Children in England will be taught computer programming from their first year of primary school under the new national curriculum for five to 14 year olds published this week.
Under the plans, Key Stage 1 students ages five to seven – will be expected to “learn how to create and debug simple programs” and “understand what algorithms are and how they are implemented as programs on digital devices.”
By the age of nine, pupils will be expected to be able to “use two or more programming languages, at least one of which is textual” and “design and develop modular programs that use procedures or functions.”
Education Secretary Michael Gove said the new “rigorous” curriculum combines elements from the world’s best education systems and is designed to boost England’s standing internationally.
“I want my children, who are in primary school at the moment, to have the sort of curriculum that children in other countries have,” he said. “We’ve looked at what’s been happening in parts of the world like Massachusetts and Singapore where children are facing a much tougher curriculum, sitting much more rigorous exams and as a result are better equipped to succeed than our own children.”
The students will also learn about robotics and how to use 3D printers. In addition children will learn fractions from the age of five. History will now have a much bigger focus on dates and chronology.
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