This diagram supports the understanding of computational thinking, a skill in the primary computing curriculum. Students studying computing will gain an understanding of computational systems of all kinds, whether or not they include computers.

Computational thinking is the thought processes involved in...

A comprehensive guide taken from the Quickstart guide to what computational thinking is and what it might look like in the primary classroom. It involves classroom activities which include:

• Writing algorithms and looking for patterns (generalisations) in comparison to other students’ algorithms.
...

This is a very comprehensive resource covering a range of pathfinding algorithm activities using graphs. It includes the Knight’s Tour puzzle as well as other examples. This is a highly readable resource that could be used for smaller activities including homework.

Published by the Mathematics Centre at the University of Chichester, this booklet describes ideas that have been used with students aged 9-11 , although there are indications that older students would benefit from them too. In the first part of the booklet much use is...

This booklet, from the Mathematics Centre at the University of Chichester, explores how the microcomputer can be a valuable tool when engaged in investigating a situation that leads to such laborious arithmetic that the 'sums' spoil the activity, especially in the...

This resource contains a Lesson Plan centred on the Computer Misuse Act and the choices students might have to make with respect to the act and peer pressure. It helps make clear to students what activities are considered criminal ones with respect to the act as well as asking them to rank criminal activity online...

In this 5-minute video interview, Dr Drew Purves, Head of the Computational Ecology and Environmental Science Group at Microsoft Research in Cambridge, UK, discusses how his research can help us predict the effects of climate change on natural ecosystems,...

Programmers can program computers to learn to do certain tasks.  Although the programmer writes the initial program, as it is fed more data the computer changes the way that it carries out the task in order to improve its ability to perform it.  However, ...

One of the trial units from the Nuffield Primary Solutions in Design and Technology. Children design and make a framed clay mosaic which can be displayed at school before being taken home to be displayed there.

The purpose of this activity is to learn the skills necessary to design and make a mosaic from...

Computers and young children, written in 1970 for the Nuffield Mathematics Project, took the stance that the computer was 'the most important scientific advancement' at the time; and that the explosively expanding effect of computers on so many aspects of our lives made it important that all members of our...

Mathematics plays a vital part in space flight, it gives us a way both to predict what should happen in the future and also ways to measure what’s actually happening in the present, and adapt to it. In this resource we look at a few places where maths helps in space flight. The maths is made simple here (it’s far,...

This lesson focuses on the statement: Modern Society relies heavily on computers, without computer systems there would be chaos. Students are asked to reflect on this statement and discuss whether they believe this to be true. In groups they are asked to look at different areas of modern life and to research where...

Written by Mark Dorling and Matthew Walker for Computing at School, this document maps the computer science, information technology and digital literacy strands of the National Curriculum Computing Programme of Study.

Each of the progression pathway statements is underpinned by one or more learning outcomes...

This booklet is an example of a programme of study for ICT and Computing produced by Matt Britland. The programme contains details of the ICT strands and aims and fourteen original projects for students in years 7-9. Each project includes a link to a presentation that...