Ireland · Primary school · Ages 6 to 12

Best coding classes for kids in Ireland

Irish primary schools are in the middle of the biggest change to their curriculum in a generation. The Primary Curriculum Framework, launched in March 2023, names "being a digital learner" as one of seven key competencies for every child from Junior Infants to Sixth Class, and schools are bringing in the new curriculum areas one at a time. So a parent asking about coding for a young child is asking at exactly the right moment, and deserves a straight answer to three questions. What does the new curriculum ask of children, and how much time might their school give it this year? What can a small weekly class add beside a class of twenty-two? And what does good coding for a six or nine year old actually look like? This page answers all three from the Department's own documents, and finishes with a first data project any child can do: counting Irish baby names, which turns out to be harder than it looks.

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Live teaching since 2020 · 10,000+ students · children from age 6

In short

The best coding class for an Irish primary-school child starts with play and blocks, moves to typed code around Fourth Class, and is taught by the same patient teacher each week in a small group. The Primary Curriculum Framework of 2023 makes being a digital learner a key competency for every child, and suggests at least five hours a month for Science, Technology and Engineering in the senior classes, but schools are introducing the new areas one at a time, so what a child meets in school this year varies. Modern Age Coders teaches children live online from age 6, in groups of five to ten placed by ability or one to one. A first class is free, and a place then costs USD 100 a month in a group or USD 150 a month with a teacher alone.

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Three first courses for primary-school children

One for the infant and junior classes, one for the middle years, and one for the senior classes ready to type. Each card opens its syllabus.

Coding for Kids course thumbnail

KIDS / 01

Coding for Kids

Block coding for children from about six: sequences, loops and choices learned by making things move, with no typing needed.

Open the syllabus →
Scratch Coding for Kids course thumbnail

KIDS / 02

Scratch Coding for Kids

Stories and games in Scratch for the middle classes, each planned first and then explained by the child who made it.

Open the syllabus →
Python and AI for Kids course thumbnail

KIDS / 03

Python and AI for Kids

For Fourth to Sixth Class: real typed Python, puzzles and a little program that learns, the step many children are ready for by ten.

Open the syllabus →

The new curriculum

What the new Irish primary curriculum asks of children

The Primary Curriculum Framework sets the direction for every primary school. The facts below come from the Framework itself and from the Department's circulars on how schools introduce it.

The Primary Curriculum Framework and its rollout
WhatDetailSource
Launched9 March 2023Department of Education
Curriculum areasFive: Language; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education; Wellbeing; Arts Education; Social and Environmental EducationThe Framework
Key competenciesSeven, for Junior Infants to Sixth Class, among them Being a digital learnerThe Framework
Suggested minimum for Science, Technology and Engineering3 hours 20 minutes a month in the infant classes, 4 hours in First and Second Class, 5 hours in Third to Sixth ClassThe Framework
Rollout2025/26 an introductory year; from 2026/27 schools get focused support in one curriculum area each yearCirculars 0067/2025 and 0052/2026

The Framework describes being a digital learner as supporting children "to become curious, creative, confident, and critical users of digital technology", learning "through problem-solving, experimenting, and creating". That is a fair description of good coding for children, and it is the aim our lessons share.

The Department's technology support service, Oide, reports that the NCCA published a report on coding in primary schools in 2019, after a pilot in Irish primary schools, and that it found computational thinking to be the right focus, taught playfully.

Timing is the part parents should know. For 2026/27 each school chooses at least one curriculum area to begin from September 2026, and only one area gets national support that year. A school that starts with Wellbeing or Language may not reach STEM for a while, and the new time allocations are expected in all schools by the end of 2027/28.

So two children in the same year, in different schools, can meet very different amounts of technology in class this year. A weekly class smooths that out.

Sources, read 16 September 2026: Department of Education, the new primary curriculum; Primary Curriculum Framework (2023); Circular 0067/2025; Circular 0052/2026; Oide Technology in Education, coding for teachers.

Class sizes

A class of twenty-two, and a group of five to ten

Irish primary classes have been getting smaller, and teachers do remarkable work in them. A coding class simply offers a different ratio for one kind of learning.

Primary school in numbers, Department of Education Statistical Bulletin
MeasureFigure
Pupils in primary schools, 2025/26545,726
Average mainstream class size, 2025/2621.9, the lowest yet
Average class in junior infants19.7
Average class in fourth to sixth classes23.5
Pupil:teacher ratio, 2025/2612.6, down from 16.6 in 2005/06

In the senior classes, where children are often ready to move from blocks to typed code, the average class is 23.5. Teaching a room of that size to type and debug their first programs, one error at a time, is hard, however good the teacher.

The pupil:teacher ratio is lower, 12.6, but the bulletin calculates it by dividing all pupils by all full-time-equivalent teachers, so it describes staffing, not the number of children in a room.

A coding group of five to ten children at the same level lets a teacher see each child's screen, catch each misunderstanding and set the next small challenge. One-to-one lessons go further still, for a child who is shy, far ahead or needs a slower pace.

Neither replaces school. They add practice at the one thing a large class finds hardest to give: individual attention while a child is stuck.

A first project

Counting Irish baby names: a first data project for children

The Central Statistics Office publishes every first name given to three or more babies each year since 1964. Children love it, and it hides three lessons about counting.

The most popular baby names in Ireland in 2025, CSO tables VSA50 and VSA60
RankBoysBabiesGirlsBabies
1Rían490Lily302
2Jack475Éabha294
3Noah436Fiadh273
4James359Grace265
5Oisín331Sadie258

Lesson 1: spellings split

Seán and Sean are counted as two names: 185 babies and 38 in 2025. Is Seán more popular than it looks? That depends on a choice the child must make and explain, which is the heart of working with data.

Lesson 2: the fada break

From 1998 to 2017 names were typed in without fadas, so in 2017 Sean had 453 babies. In 2018 it shows 91, with 317 more under Seán. A chart of "Sean" seems to crash overnight, but only the spelling rule changed.

Lesson 3: the missing names

The CSO says 10,336 distinct names were registered in 2025, but the table lists only names given three or more times. Add up its 1,071 boys' names and you get 23,729 babies, fewer than were born.

Younger children do the project with a printed list and tally marks, then in Scratch with a simple counter. Older children load the real table in Python, sort it, and discover that Sophie and Emily tie at number 6 in 2025, with no number 7 at all.

The point is not the names. It is the habit every good programmer needs: before you trust a count, ask what was counted, what was left out, and whether the rules changed along the way.

Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names 2025 and its background notes; tables VSA50 and VSA60 on data.cso.ie, read 16 September 2026. The 1,071 and 23,729 are our own count of the published table.

Gaelscoileanna

For children at a Gaelscoil or a school in the Gaeltacht

Many Irish families choose education through Irish. A coding class in English fits beside it easily.

A large community

Gaeloideachas reports 256 Irish-medium primary schools with 44,052 pupils in the 26 counties in 2023-2024, and Department figures put that at about 8% of primary pupils.

English comes later

The Framework notes that in Irish-medium schools the introduction of formal English learning can be delayed until first class. Our youngest classes use very little reading, and code itself is written in English keywords either way.

Two languages, one more

Children who move between Irish and English at school often take to a third, stricter language happily. A programming language has far fewer words than either, and they never change meaning.

The ladder

Five rungs through the primary years

The classes named are typical, not rules. The teacher moves a child on when the work shows they are ready.

Coding through Irish primary school
UsuallyRungThe child can
Junior and Senior Infants1. SequencesPut steps in order to make something move, with blocks or cards
First and Second Class2. Loops and choicesRepeat actions and make a program react, in blocks
Third and Fourth Class3. Scratch projectsPlan, build and explain a complete game or story
Fourth to Sixth Class4. Typed codeWrite short Python programs and fix their own mistakes
Fifth and Sixth Class5. First data and AICount and chart real data, and train a program that learns

Why blocks come first

Blocks let a six year old think about order and repetition without spelling mistakes getting in the way. Once those ideas are secure, typing is only a new way of saying them.

The route beyond primary is set out on the coding roadmap.

Short lessons, often

Young children learn best in short, regular sessions. Most take one or two classes a week, and the teacher keeps each one full of making, not listening.

Children coming from a club can start further up; see after CoderDojo.

The catalogue

Nine live courses for primary-school children

Grouped by the stage most children are at. A card opens its syllabus, and the free first class shows where a child should begin.

I

Infant and junior classes

Blocks and play

KIDS / EARLY / 01

Coding for Kids

Blocks, sequences and loops from about age six.

Open the syllabus

KIDS / EARLY / 02

Scratch Coding for Kids

Stories and games, planned then built.

Open the syllabus

KIDS / EARLY / 03

Vibe Coding for Kids

Scratch with careful help from AI, ages eight and up.

Open the syllabus
II

Middle classes

Bigger projects and first typing

KIDS / MID / 01

Game Development for Kids

Complete games with scores and levels.

Open the syllabus

KIDS / MID / 02

Roblox Game Coding for Kids

First typed code, inside a familiar world.

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KIDS / MID / 03

Maths Through Coding

Primary maths made visible in small programs.

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III

Senior classes

Python, the web and AI

KIDS / SENIOR / 01

Python and AI for Kids

Typed Python and a first learning program.

Open the syllabus

KIDS / SENIOR / 02

Web and AI for Kids

A first website, built line by line.

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KIDS / SENIOR / 03

AI Literacy for Kids

How AI learns, and why it can be wrong.

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How the classes run

Short, lively lessons after school

Every lesson is live, with a teacher working from India at a fixed hour set in Irish time. Because Ireland moves its clocks and India does not, the gap is five and a half hours in the Irish winter and four and a half in the summer. Most primary-school children take their class after school on a weekday or on a Saturday morning.

After school

Between homework and dinner, Irish time.

Saturday morning

For children with busy weekday afternoons.

Mid-term breaks

Families choose whether to pause or keep going.

The first class is free

The child makes something small with the teacher, who then suggests the right group or course.

Groups of five to ten

Children at the same stage, so no one is left behind and no one waits.

One to one

For a shy child, a very quick one, or one who needs a gentler pace.

Parents in the loop

After each block of lessons, parents hear what their child has made and what comes next.

Screens used well

Lessons are about making and explaining, never passive watching.

Work to show

Games and projects are saved so a child can show grandparents, friends or a teacher.

Student work

Things our young students have made

Four projects by our students, most of them older learners. Many more, from every age, are on the student labs page.

NutriLife AI nutrition coach project screenshot

AI and ML

NutriLife

An AI nutrition coach that reads what you eat and works you toward a target.

by Bhavya · Open it

Misti AI chatbot for maths and coding screenshot

AI and ML

Misti

A chatbot that answers mathematics and programming questions, built and deployed by a student.

by Harshit · Open it

GuardianX AI internet safety assistant screenshot

AI and ML

GuardianX

An assistant that helps a young person recognise unsafe situations online.

by Vivaan · Open it

SkyCast weather forecast application screenshot

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees for children's classes

A monthly fee in US dollars, identical for families in every country except India, whatever the child's age. There is no registration charge and no need to commit for the school year.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

  • A first class where the child makes something
  • A suggested group or course
  • No card asked for
Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

  • Five to ten children at one stage
  • The same teacher every week
  • Projects looked at weekly
  • A certificate when a course ends
Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

  • A teacher for one child
  • The pace set by the child
  • Good for shy or very quick children
Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Parents' and students' reviews from Google, left exactly as they wrote them. None were paid for.

★★★★★

"The one step solution for my son. Modern Age Coders make learning coding so simple that kids love it. The teachers explain complex concepts clearly with practical exercises and interactive content."

Ria Mukherjee

Parent

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders has been a game-changer for me. I struggled to grasp IT concepts and coding before joining, but their classes transformed everything. I can now confidently write complex programs with ease."

Samriddha Mondal

Student

★★★★★

"One of the most wonderful education centres out there. Education is not limited to school syllabus but focuses on skill development."

Vansh Agarwal

Student

★★★★★

"My child Dhairya is really enjoying the Modern Age Coders classes. This is his first online class and he eagerly looks forward to it. I can already see his improvement, and the teachers are very cooperative."

Sonam Oswal

Parent of Dhairya

★★★★★

"Modern Age Coders have wonderful teachers who teach in a clear, easy and practical way. The teacher boosts students' confidence and inspires them to learn without hesitation."

Sonu Goyal

Parent

★★★★★

"I highly recommend this computer coding class! The teachers are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about coding."

Ritu Kedia

Parent

Questions from parents

What Irish parents ask about coding for primary-school children

What age can my child start coding?

From about six, with blocks and no reading required. Typed code usually comes around Fourth Class, when a child can type comfortably and reason in steps.

Does the new primary curriculum include coding?

The Primary Curriculum Framework makes being a digital learner a key competency and has a STEM curriculum area, with suggested time for Science, Technology and Engineering. Schools are introducing the new areas one at a time, so how much a child meets varies by school.

How big are Irish primary classes?

The Department reports an average mainstream class of 21.9 in 2025/26, from 19.7 in junior infants to 23.5 in fourth to sixth classes. Our coding groups are five to ten.

Is Scratch enough, or should my child learn Python?

Scratch is the right start for most children under ten. Around Fourth Class many are ready for Python, and the teacher moves them on when their Scratch work shows it.

My child is at a Gaelscoil. Is an English class a problem?

Usually not. Our youngest classes involve very little reading, and programming keywords are in English whichever language a child learns in at school.

Will my child just be on a screen?

They will be making and explaining things, with a teacher asking questions, which is very different from watching videos. Lessons are short and active.

Do children use AI in class?

Only a little, and only once they understand what a program is. The older children train a simple program that learns, so they see how AI works and why it can be wrong.

What does a children's class cost?

The first class is free. Then a group place is USD 100 a month and one-to-one lessons are USD 150 a month, billed in US dollars, with no registration charge and no yearly commitment.

When are classes held?

After school on a weekday or on a Saturday morning, at an hour agreed in the free class. Our teachers in India are five and a half hours ahead of Irish time in winter and four and a half in summer.

What happens after I send the form?

We phone you at a sensible time in Ireland and book the free first class. You pay nothing unless your child keeps going.

Elsewhere on this site

More for young coders in Ireland

Pages for the years that follow and for choosing well.

Best coding classes for teens in Ireland

For the secondary-school years.

After CoderDojo

For children who started at a coding club.

Best online coding classes in Ireland

Six checks for choosing any class.

AI and Python for girls in Ireland

Keeping interest alive over the years.

The best coding class in the world

The research behind good teaching.

Coding classes in Ireland

The national page.

Start here

Let your child make something in a free first class

Leave a parent's number and we will phone at a time that suits a family in Ireland. In the first class your child makes something small with a teacher, and you hear honestly where they should start.

If you would like to look around first, there is a page on how our teachers work, a syllabus for every course, and projects made by our students.

WhatsApp us · +91 91233 66161 · contact@modernagecoders.com

WhatsApp is free from an Irish mobile and often the quickest way to reach us. Our number is an Indian one, because our team is in India; we have no Irish premises.

No card needed and no obligation. A single phone call to arrange the class.

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