Curriculum Framework and Assessment Approach for Computational Thinking in the Early Years

Abstract

In light of current developments, there is an increasing effort to integrate computing-oriented activities into the education of children as young as two years old. Although the computing strand is not officially addressed in the Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (DfES, 2024), a small number of early years teachers in England implement computing-oriented activities to ensure that young children progress from early years to Key Stage 1. A particular gap in the field is that previous research on computational thinking concepts never or rarely establish curriculum links in a way that teachers can utilise in their practices. This theoretical article therefore proposes a curriculum-based framework for both teaching and assessing computational thinking (CT) in early years education as assessment is not possible without pedagogic guidelines. Offering a sample lesson plan with links to the Early Learning Goals, this framework aims to encourage teachers, including those without specific computing training, to integrate CT concepts more explicitly into their teaching and enables them to monitor and assess their pupils' progress in relevant skills.