Computing
Year 7 Computing Curriculum Plan 2025-2026
| Term | Title | Content |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn 1 | Modelling Data - Using Spreadsheets |
Pupils are introduced to the wonderful world of spreadsheets and the concept of cell referencing. Ask them to collect, analyse, and manipulate data, before turning it into graphs and charts. Data is beautiful! |
| Autumn 2 | Programming Essentials In Scratch - Part I | This unit is the first programming unit of KS3. The aim of this unit and the following unit (Programming II) is to build pupils’ confidence and knowledge of the key programming constructs. Importantly, this unit does not assume any previous programming experience, but it does offer pupils the opportunity to expand on their knowledge throughout the unit. The main programming concepts covered in this unit are sequencing, variables, selection, and count-controlled iteration. All the examples and activities for this unit use Scratch 3. |
| Spring 1 | Using Media - Gaining Support For A Cause | Do you want your pupils to change the world? Here’s a good place to start. They will develop a deeper understanding of information technology and digital literacy by using their skills across the unit to create a blog post about a real world cause that they are passionate about and would like to gain support for. |
| Spring 2 | Networks From Semaphores To The Internet | Imagine a world without computer networks: there would be no more YouTube, Google, instant messaging, online video gaming, Netflix, and iTunes; no online shopping; no file sharing; and no central backups of information. This unit begins by defining a network and addressing the benefits of networking, before covering how data is transmitted across networks using protocols. |
| Summer 1 | Programming Essential In Scratch - Part II | This unit begins right where ‘Programming I’ left off. Pupils will build on their understanding of the control structures’ sequence, selection, and iteration (the big three), and develop their problem-solving skills. Pupils will learn how to create their own subroutines, develop their understanding of decomposition, learn how to create and use lists, and build upon their problem-solving skills by working on a larger project at the end of the unit. |
| Summer2 | Introduction to Python Programming | This unit introduces pupils to text-based programming with Python. The lessons form a journey that starts with simple programs involving input and output, and gradually moves on through arithmetic operations, randomness, selection, and iteration. Emphasis is placed on tackling common misconceptions and elucidating the mechanics of program execution. A range of pedagogical tools is employed throughout the unit, with the most prominent being pair programming, live coding, and worked examples. The Year 7 Programming units are a prerequisite for this unit. |
Year 8 Computing Curriculum Plan 2025-2026
| Term | Topic & Key Content | Additional Reading or Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Data Research And Office Skills |
Data and software. Pupils will spend the first term learning how to gather both quantitative and qualitative data economically. They will explore the use of the MS Office Suite to interrogate that data using Forms, Excel, PowerPoint and Word. They will learn how this suite of software can be used together to interpret data, create actions from that data and present a convincing argument on how that data should inform business decisions. |
| Spring 1 | Introduction to Python Programming |
This unit introduces pupils to text-based programming with Python. The lessons form a journey that starts with simple programs involving input and output, and gradually moves on through arithmetic operations, randomness, selection, and iteration. Emphasis is placed on tackling common misconceptions and elucidating the mechanics of program execution. A range of pedagogical tools is employed throughout the unit, with the most prominent being pair programming, live coding, and worked examples. The Year 7 Programming units are a prerequisite for this unit. |
| Spring 2 | Mobile App Development | Today, there is an app for every possible need. With this unit, you can take pupils through the design and development process of creating their own mobile app, using App Lab from code.org. Pupils will explore design techniques, understand how hardware components can improve user experience and safety, before developing a working app. |
| Summer 1 | Python Programming With Sequences of Data | This unit introduces pupils to how data can be represented and processed in sequences, such as lists and strings. The lessons cover a spectrum of operations on sequences of data that range from accessing an individual element to manipulating the entire sequence. Great care has been taken so that the selection of problems used in the programming tasks are realistic and engaging: pupils will process solar system planets, book texts, capital cities, leaked passwords, word dictionaries, ECG data, and more. A range of pedagogical tools are employed throughout the unit, with the most prominent being pair programming, live coding, and worked examples. The Year 7 and 8 Programming units are prerequisites for this unit. It is assumed that learners are already able to write Python programs that display messages, receive keyboard input, use simple arithmetic expressions, and control the flow of program execution through selection and iteration structures. |
| Summer 2 | This unit takes pupils on a tour through the different layers of computing systems: from programs and the operating system, to the physical components that store and execute these programs, to the fundamental binary building blocks that these components consist of. The aim is to provide a concise overview of how computing systems operate, conveying the essentials and abstracting away the technical details that might confuse or put off pupils. The last lessons cover two interesting contemporary topics: artificial intelligence and open source software. These are linked back to the content of the unit, helping pupils to both broaden their knowledge and focus on the topics addressed in the unit. The unit assumes no prior knowledge. There are, however, links to the 'Representations' units taught in Years 8 and 9, the Year 7 unit 'Networks from semaphores to the Internet' and Year 8 unit 'Developing for the web'. |
Year 9 Computing Curriculum Plan 2025-2026
| Term | Topic & Key Content | Additional Reading or Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Data Research And Office Skills |
Data and software. Pupils will spend the first term learning how to gather both quantitative and qualitative data economically. They will explore the use of the MS Office suite to interrogate that data using Forms, Excel, PowerPoint and Word. They will learn how this suite of software can be used together to interpret data, create actions from that data and present a convincing argument on how that data should inform business decisions. |
| Spring 1 | Introduction to Python Programming And/Or Python Programming with Sequences Of Data |
In this unit, pupils will focus on making digital media such as images and sounds, and discover how media is stored as binary code. You will draw on familiar examples of composing images out of individual elements, mix elementary colours to produce new ones, take samples of analogue signals to illustrate these ideas, and then bring all these things together to form one coherent narrative. The unit has a significant practical aspect; pupils will use design software (GIMP and Audacity in this case) to manipulate images and sounds. This will help them to understand how the underlying principles of digital representations are applied in real settings. |
| Spring 2 | Representations - Going Audiovisual | In this unit, pupils will focus on making digital media such as images and sounds, and discover how media is stored as binary code. Pupils will draw on familiar examples of composing images out of individual elements, mix elementary colours to produce new ones, take samples of analogue signals to illustrate these ideas, and then bring all these things together to form one coherent narrative. The unit has a significant practical aspect; pupils will use design software (GIMP and Audacity in this case) to manipulate images and sounds. This will help pupils to understand how the underlying principles of digital representations are applied in real settings. |
| Summer 1 | Introduction to Cybersecurity | This unit takes pupils on a journey of discovery of techniques that cybercriminals use to steal data, disrupt systems, and infiltrate networks. Pupils will start by considering the value their data holds and what organisations might use it for. They will then learn about social engineering and other common cybercrimes, and finally look at methods to protect against these attacks. |
| Summer 2a | Media - Animations | Films, television, computer games, advertising, and architecture have been revolutionised by computer-based 3D modelling and animation. In this unit, pupils will discover how professionals create 3D animations using the industry-standard software package, Blender. By completing this unit, pupils will gain a greater understanding of how this important creative field is used to make the media products that we consume. Sessions will take pupils through the basics of modelling, texturing, and animating; outputs will include 3D models and short videos. |
| Summer 2b | Applying Programming Skills With Physical Computing | This unit applies and enhances the pupils’ programming skills in a new engaging context: physical computing, using the BBC micro:bit. In the first half of the unit, pupils will get acquainted with the host of components built into the micro:bit, and write simple programs that use these components to interact with the physical world. In the process, they will refresh their Python programming skills and encounter a range of programming patterns that arise frequently in physical computing applications. In the second half, pupils will work in pairs to build a physical computing project. They will be required to select and design their project purposefully, apply what they have learnt by building a prototype, and keep a structured diary throughout the process. The Year 8 and 9 programming units are prerequisites for this unit. It is assumed that pupils are already able to write Python programs that use variables and data structures to keep track of information. They are also expected to be able to combine sequence, selection, iteration, and function/method calls to control the flow of program execution. |