What do you need to know to teach computing in primary schools? How do you teach it?

This book offers practical guidance on how to teach the computing curriculum in primary schools, coupled with the subject knowledge needed to teach it. 

This Seventh Edition is a guide to teaching the computing content of the new Primary National Curriculum.  It includes many more case studies and practical examples to help you see what good practice in teaching computing looks like.  It also explores the use of ICT in the primary classroom for teaching all curriculum subjects and for supporting learning in every day teaching. New chapters have been added on physical computing and coding and the importance of web literacy, bringing the text up-to-date. 

Computing is both a subject and a powerful teaching and learning tool throughout the school curriculum and beyond into many areas of children’s learning lives. This book highlights the importance of supporting children to become discerning and creative users of digital technologies as opposed to passive consumers.


What do you need to know to teach computing in primary schools? How do you teach it?

This book offers practical guidance on how to teach the computing curriculum in primary schools, coupled with the subject knowledge needed to teach it.

This Seventh Edition is a guide to teaching the computing content of the new Primary National Curriculum. It includes many more case studies and practical examples to help you see what good practice in teaching computing looks like. It also explores the use of ICT in the primary classroom for teaching all curriculum subjects and for supporting learning in every day teaching. New chapters have been added on physical computing and coding and the importance of web literacy, bringing the text up-to-date.

Computing is both a subject and a powerful teaching and learning tool throughout the school curriculum and beyond into many areas of children's learning lives. This book highlights the importance of supporting children to become discerning and creative users of digital technologies as opposed to passive consumers.


This course book is designed to help trainee primary teachers develop a secure knowledge and understanding of the ways in which ICT supports teaching and learning. It identifies clear links with the ITTNC for ICT, with the pupils' National Curriculum and with the exemplar Scheme of Work for ICT at Key Stages 1 and 2.

Each chapter includes links with relevant research as well as directed activities providing a focus for further reading, observation, practice and reflection.


ICT in the Curriculum

by Jane Sharp and Alan Pritchard

Published 1 September 2000