Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-1-1-uses-of-computers [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [Primary](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary.md) › [Computer Science](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science.md) › [Computing: Year 5 & 6 National Curriculum](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum.md) › Uses of Computers # Uses of Computers Computing: Year 5 & 6 National Curriculum, topic 1.1.1 ## Uses of Computers Computers are a big part of our lives! Computers do jobs that make things safer, easier or quicker. ### Controlling objects ![Controlling objects](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2025-07/77e64add-582f-4158-a592-b1e048480153/995fcb2d-0c90-4c14-a68a-02318f5145bb.png) - Computers control many machines and systems that we use daily. - Computers in cars control parts like the engine, brakes, lights, and windows. - Some new cars do not even need a driver! ### Computers in factories ![Computers in factories](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2025-07/b2bf2cfd-986e-4f31-9b9f-e6a895cb6873/947b507e-e8d5-40d5-8375-a7664701b637.png) - In factories, computers control machines that do jobs that are tough or boring for people. - Robotics means computers controlling machines. ### Computers controlling objects ![Computers controlling objects](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2025-07/e6782aca-3917-45ca-90ff-18aa1dd1f069/bfb2dfea-74f4-4291-83e9-7825ed029577.png) - Computers control things we see every day. - Example: traffic lights and heating. - Small computers control many moving toys. ## Test yourself on Uses of Computers - What jobs in factories are often done by machines controlled by computers? - How often do most people use things controlled by computers? - What is correct? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/19eff8d0-37ca-47d8-89d9-9810d0f53c27/section/b0eb9292-80ed-4518-840e-a6d7c6ffba45/session) - Next topic: [1.1.2 More Uses of Computers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-1-2-more-uses-of-computers.md) ## Computing: Year 5 & 6 National Curriculum contents ### 1 Using Computers - 1.1 Computers as a Tool - [1.1.1 Uses of Computers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-1-1-uses-of-computers.md) - [1.1.2 More Uses of Computers](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-1-2-more-uses-of-computers.md) - [1.1.3 Advantages of Information Technology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-1-3-advantages-of-information-technology.md) - [1.1.4 More Advantages of Information Technology](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-1-4-more-advantages-of-information-technology.md) - 1.2 Data - [1.2.1 Storing Data](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-2-1-storing-data.md) - [1.2.2 Databases](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-2-2-databases.md) - [1.2.3 Sorting & Filtering Data](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-2-3-sorting-and-filtering-data.md) - [1.2.4 Interrogating Data](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-2-4-interrogating-data.md) - 1.3 Plagiarism & Illegal Sharing - [1.3.1 Plagiarism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-3-1-plagiarism.md) - [1.3.2 Copyrighted Content](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/1-3-2-copyrighted-content.md) ### 2 Networks & the World Wide Web - 2.1 Networks - [2.1.1 Parts of Networks](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-1-1-parts-of-networks.md) - [2.1.2 The Internet](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-1-2-the-internet.md) - [2.1.3 The World Wide Web](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-1-3-the-world-wide-web.md) - 2.2 Searching Online - [2.2.1 Searching the World Wide Web](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-2-1-searching-the-world-wide-web.md) - [2.2.2 Searching Tips](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-2-2-searching-tips.md) - [2.2.3 Reliable Information](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-2-3-reliable-information.md) - 2.3 Protecting Yourself Online - [2.3.1 Your Digital Footprint](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-1-your-digital-footprint.md) - [2.3.2 Being Safe](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-2-being-safe.md) - [2.3.3 Online Safety](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-3-online-safety.md) - [2.3.4 Viruses](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-4-viruses.md) - [2.3.5 Malware](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-5-malware.md) - [2.3.6 People Online](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-6-people-online.md) - [2.3.7 Your Feelings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-7-your-feelings.md) - [2.3.8 Getting Help](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/2-3-8-getting-help.md) ### 3 Computational Thinking - 3.1 Computational Thinking - [3.1.1 Computational Thinking](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/3-1-1-computational-thinking.md) - [3.1.2 Decomposing Tasks](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/3-1-2-decomposing-tasks.md) - [3.1.3 Algorithms (1/2)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/3-1-3-algorithms-12.md) - [3.1.4 Algorithms (2/2)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/3-1-4-algorithms-22.md) - [3.1.5 Logical Reasoning & Debugging](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/3-1-5-logical-reasoning-and-debugging.md) ### 4 Computer Languages - 4.1 Coding - [4.1.1 Code](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/4-1-1-code.md) - [4.1.2 Programs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/4-1-2-programs.md) - [4.1.3 Writing Programs](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/4-1-3-writing-programs.md) - [4.1.4 Writing Your Own Program: Input, Outputs, Design](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/4-1-4-writing-your-own-program-input-outputs-design.md) - [4.1.5 Turning an Algorithm into an App (1/2)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/4-1-5-turning-an-algorithm-into-an-app-12.md) - [4.1.6 Turning an Algorithm into an App (2/2)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/primary/computer-science/computing-year-5-and-6-national-curriculum/4-1-6-turning-an-algorithm-into-an-app-22.md)