KS1 Coding Lessons Online | The Year 1 and 2 Computing Curriculum

In short

KS1 computing is the Key Stage 1 programme of the national curriculum in England, taught in Years 1 and 2. Children learn that algorithms are precise and unambiguous instructions, create and debug simple programs, use logical reasoning to predict what a program will do, make digital content, and use technology safely. Computing is statutory from Key Stage 1, and a revised curriculum starts in September 2028. Modern Age Coders teaches live block-coding lessons online from age 6, in a group of 15 to 20 or 1-on-1, through Coding for Kids. The first class is free.

Courses for ages 6 and 7

Three courses for a Key Stage 1 child

Coding for Kids is the main course. Scratch is a shorter way in, and the reasoning course suits a child who loves puzzles more than screens.

KC / 01

Coding for Kids

For complete beginners aged 6 to 12, grouped by age, starting with first steps in Scratch.

Open the syllabus →

KC / 02

Scratch Coding for Kids

Three months from zero to small games, for ages 6 to 12.

Open the syllabus →

KC / 03

Reasoning and Readiness

Patterns, sequences and spatial puzzles for ages 6 to 9, much of it off the screen.

Open the syllabus →

The six sentences

What is taught in KS1 computing?

The statutory programme for Key Stage 1 is six statements. Three are about programming, three are about using technology well. Here is each one with what it looks like for a six year old.

The Key Stage 1 computing programme of study, with our plain-English reading
Statement (DfE, statutory)	In plain words (ours)	A six year old might
Understand what algorithms are; how they are implemented as programs on digital devices; and that programs execute by following precise and unambiguous instructions	An algorithm is a set of steps. A program is those steps written for a computer, which does exactly what it is told and nothing else	Give a friend step-by-step directions across the playground, then type the same steps for an on-screen character
Create and debug simple programs	Make a short program, then find and fix what goes wrong	Build a three-block program, see the character walk off the edge, and change one number
Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs	Say what will happen before pressing go	Point to where the character will stop, then run it to check
Use technology purposefully to create, organise, store, manipulate and retrieve digital content	Make something on a device, save it, find it again and change it	Draw a picture, save it with a name, reopen it next lesson and add to it
Recognise common uses of information technology beyond school	Notice computers in everyday life	Spot the computer in a self-service till, a traffic light or a washing machine
Use technology safely and respectfully, keeping personal information private; know where to go for help	Keep your name, school and address to yourself online, and tell an adult if something worries you	Sort a set of cards into "fine to share" and "keep private"

The national curriculum frames all of this with an ambitious purpose: "A high-quality computing education equips pupils to use computational thinking and creativity to understand and change the world." Its aims for the whole of school name the big ideas, "abstraction, logic, algorithms and data representation". In Key Stage 1 those ideas arrive in their simplest form: instructions that must be precise, and the habit of checking whether a program did what you meant.

Is it compulsory?

The 2025 Curriculum and Assessment Review puts it simply: "Computing is a statutory foundation subject from Key Stages 1 to 4." Maintained schools must teach the programme in Years 1 and 2.

Ofsted's computing review adds the starting point: computing "is not part of the latest statutory framework for the early years foundation stage, but is part of the national curriculum from Year 1."

Where maths joins in

The Year 2 maths programme suggests children practise quarter, half and three-quarter turns by giving each other instructions, and by programming robots with turns in right angles.

So the same lesson can serve two subjects: a child directing a floor robot is doing both geometry and computing.

Sources: Department for Education, Computing programmes of study: key stages 1 and 2, published September 2013; DfE, Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report, November 2025; Ofsted, Research review series: computing, May 2022. All read on 31 October 2026. The middle and right-hand columns of the table are ours.

Off the screen

Do KS1 children need a screen to learn computing?

Not for all of it. Ofsted's research review says unplugged activities can help at the early stages, with one important warning about how they are chosen.

Unplugged means teaching computing ideas without a computer. Ofsted's 2022 review describes the approach and its value for young children: "Unplugged activities can be useful in introducing computing concepts to pupils at the early stages of their computing education." It is also careful. Teachers "should pay careful attention to how the activity will contribute to achieving curriculum goals", and the review warns that "unplugged activities to teach pupils about algorithms can be ambiguous", which defeats the point, since an algorithm is meant to be exact. A good unplugged game for a six year old is one where a vague instruction visibly fails.

Home activities for Years 1 and 2, each tied to one statutory statement (all ours)
Activity (ours)	You need	What happens	Statement it practises
Robot Parent	One adult, one living room	The child gives instructions to walk the adult to the sofa. The adult follows them exactly, so "go over there" gets nowhere.	Precise and unambiguous instructions
Arrow Trail	Paper squares and a toy	Lay a path of arrow cards on the floor; the toy follows them square by square. One arrow is wrong: find it.	Create and debug
Where Will It Land?	A grid drawn on paper, a counter	Read out three moves; the child points to the finishing square before moving the counter to check.	Predict the behaviour of a program
Computer Spotting	A walk to the shops	Count the computers you can see: tills, card readers, lights, doorbells, the car.	Uses of IT beyond school
Private or Fine?	Cards with a pet's name, a favourite colour, a home address, a school name	Sort them into two piles and talk about why.	Keeping personal information private

Why the precision matters

The curriculum says programs run by "following precise and unambiguous instructions". Children usually find this funny the first time an adult robot walks into a wall because the instruction said "forward" and never said "stop".

That laugh is the lesson. It is the same reason an on-screen character walks off the edge.

What young children can manage

Ofsted notes that "Several studies have demonstrated that young pupils are able to wrestle successfully with the core concepts of computing", including programming.

In our experience six year olds handle short sequences and simple bugs well. Long programs and abstract ideas come later.

Blocks and apps

Should a six year old use ScratchJr, Scratch or something else?

Block-based tools are the normal choice in primary schools, and Ofsted explains both why they help and where they fall short.

Ofsted observes that "It is common for block-based languages such as Scratch to be used in primary schools". Blocks snap together, so a child cannot make a typing mistake, and the review agrees they "reduce the need to memorise syntax". It then adds the part parents rarely hear: they "do not necessarily help pupils with the semantic and conceptual difficulties". A child can drag blocks around until something moves without understanding why. That is why we ask children to predict and explain, not just to build.

Common first tools for Key Stage 1, compared (facts from each maker's own site; judgements ours)
Tool	What its maker says	Good for	Watch out for
ScratchJr	"young children (ages 5 to 7) can program their own interactive stories and games"	A free tablet app for Year 1 and Year 2 stories at home	Easy to play with randomly; ask what each block will do first
Scratch	A free block-based language used widely in primary schools	Six and seven year olds ready to read short block labels with help	More blocks than a beginner needs; a teacher helps choose a few
A floor robot or a toy with arrow buttons	Varies by maker	Directions, turns and debugging in a real room	Can become a toy only; tie it to a task with a clear goal
Paper and a grid	Costs nothing	Prediction and precise instructions	Needs an adult to play the computer strictly

Our Coding for Kids course uses Scratch from the first lesson, with short sessions and a teacher who keeps the block palette small. ScratchJr is a lovely free tool for the days between lessons, and we often suggest it to families with a tablet. For older primary children, our KS2 coding page covers variables, selection and repetition, which arrive in Years 3 to 6.

What is changing in 2028

The government's response to the Review commits to a revised national curriculum, aiming to publish it "by spring 2027" and to "fully implement the new full national curriculum for first teaching from September 2028".

For computing it says: "Through the reformed curriculum, pupils will know from a young age how computers can be trained using data and they will learn essential digital skills such as AI literacy."

What it means for a Year 1 child now

Today's six sentences still apply for this school year and next. The new programme was not yet published when we read the sources in October 2026, so we do not guess its wording.

Precise instructions, debugging and prediction will matter under any version, which is why we teach them first.

Sources: Ofsted, Research review series: computing, May 2022; ScratchJr, scratchjr.org; DfE, Curriculum and Assessment Review Final Report: government response, November 2025. Read on 31 October 2026. We are not affiliated with ScratchJr, Scratch or any toy maker.

Worked examples

Five Key Stage 1 coding examples, worked through

Our own examples, in the order we would teach them. Each one names the statutory idea it serves.

1. An algorithm for a paper aeroplane? No: for a teddy (algorithms)

Task (ours). Write the steps to put a teddy in a box: "Pick up teddy. Put teddy in box."

Test. An adult follows the steps exactly and holds teddy above the box forever, because "put in" never said "let go".

Fix. "Pick up teddy. Move teddy over the box. Let go."

The idea. Precise and unambiguous instructions. The program did what it said, not what we meant.

2. The robot that missed the cheese (debugging)

Task (ours). A mouse starts in the bottom-left square of a 4 by 4 grid, facing up. The cheese is two squares up and one square right.

Program. Forward 2. Turn left. Forward 1.

Bug. The mouse ends up off the grid on the left. Which step is wrong? The turn: it should be right.

The idea. Debugging means finding the one step that differs from the plan, not starting again.

3. Point first, then press go (prediction)

Task (ours). A character stands in the middle of the stage. The program: move 10 steps, move 10 steps, turn around, move 10 steps.

Predict. Ask: "Where will it stop?" Most children point too far right the first time.

Reason. Twenty steps right, then ten steps back: it ends ten steps right of where it started.

The idea. "Use logical reasoning to predict the behaviour of simple programs", in the curriculum's words. Running it is the check.

4. Spotting the repeat (a peek at Year 3)

Task (ours). A program draws a square with: forward, turn, forward, turn, forward, turn, forward, turn.

Notice. "Forward, turn" happens four times.

Shorter. Repeat 4 times: forward, turn.

The idea. Repetition is a Key Stage 2 statement, but a confident Year 2 child often spots it. We let them, without rushing it.

5. Fine to share, or keep private? (online safety)

Task (ours). Sort: your favourite animal, your full name, your school, the colour of your bike, your street.

Talk. Favourite animal and bike colour are fine. Full name, school and street help a stranger find you, so they stay private.

The idea. "Keeping personal information private", and knowing to tell a trusted adult if something online feels wrong.

Practice set (ours, with answers)

(1) Fix this: "Draw a face" as an algorithm for someone who has never seen one. (2) Forward 3, turn right, forward 1, from the bottom-left facing up: which square? (3) A program says move 5 three times; how far altogether? (4) Name two computers in a kitchen.

Answers: (1) many answers, such as "Draw a circle. Draw two dots near the top. Draw a curve below them."; (2) three up and one right; (3) 15 steps; (4) for example a microwave and a fridge with a display.

Our KS1 lessons

How do online coding lessons work for a six year old?

Short, practical and spoken aloud. The child builds on screen, but the teacher keeps asking them to predict and explain.

A free first class. A few minutes of a direction game, then a first program of two or three blocks. The teacher sees how the child reads, clicks and reasons.
Unplugged warm-up. Each lesson starts away from the mouse: a grid on paper, arrow cards, or a "robot parent" instruction.
Predict, run, fix. The child says what will happen, runs the program, and fixes it if it surprises them. The teacher never fixes it for them.
A small palette. Only the blocks the lesson needs are introduced, so the screen does not overwhelm a six year old.
Something to keep. A short saved project, shown to a parent at the end, and one unplugged game for the week.

Group or 1-on-1 at six?

A group of 15 to 20 children of a similar age suits a child who reads simple words and enjoys showing their work.

1-on-1 suits a child who is just turning six, who needs help with the mouse, or who wants to go further faster.

What we will not do

Leave a six year old alone with a screen for long. We ask for an adult in the house, nearby, during lessons.

Use tools meant for older users, such as general AI chatbots, with Key Stage 1 children, or claim any link with a school or the Department for Education.

Progress

Four steps through Key Stage 1 computing

Each step is something a child can show you, not a level on a chart.

What a Key Stage 1 child should be able to do in computing (our steps, from the programme of study)
Step	Usually by	What it looks like
1. Exact instructions	Early Year 1	Gives three clear steps to move a person or toy to a target
2. Short programs	Late Year 1	Builds a sequence of four or five blocks that does one job
3. Finding the bug	Year 2	Spots which single step is wrong and changes only that one
4. Predicting	End of Year 2	Says where a character will stop before running the program, and explains why

Step three is the big one

A child who fixes one step instead of starting over has understood that programs are made of parts.

For the road beyond Year 2, the coding roadmap shows each stage.

Step four leads to Key Stage 2

Prediction is the root of reasoning about variables and selection later.

Lessons can pause during school holidays.

Catalogue

Nine courses for children from six

Coding first, then thinking skills and the maths that sits beside early computing.

I

First coding

Ages 6 and up

UK / KC1 / 01

Coding for Kids

Scratch to games and apps, grouped by age.

Open the syllabus

UK / KC1 / 02

Scratch

Three months to a first small game.

Open the syllabus

UK / KC1 / 03

App making for kids

Simple apps from blocks, a step after Scratch.

Open the syllabus

II

Thinking skills

Puzzles and patterns

UK / KC2 / 01

Reasoning and Readiness

Pattern and spatial reasoning for ages 6 to 9.

Open the syllabus

UK / KC2 / 02

Problem solving for kids

Breaking problems into steps, from age 7.

Open the syllabus

UK / KC2 / 03

Minecraft coding

For a slightly older child, from age 7.

Open the syllabus

III

Maths alongside

Years 1 and 2

UK / KC3 / 01

Elementary Maths

Turns, directions and number, with objects first.

Open the syllabus

UK / KC3 / 02

Mental Maths

Quick number sense for ages 5 to 10.

Open the syllabus

UK / KC3 / 03

Early Maths Foundations

Counting and patterns for the youngest.

Open the syllabus

Lessons

How KS1 coding lessons run

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Our teachers are in India and every time slot is shown in UK time, with shorter lessons for younger children.

After school

A short session once homework is done.

Early evening

Before bath and bedtime.

Weekend morning

For longer, calmer projects.

Unplugged first

Every lesson opens with a paper or floor activity before the mouse.

Predict out loud

Children say what will happen before they press go.

They fix it

The teacher asks questions; the child finds the bug.

Few blocks

Only the blocks a lesson needs, so the screen stays simple.

Adult nearby

Someone at home and reachable, for a child of six or seven.

Group or 1-on-1

A group of 15 to 20, or a teacher for one child.

Student work

Projects our students built in class

A few games and animations from ordinary lessons, none of them assessed. Student labs keeps the rest.

AI and ML

NutriLife

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

by Bhavya · Open it

AI and ML

Misti

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

by Harshit · Open it

AI and ML

GuardianX

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

by Vivaan · Open it

Web app

SkyCast

A weather forecasting site with live conditions for any location.

by Krish

Fees

Fees for KS1 coding lessons

Your child's first lesson is free. Then there is one monthly fee, with a group place costing less than 1-on-1; billing starts only once the course and a weekly slot are agreed, and you can stop at any time.

Free first class

USD 0

no card required

A first lesson with a real program
A view of reading, clicking and reasoning
Booked with a phone number

Book it

Group batch

USD 100

a month, billed in US dollars

15 to 20 children of a similar age
One teacher across the course
An unplugged game each week
A saved project to show at home

Start here

One to one

USD 150

a month, billed in US dollars

A teacher for your child alone
Paced for a child just turning six
Room to move faster if ready

Enquire

What families say

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

Parents' reviews from Google, copied as written.

★★★★★

"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

KS1 computing questions

What parents ask about coding in Years 1 and 2

What is taught in KS1 computing?

Six statutory statements: what algorithms are and that programs follow precise instructions, creating and debugging simple programs, predicting what a program will do, making and saving digital content, noticing technology beyond school, and staying safe online.

What is an algorithm, for a KS1 child?

A set of steps to do a job, written so exactly that someone, or a computer, could follow them without guessing. Brushing teeth or getting to the classroom door can both be algorithms.

Is computing compulsory in Key Stage 1?

Yes for schools following the national curriculum. The 2025 Curriculum and Assessment Review states that computing is a statutory foundation subject from Key Stages 1 to 4.

Is the KS1 computing curriculum changing?

A revised national curriculum is planned for first teaching from September 2028. The government says pupils will learn from a young age how computers can be trained using data, but the new wording was not yet published when we checked.

What are good KS1 computing activities at home?

Games where a child gives an adult exact instructions, arrow paths on the floor with one deliberate mistake to find, and predicting where a counter will land on a paper grid. They need no screen at all.

Is ScratchJr good for a five or six year old?

Its makers describe it for ages 5 to 7, and it is free. It works well alongside lessons, especially if you ask your child what each block will do before they run it.

What age can my child start your coding lessons?

From age 6, which covers most children in Year 1 and every child in Year 2. Coding for Kids is listed for complete beginners aged 6 to 12, grouped by age.

Do I need to buy a robot or a tablet?

No. A computer or laptop with a browser is enough for our lessons, and the home activities on this page use paper, toys and a floor.

When are lessons?

Weekdays or weekends, flexible: choose your batch, or for a very personalised plan choose 1-on-1 at your convenience, weekend mornings or weekdays. Every time is in UK time.

Are you part of my child's school or the Department for Education?

No. Modern Age Coders is an independent online school. We are not connected with schools, Ofsted, the Department for Education, ScratchJr or Scratch.

Primary coding

More for primary-age coders

The years that follow, and other ways to start.

KS2 coding lessons

Years 3 to 6: variables, selection and repetition.

Scratch coding classes

Our Scratch page, for children ready to build games.

Choosing coding classes in the UK

What to look for when comparing providers.

The coding roadmap

From first blocks to real programming languages.

First competitions for primary children

Friendly contests for later in primary school.

Coding classes in the UK

Every UK page we publish.

Related pages in this guide

Part of the guide: UK maths enrichment, competitions and able pupils

Computing programmes and competitions

Enrichment and able pupils

Maths competitions

More guides: UK maths exam boards and specification codes · UK maths year by year, Reception to Year 11 · UK selective school maths tests: 7+, 11+, 13+ and 16+ · UK university admissions: maths tests and computing applications

Start here

Book a free KS1 coding lesson

Share a phone number and we will ring at a UK time that fits round school. Your child writes a real two or three block program in the first lesson, and you hear honestly whether regular lessons suit them yet.

Want to look first? The Coding for Kids course lists every month and week, and how we teach describes a lesson.

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

WhatsApp is the fastest way to reach us and costs nothing from a UK phone. Replies come from our team in India on a +91 number.

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

A priority demo is a full class of about 45 to 60 minutes. After the class the mentor sends a written skill report and a personal learning roadmap on WhatsApp. If you enrol, the demo fee is adjusted against your first month's fee. Share your demo Order ID with us on WhatsApp and we take it off.

Book a priority demo

Three courses for a Key Stage 1 child

Coding for Kids

Scratch Coding for Kids

Reasoning and Readiness

What is taught in KS1 computing?

Is it compulsory?

Where maths joins in

Do KS1 children need a screen to learn computing?

Why the precision matters

What young children can manage

Should a six year old use ScratchJr, Scratch or something else?

What is changing in 2028

What it means for a Year 1 child now

Five Key Stage 1 coding examples, worked through

1. An algorithm for a paper aeroplane? No: for a teddy (algorithms)

2. The robot that missed the cheese (debugging)

3. Point first, then press go (prediction)

4. Spotting the repeat (a peek at Year 3)

5. Fine to share, or keep private? (online safety)

Practice set (ours, with answers)

How do online coding lessons work for a six year old?

Group or 1-on-1 at six?

What we will not do

Four steps through Key Stage 1 computing

Step three is the big one

Step four leads to Key Stage 2

Nine courses for children from six

First coding

Coding for Kids

Scratch

App making for kids

Thinking skills

Reasoning and Readiness

Problem solving for kids

Minecraft coding

Maths alongside

Elementary Maths

Mental Maths

Early Maths Foundations

How KS1 coding lessons run

Unplugged first

Predict out loud

They fix it

Few blocks

Adult nearby

Group or 1-on-1

Projects our students built in class

NutriLife

Misti

GuardianX

SkyCast

Fees for KS1 coding lessons

Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews

What parents ask about coding in Years 1 and 2

What is taught in KS1 computing?

What is an algorithm, for a KS1 child?

Is computing compulsory in Key Stage 1?

Is the KS1 computing curriculum changing?

What are good KS1 computing activities at home?

Is ScratchJr good for a five or six year old?

What age can my child start your coding lessons?

Do I need to buy a robot or a tablet?

When are lessons?

Are you part of my child's school or the Department for Education?

More for primary-age coders

KS2 coding lessons

Scratch coding classes

Choosing coding classes in the UK

The coding roadmap

First competitions for primary children

Coding classes in the UK

Related pages in this guide

Computing programmes and competitions

Enrichment and able pupils

Maths competitions

Book a free KS1 coding lesson

Want a class sooner? Book a priority demo

Keep exploring Modern Age Coders

Related courses and guides

Free resources