Teaching primary computing effectively

This essential primary computing toolkit encompasses the support available to all teachers and leaders of computing in primary education. Grow your confidence, lead computing across your school and support staff to teach computing.

Leading computing teaching in your school

Start your journey to an exemplary computing provision for all pupils in your schools by improving your level of confidence in both teaching and leading computing. We will elevate your current computing offer through CPD, curriculum resources, certification, and the Computing Quality Framework (CQF).

Lead computing with confidence

Build your own confidence and subject knowledge with the Teach primary computing certificate. Our nationally recognised certificate will support you in demonstrating your commitment to developing your own practice and supporting colleagues to teach computing effectively.

Teacher certificate

Improve your school’s computing provision

Self-evaluation is the first step to improvement. The Computing Quality Framework helps you identify strengths and weaknesses in your computing curriculum and set actionable goals towards achieving our accredited Computing Quality Mark.

Computing Quality Framework

Courses to advance your knowledge and skills

Start your journey as a computing leader by building your own subject knowledge, then progressing to support your staff and leading change across your school. Our courses will help you to better understand the needs of SEND pupils, improve your pedagogy and support you in teaching programming at primary.

Eligible state-funded primary schools in England can also access subsidies to help with supply cover.

STEM course

FOR NEW COMPUTING LEADS

Introduction to primary computing

Covering the whole computing curriculum at an introductory level - learn about computer science, programming, information technology and digital literacy.

Live remote

5 hours

STEM course

FOR ESTABLISHED COMPUTING LEADS

Leading primary computing

Essential knowledge for primary computing subject leaders. Improve your understanding of your role, the subject, and what can be done to improve provision.

Live remote

6 hours

STEM course

TEACHING PROGRAMMING

Teaching programming to 5-11 year-olds

Improve your teaching of programming basics by learning about algorithms and how to teach young children to code.

Online

2 hours per week

STEM course

SUPPORTING SEND PUPILS

Inclusive computing in primary schools

Learn how as a lead you can make inclusive, effective curriculum implementation happen, leading to success for all children.

Face to face

6 hours

STEM course

USING CQF IN YOUR SCHOOL

Computing Quality Framework – driving change within your school

Find out how to use the CQF effectively to identify school needs and implement change to drive a high-quality computing education.

Live remote

90 minutes

STEM course

STAYING SAFE ONLINE

Online safety through primary computing

Online safety is a whole-school priority. Ensure that children are kept safe online during your computing lessons.

Live remote

90 minutes

Browse our courses

Resources to help you teach primary computing

Curriculum resources for Key Stages 1 and 2

Free, time-saving resources to enhance provision and support planning across the computing curriculum.

It includes teacher guides, curriculum maps, lesson plans, worksheets, homework, assessments and more, in formats that make it easy to adapt it to meet the needs of your learners.

Browse teaching resources

Glossary of primary computing terms

Vocabulary is an important part of teaching and learning. We have designed this glossary as a tool to support and enhance teachers’ professional knowledge.

For a teacher, a regular and consistent use of accurate, technical vocabulary can support pupils’ conceptual understanding.

Explore the primary glossary

Physical computing kits

Schools across the country can loan our Physical Computing Kits from their local Computing Hub.

The kits containing Micro:bits, BeeBots, data loggers and more, provide pupils with a hands-on experience of computing, enriching their learning in a fun and engaging way.

Explore physical computing kits

Primary online safety resources

Keeping pupils safe online is crucial for their wellbeing and development. Teaching online safety not only protects them but also empowers them to use the internet responsibly. Use our accessible resources to learn how to better foster digital citizenship, help pupils make smart choices and behave ethically online and help prepare them for success in all aspects of their lives.

Explore online safety resources

Enrich your pupils’ learning

Encourage your pupils to develop important life skills through enrichment and engage with the wider community in practical, enjoyable, and meaningful ways.

Our enrichment activities will help inspire curiosity in your pupils and broaden their educational experience with fun hands-on learning.

Explore enrichment activities

Teach Computing - Primary Encrichment

Inspire your students with Computing Ambassadors

Part of the STEM Ambassadors volunteer programme – Computing Ambassadors are people from a wide range of industries who can help bring your computing (and any other) lessons to life and provide real-world context, creating an invaluable link between schools and industry.

Computing Ambassadors can visit your school, introduce a topic, judge a competition or just show pupils who they can grow up to be in the future.

“Computing is one of the most exciting subjects to lead, it promotes collaborative learning, independence, exploration, and logic. But more importantly - there is no future that I can think of that will not require good digital literacy and IT skills for humans to thrive and survive.”

Phil

Phil National Specialist in Primary Computing Leadership

“The Teach computing certificate scheme is just absolutely brilliant. The courses I completed for that award helped me focus on how my teaching to pupils from 4 to 11 years old should be organised, delivered and assessed.”

Allen

Allen Computing Subject Specialist at Willow Brook Primary School Academy

News, blogs and case studies

Additional support

Effective pedagogy is at the heart of of good teaching and learning. Our pedagogy resources will help you to embed these evidence-based practices within your school.

We operate a network of local Computing Hubs led by schools and colleges across England with excellence in teaching computing. Your local hub will work with you to identify your computing needs and provide a targeted programme of support.

Building on this support, the online STEM Community offers a way for teachers to connect, ask questions and support each other with professional advice and resources sharing.