Welcome to Computing

Why learn Computing?

We are living in the age of digital technology, things that used to be completed on paper or in person are now done online often remotely. With this in mind learning not only about computers and how they work, but how to use them is an essential skill to learn. Studying computing not only gives you an insight into how computers work, how they think, how programs are made, but how to use them effectively. Studying computing not only opens a whole world of opportunities not only in terms of life skills, but transferable ones to many different career pathways. It can open the door to many careers both in STEM subjects such as computer science and engineering but almost any other career path that involves the use of computers and information technology.

Computing Curriculum Overview

Please click the year group and half-term to view additional information.

Half Term 1
Knowledge
IT Skills
E-Safety
Skills / application of knowledge
Safe use of the internet 
How to identify if content is safe/appropriate 
Effective internet searching 
Who to contact if in doubt about your online safety 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
Assessment
End of topic test
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Micro:Bits 
Under the Hood 
Skills / application of knowledge
How to create a program using a visual programming language 
The basic concepts and fundamentals of programming 
The programming constructs: sequence, selection, and iteration 
Knowing a range of computer hardware and software 
Knowing the difference between inputs/outputs and processing 
The purpose of the CPU 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
Assessment
Theory test 
Practical test 
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Under the Hood 
How the Web Works 
Skills / application of knowledge
Converting Binary / denary numbers 
The purpose of storage in computer devices
The difference between the internet and the world wide web 
The difference between LAN’s & WAN’s 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
Under the hood of a computer 
Assessment
Mid unit assessment 
End of topic test 
Half Term 4
Knowledge
How the Web Works 
Small Basic 
Skills / application of knowledge
How to effectively search for information on the WWW 
How to identify trustworthy websites 
How to create a program using a textual programming language 
The basic concepts and fundamentals of programming 
The programming constructs: sequence, selection, and iteration 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
Under the hood of a computer 
Micro:bits 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Small Basic Programming 
Skills / application of knowledge
How to create a program using a textual programming language 
The basic concepts and fundamentals of programming 
The programming constructs: sequence, selection, and iteration 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
Under the hood of a computer 
Micro:bits 
Assessment
Theory test 
Practical test 
Half Term 6
Knowledge
Multimedia Products 
Skills / application of knowledge
Be able to plan a multimedia product 
Be able to create a multimedia product 
Be able to review and test a multimedia product 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
How the web works 
Assessment
Theory Test 

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Memory & Storage 
Searching & Sorting Data 
Skills / application of knowledge
Why does a computer need memory? 
Why does a computer need different types of memory? 
Why are some of the different types of memory faster than others? 
How do computers search and sort data?
What are linear and binary search algorithms and how do they work? 
What are bubble and merge sort algorithms and how do they work? 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- under the hood of a computer, Micro:bits, small basic
Assessment
End of topic test
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Searching & Sorting Data 
Networks 
Skills / application of knowledge
What are merge sort algorithms and how do they work? 
The difference between LAN’s and WAN’s 
Knowledge of different types of network hardware and their use 
Use of different types of networks 
Understanding of network topologies where and why they are used 
The purpose of network protocols 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- IT skills, E-safety, under the hood of a computer, how the web works 
Assessment
End of topic test
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Python Introduction 
Skills / application of knowledge
What is python? 
How do I make programs in python using sequence and selection? 
What are mathematical and Boolean operators 
What are data types and why do computers need them? 
What is maintainability? 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, Micro:bits, small basic 
Assessment
Theory test 
Practical test 
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Multimedia Products 
Skills / application of knowledge
Be able to plan a multimedia product 
Be able to create a multimedia product 
Be able to review and test a multimedia product 
Links to prior learning
KS1 and KS2 national curriculum 
How the web works 
Assessment
Theory Test 
Creation of a multimedia product to meet a brief
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Multimedia Products 
Binary & Hexadecima
Skills / application of knowledge
Be able to plan a multimedia product 
Be able to create a multimedia product 
Be able to review and test a multimedia product 
Converting binary, denary, and hexadecimal numbers 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- IT skills, E-safety, under the hood of a computer, how the web works. 
Assessment
Theory test 
Product evaluation 
End of topic test 
Half Term 6
Knowledge
System Security 
Skills / application of knowledge
What are the different threats posed to networks? 
How can I identify and prevent vulnerabilities in a network 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, how the web works 
Assessment
Mid unit assessment 
End of topic test

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Python Programming
Skills / application of knowledge
How do I make programs in python? 
Be able to create programs using selection & iteration. 
How can I make my programs more efficient? 
How can I make my programs robust? 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8- computational thinking, python introduction 
Assessment
Theory test 
Practical test 
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Digital Graphics 
Skills / application of knowledge
What is the purpose & what are the properties of digital graphics. 
Be able to plan a digital graphic 
Be able to create a digital graphic 
Be able to review a digital graphic 
Links to prior learning
All lessons in year 7 & 8 contain aspects of the topic in addition to those specifically named below 
Year 7- IT skills, under the hood of a computer 
Year 8- multimedia products 
Assessment
Theory test 
Creation of a digital graphic to meet a brief 
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Ethical, Legal, And Environmental Issues in Computing 
Skills / application of knowledge
What are some of the ethical, legal, and environmental issues that computers have on society 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, video & Sound editing 
Year 8 – multimedia products, system security 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Programming skills 
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Image & Sound Representation 
Skills / application of knowledge
How do computers represent images? 
How do computers represent sound? 
What is compression and what effect does it have on storage. 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8- computational thinking 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Programming skills 
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Advanced Python Programming 
Skills / application of knowledge
Be able to use procedures and functions in python 
Be able to use file handling when creating programs in python 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, Micro:bits, small basic, under the hood of a computer, types of storage. 
Year 8 – python introduction. 
Year 9 – python recap. 
Assessment
Theory test 
Practical test 
Half Term 6
Knowledge
Spreadsheet Modelling 
System Software
Skills / application of knowledge
Be able to use a range of appropriate formulas to produce key findings 
Be able to produce professional looking spreadsheets that contain advanced features such as charts and graphs. 
What is software? 
What is an operating system? 
What is utility software? 
Links to prior learning
Year 7 – IT skills 
Assessment
Theory test 
Theory test 

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Basic Programming Concepts 
System Architecture & Storage 
Skills / application of knowledge
Programming fundamentals 
Data types 
The purpose of the CPU 
Common CPU components 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- under the hood of a computer, Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8-, python introduction 
Year 9-, python/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 2
Knowledge
System Architecture & Storage 
System Software 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
CPU performance
Embedded systems 
Primary storage 
Secondary storage 
Operating systems 
Utility software 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- Micro:bits, small basic, under the hood of a computer 
Year 8- python introduction 
Year 9-, python/advanced python programming, ethical, legal, and environmental issues in computing 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Advanced Programming Concepts 
Skills / application of knowledge
Programming fundamentals 
Advanced programming techniques
Links to prior learning
Year 7- Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8- computational thinking, python introduction 
Year 9-, python/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Data Representation 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Data units 
Data storage 
Compression
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- under the hood of a computer, Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8- logic gates & truth tables, python introduction 
Year 9- data representation, memory, python/advanced python programming
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Robust & Secure Programming 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Defensive design
Testing 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8-Python introduction 
Year 9-Python/advanced Python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 6
Knowledge
Ethical, Legal, And Environmental Issues
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Ethical, legal, and environmental issues 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8-,system security, python introduction 
Year 9- ethical, legal, cultural and environmental issues in computing, python/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 

Half Term 1
Knowledge
Algorithms & Computational Logic 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Computational thinking 
Designing, creating, and refining algorithms 
Searching and sorting algorithms 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- under the hood of a computer, Micro:bits, small basic 
Year 8- searching and sorting data, python introduction 
Year 9-, python/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 2
Knowledge
Computer Networks, Protocols & Layers 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Networks and topologies 
Wired and wireless networks, protocols, and layers  
Network topologies 
Network hardware 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- how the web works, Micro:bits,  small basic 
Year 8- networks, python introduction 
Year 9- python programming/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 3
Knowledge
Network & Cyber Security 
Programming skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Identifying and preventing vulnerabilities 
Threats to computer systems and networks 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- E-safety, Micro:bits,  small basic 
Year 8- system security, python introduction 
Year 9- Ethical, legal, cultural and environmental issues in computing, python programming/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 4
Knowledge
Classification Of Programming Languages 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
High/low languages 
Assembly code
The integrated development environment 
Programming fundamentals 
Links to prior learning
Year 7- Micro:bits,  small basic 
Year 8- python introduction 
Year 9- python programming/advanced python programming 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 
Half Term 5
Knowledge
Revision 
Programming Skills 
Skills / application of knowledge
Exam technique 
Programming fundamentals 
Assessment
End of topic test 
Exam questions 

Curriculum