Introduction to Coding

What your school gets

Everything a teacher needs to teach Introduction to Coding this year.

In class

10 lessons, ready to teach Each one planned step by step, taught from the board with the same lesson open on each student's device. 2 interactive activities across the course.
Quizzes and assessments A short quiz with every lesson.
Progress and resultsWhat each student has completed, and how they did.
CertificatesFor portfolios, open days and reports home.
Try the first lesson: Welcome: Build Your First Scratch Program

On paper

Teacher Resource BookThe whole course laid out for the teacher, lesson by lesson, ready to print.
The sample lesson's pages

The whole books come with the course, in each class's Resources.

The curriculum it covers

Every lesson is mapped to the specification. This course teaches 12 of the 42 outcomes for this class.

NCCA Transition Year Programme Statement (2025)

Personal Growth 2 of 11 outcomes

Being a Learner 9 of 12 outcomes

Civic and Community Engagement 1 of 11 outcomes

Career Exploration 0 of 8 outcomes

See every outcome

Curriculum Area

Outcomes

Personal Growth

P.1 P.2 P.3 P.4 P.5 P.6 P.7 P.8 P.9 P.10 P.11

Being a Learner

B.1 B.2 B.3 B.4 B.5 B.6 B.7 B.8 B.9 B.10 B.11 B.12

Civic and Community Engagement

C.1 C.2 C.3 C.4 C.5 C.6 C.7 C.8 C.9 C.10 C.11

Career Exploration

CE.1 CE.2 CE.3 CE.4 CE.5 CE.6 CE.7 CE.8

Tap any outcome to read it. The coloured ones are taught in this course. The curriculum does not include official reference codes for individual learning outcomes, so we have assigned a code scheme to make it easier to identify and track coverage.

The course, module by module

10 lessons in 3 modules. The lesson marked Sample opens in full.

1 Start Coding in Scratch 5 lessons · about 3 hours

1 Welcome: Build Your First Scratch Program Sample lesson Quiz
2 Variables and Input in Scratch Quiz
3 Loops in Scratch Quiz
4 Conditionals and Events in Scratch Quiz
5 Testing and Debugging in Scratch Quiz

2 Think Like a Programmer 3 lessons · about 2 hours

6 The Four Steps of Computational Thinking, by Building Quiz
7 Pseudo-code and Flow Charts: Plan It, Then Build It Quiz
8 Trace, Predict and Fix Quiz

3 Build and Show 2 lessons · about 1 hour

9 Studio: Autonomous Car Quiz
10 Game Showcase: Play, Evaluate, Improve Quiz

What students learn

This introductory module offers a comprehensive exploration of coding fundamentals, guiding beginners through the essentials using Scratch, a user-friendly platform. Students will learn key concepts, create interactive games and projects, and develop problem-solving skills. From basic tutorials to showcasing unique creations, the module fosters creativity and technical proficiency.

The NCCA guidelines give teachers significant flexibility in designing and delivering Transition Year modules, allowing them to tailor them to their school's context and students' needs. Our coding and digital skills TY modules are each designed for 8-10 week rotations, typically involving approximately 10 classroom hours of student engagement, which can be integrated into the TY programme as standalone units or combined with other components. Schools may adapt the modules, including teaching approaches and school-based assessments such as portfolios or projects, to reflect specific learning priorities and align with the broader aims of the TY Programme Statement.

By the end of the course, students can

Define coding and explain its importance in modern technology and daily life.
Create a basic project in Scratch by adding sprites, backdrops, and simple movements.
Develop interactive games in Scratch, such as a Paddle Ball or Racing Car game, using variables and control blocks.
Design and code complex Scratch projects, incorporating loops, cloning, and conditional logic.
Present a unique coded project, demonstrating problem-solving and debugging skills.

Build a full TY year around Introduction to Coding

This module is one of 10 Transition Year modules you can combine into a complete Year-Long TY Digital Skills Programme, shaped around your timetable and the students in front of you.

Run the same pathway for every student, or set different pathways for different groups. Students also get access to the modules they're not doing in class, which is ideal for the keen ones who finish early or want to explore further on their own time.

Prefer a deeper tech focus? Swap in Advanced Coding or Robotics and Automation. Each module is 10 to 16 lessons of 40-60 minutes, leaving room for school events, mid-terms and everything else TY throws at you.

Why TY coordinators choose it

One decision, a year's content

No more stitching resources together every term.

Flexible per class, per student

Run different pathways side by side.

Certificates after each module

Great for TY portfolios, open days and reports home.

Sets students up for Senior Cycle

Broad exposure so they choose subjects with confidence.

Sample Year Plan

ICT + Coding focus

Computer Skills
Gets everyone on a level footing
Introduction to Coding
Real, working projects from week one
Exploring Digital Media
Video, design and storytelling
Exploring Artificial Intelligence
The topic your students keep asking about
Enterprise and Business Basics
A pitch-and-launch project to close out the year