Teach the whole UK Computing curriculum — for free
Every strand of the National Curriculum for Computing and the NCCE Teach Computing Curriculum (Key Stages 1–3), matched to a free tool. Where mousecalls has a purpose-built app, it’s a no-install, no-login, nothing-uploaded browser app that runs on any device. Where you need desktop software, we point you to the best free alternative — so a school can cover the entire curriculum without paying for a single licence.
This page maps each curriculum area against both frameworks. Use it to plan coverage, to justify a free toolkit to your leadership team, or simply to find the right free program for a lesson.
Digital literacy & foundations
| Curriculum area | National Curriculum | NCCE strand | Software you need | Free tool to use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mouse & keyboard control | Use technology purposefully (KS1) | Computing systems & networks | Skills trainer | mousecalls Mouse & Keyboard Skills | ✓ app |
| Touch typing | Create & manipulate content (KS1–2) | Creating media | Typing tutor | mousecalls Typing Quest | ✓ app |
| Online safety / e-safety | Use technology safely & respectfully (KS1–4) | Online safety (threaded) | E-safety activities | ThinkUKnow & Be Internet Legends (free) | 🌎 free |
Information technology — create, organise & combine content
| Curriculum area | National Curriculum | NCCE strand | Software you need | Free tool to use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Digital art / painting | Create digital content (KS1–2) | Creating media | Paint program | mousecalls Paint | ✓ app |
| Animation | Create & combine content (KS1–2) | Creating media | Animation studio | mousecalls Motion Studio (stop-motion) | ✓ app |
| Video editing | Select, use & combine software (KS2) | Creating media | Video editor | mousecalls Movie Maker | ✓ app |
| Audio recording & editing | Select, use & combine software (KS2) | Creating media | Audio editor | mousecalls Movie Maker (Audio Lab) | ✓ app |
| Music composition | Create digital content · Music | Creating media | Music maker | mousecalls Music Maker · or Chrome Music Lab | ✓ app |
| Web page design | Design & create content (KS2–3) | Creating media | Web builder | mousecalls Web Studio | ✓ app |
| Word processing / documents | Create & organise content (KS1–2) | Creating media | Word processor | Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer or WPS Writer | 🌎 free |
| Presentations / slideshows | Create & combine content (KS1–2) | Creating media | Slides | Google Slides, LibreOffice Impress or Canva | 🌎 free |
| Spreadsheets & data modelling | Various forms of data (KS2–3) | Data & information | Spreadsheet | Google Sheets, LibreOffice Calc or WPS Spreadsheet | 🌎 free |
| Databases / data handling | Various forms of data (KS2) | Data & information | Database tool | mousecalls Guessing Machine | ✓ app |
| Desktop publishing (posters, leaflets) | Create & combine content (KS2) | Creating media | DTP / layout | Canva for Education (free) | 🌎 free |
| Photo editing | Create & manipulate content (KS2) | Creating media | Photo editor | GIMP * | 🖥 install * |
| Vector graphics | Create & manipulate content (KS2–3) | Creating media | Vector editor | Inkscape * | 🖥 install * |
| 3D modelling | Creative projects (KS3) | Creating media | 3D modeller | Blender * | 🖥 install * |
Computer science — programming & computational thinking
| Curriculum area | National Curriculum | NCCE strand | Software you need | Free tool to use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algorithms & block programming | Create & debug programs; sequence, selection, repetition (KS1–2) | Programming | Block coder | mousecalls Code Quest | ✓ app |
| Game / sprite programming | Design, write & debug programs (KS2) | Programming | Game maker | mousecalls Game Studio (blocks → Python) | ✓ app |
| Text programming (Python / JavaScript) | Use 2+ languages, one textual (KS2–3) | Programming | Code editor | mousecalls Code Editor | ✓ app |
| Markup & the web (HTML / CSS) | Create digital artefacts (KS2–3) | Creating media / Programming | Web / code editor | Web Studio + Code Editor | ✓ app |
| Physical computing (micro:bit, robots) | Programming with inputs/outputs (KS2–3) | Programming | Device + editor | micro:bit MakeCode (free online) + a micro:bit | 🔌 hardware |
Understanding computers & networks
| Curriculum area | National Curriculum | NCCE strand | Software you need | Free tool to use | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Networks & the internet | Understand computer networks (KS2) | Computing systems & networks | Networks activity | mousecalls Packet Post Office | ✓ app |
| How search works | Use search technologies effectively (KS2) | Data & information | Lesson / activity | Taught activity (no software required) | 🌎 free |
| Data logging / sensing | Various forms of input (KS2–3) | Data & information | Datalogging | mousecalls Data Logger (no hardware needed) | ✓ app |
| How computers work — binary & logic | Binary, Boolean logic & how instructions run (KS3) | Computing systems | Explainer / simulator | mousecalls How Computers Work | ✓ app |
* About the installable free programs. GIMP (photo editing), Inkscape (vector graphics) and Blender (3D modelling) are superb, completely free, open-source programs — but they are large desktop applications, not web apps, so they can’t sensibly run online. Install them once on your lab or classroom computers and they’ll serve every pupil. Everything else on this page runs in a browser.
The office tasks (documents, spreadsheets, presentations) can be done entirely online with Google Workspace for Education, or installed free with LibreOffice or WPS Office if you prefer desktop software.
Everything mousecalls builds is free — and private
No logins. No downloads. Nothing uploaded to any server, so classroom work stays on the device. Our apps run on Chromebooks, tablets and ageing computers, and each one is designed to teach, not just to produce. Open the free ICT App Suite ▸
Mappings reference the statutory National Curriculum for Computing (England) and the NCCE Teach Computing Curriculum. mousecalls is an independent, free resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the DfE or NCCE.