develop an understanding of algorithms as simple sequences of instructions, begin creating and debugging basic programs, and use technology purposefully to create, organise and store digital content. They also begin to understand how to use technology safely and respectfully.
In Key Stage 2, the curriculum deepens to include designing, writing and debugging more complex programs, understanding computer networks (including the internet), and using a wider range of software to create digital content. Pupils learn to evaluate digital information, think critically about technology use, and apply their knowledge across different contexts. Online safety is revisited in increasing depth, ensuring pupils understand risks, responsibilities and how to seek support.
Our long-term planning clearly identifies National Curriculum objectives for each year group, ensuring full coverage, progression and strong links between early experiences and later expectations.
Inclusive Curriculum: Access, Scaffolding and Use of Pupil Knowledge
In line with our school vision and Diversity & Inclusion priority, computing is planned and taught so all pupils can participate and achieve. Teachers use high-quality universal scaffolds such as visual step-by-step guides, modelled examples, keyword displays and worked solutions to reduce cognitive load and support understanding. Learning is delivered through a range of approaches including practical exploration, unplugged activities, collaborative tasks and digital applications to ensure accessibility for all learners.
For pupils with SEND or limited language, learning is broken into smaller steps with additional modelling and pre-teaching of key vocabulary. Alternative ways of recording, such as screenshots, verbal explanations or supported practical outcomes, are used to ensure all pupils can demonstrate their understanding. For disadvantaged or mobile pupils, retrieval practice and regular revisiting of key concepts are prioritised to close gaps and support long-term retention.
Teachers adapt planning based on detailed knowledge of their cohort, including SEND, EAL, pupil premium and mobility. Tasks are scaffolded through level of support and complexity of problem-solving rather than reducing content, ensuring all pupils access ambitious learning. Clear success criteria and structured support enable every pupil to progress in small, achievable steps.
Assessment is formative and responsive: teachers use in-lesson questioning, observation of practical outcomes and low-stakes quizzes to identify misconceptions. This informs targeted support and curriculum refinement. Leaders monitor access to technology, participation and progression across all groups to ensure equity. Through these approaches, our computing curriculum is both ambitious and inclusive, equipping all pupils with the knowledge, skills and confidence to thrive in a digital world.