Progression and coverage
How the learning builds
Five threads of progression across KS1, Lower KS2 and Upper KS2, and where each AI Literacy outcome is taught.
Progression by thread
| Thread | KS1 | Lower KS2 | Upper KS2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| How AI works | AI learns from examples, spots patterns and guesses; it can be wrong. | Feeds learn from what we do; chatbots predict words and work in probabilities. | Rules versus learning; training and testing; generated media; bias traced to data. |
| Staying in charge | People make AI and are in charge; we check its guesses. | Chatbots are not friends; sounding sure is not being right. | People must explain and answer for AI decisions; different people are affected differently. |
| Safe, fair and honest | Some things we never tell a machine; missing examples cause mistakes. | Privacy and listening devices; honesty about AI help; designing for children's wellbeing. | Permission, consent for images of real people, bias, environmental cost. |
| Learning Well | Try it first. | Hint, not answer. | Plan, use, prove. |
| Design and create | Robot Rules; directing an AI picture. | A healthier feed; a chatbot rulebook. | Training a class model; designing AI for good. |
Coverage of the AI Literacy outcomes
| Primary Digital Cognition Curriculum outcome | Where it is taught |
|---|---|
| KS1 | |
| Understanding what AI is | Y1 L1, Y1 L2, Y1 L3 |
| Identifying common AI applications | Y1 L4, Y2 L5 |
| Basic understanding of ethical behaviour with AI tools | Y1 L6, Y2 L4, Y2 L6 |
| Simple AI games and activities | Every KS1 lesson |
| Creating AI images using simple tools | Y1 L5 |
| KS2 | |
| Basic concepts of machine learning and algorithms | Y4 L1, Y4 L5, Y5 L1, Y5 L2, Y5 L6 |
| Exploring real-world AI applications | Y3 L1, Y3 L2, Y3 L3, Y6 L3 |
| Discussing bias in AI and its implications | Y5 L4, Y6 L2 |
| Creating basic AI projects and experiments | Y5 L6, Y6 L6 |
| Learning prompt crafting for AI tools | Y4 L4, Y5 L5 |
| Understanding the role of AI in automating tasks and enhancing productivity | Y6 L3 |
| Ethical considerations, including AI bias and transparency | Y3 L5, Y5 L3, Y6 L2, Y6 L5 |
| Across the other strands | |
| Knowing how to use technology to support learning (DL) | Learning Well progression: Y2 L3, Y3 L4, Y5 L5, plus prompts throughout |
| Understanding deep fakes and AI in TV, media and social media (DC) | Y6 L1, Y3 L1 |
| Copyright, fair use and Creative Commons (DC) | Y5 L3, Y3 L5 |
| Recognising the importance of keeping information private (DC) | Y2 L4, Y3 L2, Y4 L6 |
| Evaluating the credibility of online information (DL) | Y2 L1, Y4 L3, Y6 L1 |
| Understanding data and simple ways to represent it; problem solving through patterns (CS) | Y1 L3, Y2 L2, Y5 L1, Y5 L2 |
Alignment
National Curriculum for computing (England): using technology safely, respectfully and responsibly; keeping personal information private; recognising common uses of information technology beyond school (KS1); understanding how search results are selected and ranked, and being discerning in evaluating digital content (KS2).
SEAME: lessons cover all four levels of the model: social and ethical, applications, models and, through unplugged activities, engines.
The new computing curriculum: BCS is drafting a revised National Curriculum for Computing for first teaching from September 2028, with foundational AI concepts included. This curriculum will be mapped against the draft once it is published.
Wider curriculum: RSHE, science, maths, English, geography and careers links are flagged in each lesson plan.