Computing¹ is the use of digital technologies to solve problems, understand systems and create purposeful products that meet needs and provides new and better (innovation) services to others. It fosters innovation, originality and harnesses collaboration, synergy and teamwork.

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The Computer Science Strand is about using computational thinking to solve problems and make things for a purpose.

It generally, but not always, involves writing programs. You can use computational thinking to solve many worthwhile problems by creating a sequence of instructions for the context of the problem, which are not programming instructions.

Computer Science is the study of the foundational principles and practices of computation and computational thinking, and their application in the design and development of computer systems².
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Information Technology is the study of the foundational principles and practices of computation and computational thinking, and their application in the design and development of computer systems. The Information Technology Strand is in two parts.
a) Pupils should know how it all works; how information of all kinds becomes accessible to and manipulable by technology. The core idea is that of digitization and its consequences.
b) Pupils need to know how to use technology to work in the other two strands; they need a full range of competences.

Information technology deals with the creative and productive use and application of computer systems, especially in organisations, including considerations of e-safety, privacy, ethics, and intellectual property.

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Digital Literacy is in two parts:
a) The safe and responsible use of technology.
b) Solving problems and making useful things by the use of digital tools, such as spreadsheets, video editing applications and so on.

Just as the ability to read, spell, punctuate, and perform basic arithmetic, are essential life skills, so is the ability to use a computer. Digital Literacy is the ability to use computer systems confidently and effectively.<sup>3

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1 https://www.naace.co.uk/curriculum/
2 CAS, Computing in the National Curriculum: A guide for primary teachers. 2013.
3 This part of the strand matches the old subject of ICT very well, and it cannot be stressed enough that you should not throw away all the good things pupils can do in this strand The current emphasis on programming, and especially on coding is actually a substantial overemphasis, and it is essential that schools maintain a broad, balanced Computing curriculum, as they should do for the curriculum as a whole.</sup>