--- title: "Coding Classes in Merseyside | Live Online, Ages 6 to 67" description: "Live online coding, Python and maths classes across Merseyside, from Liverpool, Birkenhead and St Helens to Southport, Wallasey, Bootle, Crosby and Kirkby." canonical: https://learn.modernagecoders.com/coding-classes-in-merseyside source: src/pages/coding-classes-in-merseyside.html --- > Live online coding, Python and maths classes across Merseyside, from Liverpool, Birkenhead and St Helens to Southport, Wallasey, Bootle, Crosby and Kirkby. Skip to contentCourses for Merseyside ## Where Merseyside learners start out An eight-year-old in Formby building a first game, a Year 10 in Wallasey taking GCSE Computer Science, a Year 13 in Crosby ready for real Python, and a parent in Huyton learning to code after work. Every one of them begins with a free lesson. [![Scratch Coding for Kids course thumbnail](/images/scratch-kids.webp)Ages 6 to 12Scratch Coding for KidsBlock programming for younger children, a first step towards games with rules that are checked every turn.See the syllabus](/courses/scratch-programming-complete-course)[![GCSE Computer Science course thumbnail](/images/gcse-computer-science.webp)GCSE yearsGCSE Computer ScienceGCSE Computer Science for AQA, OCR and Edexcel, including building a test plan and naming syntax, logic and runtime errors precisely.See the syllabus](/courses/gcse-computer-science-course)[![Python for Teens course thumbnail](/images/python-teens.webp)Ages 13 to 18Python for TeensPython from beginner to advanced for teenagers, through games, automation, data and AI projects.See the syllabus](/courses/python-complete-masterclass-teens)[![Python Masterclass course thumbnail](/images/python-college.webp)AdultsPython MasterclassPython from the first line, for adults who want programs they can trust and check.See the syllabus](/courses/python-programming-masterclass-zero-to-advanced-college) Browse the [course atlas](/course-atlas) for more than one hundred options and use the [coding roadmap](/coding-roadmap) to check prerequisites. The four we are known for ### Python, AI, vibe coding and agentic coding These run underneath everything above. Every one is live and online, placed by ability rather than by age, and the first class is free. [![Vibe Coding for Teens course thumbnail](/images/vibe-coding-teens.webp)Vibe codingAges 13 to 17Vibe Coding for TeensPython, web and AI projects where the learner still owns the thinking.See the syllabus](/courses/vibe-coding-for-teens-python-web-ai-projects-course)[![Python Automation Course course thumbnail](/images/python-college.webp)Python and AICollege and adultPython Automation CourseAutomate the work you already do, then let AI carry part of it.See the syllabus](/courses/python-ai-automation-masterclass-college)[![AI and Machine Learning for Teens course thumbnail](/images/ai-ml-teens.webp)AI and MLAges 14 to 18AI and Machine Learning for TeensTrain a model, read what it learned, and be able to say why it is wrong.See the syllabus](/courses/ai-ml-masterclass-teens)[![Codex & Claude Code course thumbnail](/images/codex-claude-code-adults.webp)Agentic codingProfessionalsCodex & Claude CodeRun AI coding agents on real work without losing control of the codebase.See the syllabus](/courses/codex-and-claude-code-ai-coding-agents-masterclass-for-adults-professionals)Merseyside in figures ## 1,423,287 people in five boroughs Borough counts come from the 2021 Census on Nomis, and the total is our sum. Towns are ONS built-up areas, checked against our own addition of census output areas. | Town | Residents | Town | Residents | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Liverpool | 506,565 | Bebington | 57,600 | | Birkenhead | 109,835 | Bootle | 53,720 | | St Helens | 107,680 | Crosby | 50,215 | | Southport | 94,440 | Kirkby | 45,560 | | Wallasey | 85,610 | Prescot | 39,225 | | Huyton with Roby | 59,845 | Heswall | 29,075 | The ONS Liverpool area reaches into Knowsley and Sefton, which is why it is larger than Liverpool the borough, at 486,088. Southport's figure includes about 1,460 people over the border in West Lancashire; we count it here because nearly all of it is in Sefton. After the table come Newton-le-Willows, Formby, Maghull, Litherland, Haydock and West Kirby. Wirral is the second-largest borough at 320,199 and Knowsley the smallest at 154,519. Each of the five councils and many academy trusts set school holidays; we did not read their calendars, so breaks are arranged family by family. ### Liverpool has a page of its own The [Liverpool](/best-coding-class-in-liverpool) page has a different project, on the tides of the Mersey. For Wirral families thinking about entrance tests there is also our [Wirral 11+ maths](/11-plus-maths-tuition-wirral) page. The Merseyside project ## Turning the Rainhill rules into tests Eight conditions from 1829, four engines, and a test suite that finds problems in the rules as well as the machines. The conditions, as Smiles prints them, include: the engine "must effectually consume its own smoke"; if it weighs six tons it must draw twenty tons "(including the tender and water-tank) at ten miles an hour"; it must not weigh more than six tons, but a lighter engine "would be preferred on its drawing a proportionate load"; four wheels are allowed only at four and a half tons; and "a mercurial gauge must be affixed". The trial itself was twenty trips on a level piece of line "about two miles in length", averaging at least ten miles an hour. The learner writes one small Python function for each rule that can be checked from numbers, and records what Smiles says each engine did. | Engine | All 20 trips | Weight rule | Speed of 10 mph | Load, read literally | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Rocket | Pass | Pass (4.5 tons) | Pass | Fail: 13 tons against 15 | | Sanspareil | Fail: stopped at trip 8 | Fail: over the four-wheel limit | Pass (about 14 mph) | Cannot decide | | Novelty | Fail: pipe burst | Pass (about 3 tons) | Cannot decide | Fail: about 7 tons against 10.2 | | Perseverance | Fail: withdrawn | Cannot decide | Fail: 5 or 6 mph | Cannot decide | Three things go wrong on the way, and each one is the real lesson. First, the very first run crashed: Smiles gives no times for Novelty's trial, and a test that expected a number fell over. A well-built test has three answers, not two: pass, fail, or cannot decide from the evidence. Second, the arithmetic of the course does not add up. Twenty trips on two miles of line is forty miles, not the seventy Smiles states. The account of Rocket's run settles it: each trip went "backward and forward", so a trip was a round journey of three and a half miles. Third, and most interesting, our test fails Rocket, the engine that won. Reading "a proportionate load" as straight proportion, a 4.5-ton engine should draw 15 tons, and Rocket drew "about thirteen tons" of wagons. But the judges said Rocket met every condition. When a test fails a result that everyone accepted, the first suspect is the test. Condition 2 counts the tender and water tank inside the twenty tons, and our test left them out; the book does not say how the judges set the load. Speed has the same trap. Rocket's seventy miles took 3 hours 51 minutes of running, 18.18 miles an hour; add the 57 minutes spent raising steam and it becomes 14.58, close to the fifteen Smiles reports. Both pass, but a specification has to say which clock counts. ### Ages 8 to 11 Write three rules for a toy car race, test each car against them on paper, and argue about the rule that could be read two ways. ### Ages 11 to 15 Store the four engines in Python dictionaries, write a function per rule, and print a pass or fail table like the one above. ### Ages 15 and up Add a third answer for missing data, write the tests with a proper testing framework, and document every assumption the rules forced you to make. ### Whose figures these are The conditions and every figure for the engines come from Smiles's book, which was written long after the event and is one account among several. The tests, their readings of the rules and the pass or fail results are ours, made for teaching. They are not a new verdict on the trials. Why Rainhill ## Four engines, one level track, and a rule book The Merseyside link, as Samuel Smiles tells it. | Point | What Smiles writes | | --- | --- | | Deadline | Engines to be delivered, complete and ready, at the Liverpool end of the railway by 1 October 1829; the start was put back to 6 October. | | Entrants | Novelty, Sanspareil, Rocket and Perseverance; a horse-worked machine was not admitted. | | 8 October | Rocket raised steam in fifty-seven minutes, then pulled about thirteen tons through all twenty trips, touching twenty-nine miles an hour. | | Other engines | Novelty's bellows and then a pipe failed; Sanspareil stopped at the eighth trip; Perseverance could not exceed five or six miles an hour. | | The doubters | One Liverpool critic said that if an engine ever reached ten miles an hour he would eat a stewed engine-wheel for his breakfast. | Rainhill is a good place to learn that a specification is a promise written in words, and that words can be read more than one way. Every software project since has met the same problem: a customer writes what they want, a programmer writes tests from it, and the disagreements show up only when a test fails. A Merseyside student who has found three flaws in an 1829 rule book has practised the most useful habit in software testing, which is asking what the rule actually means before deciding who failed it. We have no connection with St Helens Council, any Merseyside council, the Science Museum Group or Project Gutenberg. Smiles's words are his; the tests and any error in them are ours. Nearby pages [Liverpool](/best-coding-class-in-liverpool) has its own page, with [Lancashire](/coding-classes-in-lancashire) to the north, [Greater Manchester](/coding-classes-in-greater-manchester) at the other end of the old railway, and [Cheshire](/coding-classes-in-cheshire) and [Chester](/best-coding-class-in-chester) to the south. The path ## From game rules to test suites Where a learner starts is decided in the free lesson. Age gives a hint, and ability settles it. Ages 6 to 10 ### Rules in a game Block coding where the game checks a rule every turn: collect three keys, then the door opens. [Scratch Coding for Kids](/courses/scratch-programming-complete-course)[Coding for Kids](/courses/kids-coding-blocks-masterclass)Ages 9 to 13 ### Does it work? Typed Python and logic puzzles, where every program is tried on examples before it is called finished. [Python and AI for Kids](/courses/python-ai-kids-masterclass)[Problem Solving and Computational Thinking for Kids](/courses/problem-solving-and-computational-thinking-for-kids)Ages 13 to 18 ### Tested code GCSE Computer Science and full Python, with test plans, awkward inputs and clear names for errors. [GCSE Computer Science](/courses/gcse-computer-science-course)[Python for Teens](/courses/python-complete-masterclass-teens)Ages 18 to 67 ### Programs you trust Python for adults, from basics to automation, with checks built in from the first week. [Python Masterclass](/courses/python-programming-masterclass-zero-to-advanced-college)[Python Automation Course](/courses/python-ai-automation-masterclass-college)AI and specifications ## An AI can write tests from a rule book. Who decides what the rules mean? Generated tests inherit every guess made about unclear wording. Give an assistant the eight Rainhill conditions and ask for Python tests, and it will produce tidy code in seconds. It will also quietly choose a reading of "a proportionate load", of "trip" and of which minutes count towards the average speed, and its tests will pass or fail engines on those unspoken choices. If one of its tests fails Rocket, it will not usually stop to wonder whether the test is wrong. People who work with AI-written code spend much of their time on exactly this: checking what the tests assume, and asking the person who wrote the rules what they meant. A Merseyside learner who has argued with Smiles's figures knows that a green or red result is only as good as the reading behind it. So a young person on Merseyside should learn to code in 2026 to be able to question a test as well as pass one. The longer argument is in [why teenagers should still learn to code in 2026](/blog/is-coding-worth-learning-2026). The practical side ## Both banks of the Mersey, no crossing needed Getting from Wirral to Liverpool or from Southport to St Helens for a weekly class takes time. Online lessons take none. ### Lessons at home A bedroom in Bootle, a table in Heswall, a spare room in Haydock. The teacher shares a screen and the learner does the typing. ### The same school words Year groups, key stages, GCSEs and A levels are named the way Merseyside schools name them, and everything is taught in English. ### A free first lesson A real lesson with real work, then a straight recommendation. We do not ask for card details. ### Classmates at your level Five to ten learners at the same stage, from across Merseyside, the UK and other countries. ### Holidays that match yours Two lessons a week is usual, and we pause for the holidays your own school sets. ### Your clock, not ours We give every slot in UK time and keep it steady through the clock changes; the teacher works in India time, several hours ahead, and adjusts. Why groups follow level Five learners at one stage who are free on the same evening are rare even in a big borough. Grouping by level lets a learner from Maghull or Newton-le-Willows join a class that suits them. Fees ## Fees on Merseyside Kirkby or West Kirby, the price is identical, and it is the price families pay everywhere we teach outside India. First class**USD 0** A full lesson of genuine work, finishing with advice on level and course. Group tuition**USD 100** Around eight lessons a month, in a group of five to ten at the same level. Private tuition**USD 150** Around eight lessons a month, one teacher with one learner. Everything is charged in US dollars; there are no sterling prices. Nothing is billed until the free lesson has agreed a course and a weekly time, and the pricing page explains pauses, missed lessons and moving between group and one-to-one. Request placement[Check availability](https://wa.me/919123366161?text=Hello%20Modern%20Age%20Coders%2C%20could%20we%20book%20a%20free%20lesson%20for%20a%20learner%20in%20Merseyside%2C%20please%3F)Reviews ## Reviews from families, on Google Rated 4.9 across 547 Google reviews. These are real reviews, reproduced 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 Free placement class ## Ask for a free Merseyside lesson Give us an age or school year and something the learner likes. A first lesson might be a Scratch game with rules, a first Python test, or the Rainhill engines on this page. ### Contact the team directly WhatsApp or call [+91 91233 66161](tel:+919123366161), or email [contact@modernagecoders.com](mailto:contact@modernagecoders.com). This is Modern Age Coders' actual contact, an Indian number, and not an invented Merseyside one. [WhatsApp Modern Age Coders](https://wa.me/919123366161?text=Hello%20Modern%20Age%20Coders%2C%20could%20we%20book%20a%20free%20lesson%20for%20a%20learner%20in%20Merseyside%2C%20please%3F) Submitted details are used for placement and follow-up. FAQ ## Merseyside questions The boroughs, the Rainhill project and how the lessons work. ### How many people live in Merseyside? The five boroughs had 1,423,287 usual residents at the 2021 Census, by our own sum of the ONS figures on Nomis: Liverpool 486,088, Wirral 320,199, Sefton 279,233, St Helens 183,248 and Knowsley 154,519. ### What are the largest towns in Merseyside? By ONS built-up area: Liverpool 506,565, Birkenhead 109,835, St Helens 107,680, Southport 94,440 and Wallasey 85,610. ### What is the Rainhill project? Learners turn the 1829 Rainhill conditions, as printed by Samuel Smiles, into Python tests, run them on Rocket, Sanspareil, Novelty and Perseverance, and investigate why a literal reading of one rule fails the winning engine. ### Is Rainhill in Merseyside? Yes. Rainhill is a parish in the borough of St Helens, according to the ONS lookup of census areas to parishes and councils. ### What is a software test? A small piece of code that checks whether another piece of code, or here a machine's recorded performance, meets a stated rule. Good tests can also answer that the evidence is not enough to decide. ### Are the lessons in person anywhere on Merseyside? No. Every class is live online, so no one needs the ferry, the tunnel or a bus to attend. ### What ages can learn with you? Anyone from 6 to 67. Younger children start with block coding, Python usually begins at about ten, teenagers go on to GCSE work and advanced Python, and adults take Python or automation. The free lesson decides the level. ### Do you teach GCSE Computer Science? Yes, for AQA, OCR and Edexcel, including test plans and naming errors precisely. We help students learn; we do not promise particular grades. ### What are the fees? The first lesson is free. Group classes then cost USD 100 a month and one-to-one classes USD 150 a month. There is no joining fee and no minimum term. ### Do you break for Merseyside school holidays? Yes, if you want to. The five councils and academy trusts each publish their own dates, and we plan pauses around your school's. Beyond Merseyside ## Neighbouring pages See [Liverpool](/best-coding-class-in-liverpool) for the city, then [Lancashire](/coding-classes-in-lancashire), [Greater Manchester](/coding-classes-in-greater-manchester) and [Cheshire](/coding-classes-in-cheshire) around it. The [UK hub](/coding-classes-in-united-kingdom) covers the rest of the country. Book the free class[Message us on WhatsApp](https://wa.me/919123366161?text=Hello%20Modern%20Age%20Coders%2C%20could%20we%20book%20a%20free%20lesson%20for%20a%20learner%20in%20Merseyside%2C%20please%3F)Free Merseyside class[Call +91 91233 66161](tel:+919123366161) ## Keep exploring Modern Age Coders ### Coding classes in nearby places - [Coding Classes in Merthyr Tydfil](/coding-classes-in-merthyr-tydfil-county-borough) - [Coding Classes in Meierijstad](/coding-classes-in-meierijstad) - [Coding Classes in Mid and East Antrim](/coding-classes-in-mid-and-east-antrim) - [Coding Classes in Mahout](/coding-classes-in-mahout) - [Coding Classes in Mid Ulster](/coding-classes-in-mid-ulster) - [Coding Classes in Maharashtra](/coding-classes-in-maharashtra) - [Coding Classes in the Vale of Glamorgan](/coding-classes-in-vale-of-glamorgan) - [Coding Classes in Uttarakhand](/coding-classes-in-uttarakhand) - [Coding Classes in the West Midlands](/coding-classes-in-the-west-midlands) - [Coding Classes in Dima Wa Attayeen](/coding-classes-in-dima-wa-attayeen) - [Coding Classes in Liwa](/coding-classes-in-liwa) - [Coding Classes in South Yorkshire](/coding-classes-in-south-yorkshire) ### Free resources - [AI & Machine Learning Tutorial: Basics to Deep Learning](/resources/ai-and-machine-learning) - [Conditional Statements in Java (if, else, switch)](/resources/java/conditional-statements) - [Feature Engineering and Feature Selection](/resources/ai-and-machine-learning/feature-engineering) - [Introduction to Java](/resources/java/introduction-to-java) ### From the blog - [Fibonacci Series in Python: 7 Ways to Write It](/blog/fibonacci-series-in-python) - [Best Byju's Alternative for Kids and Teens in India (2026)](/blog/best-byjus-alternative) - [35 Basic Python Programs for Beginne With Code and Output](/blog/python-basic-programs-for-beginners) ### Start here - [About Modern Age Coders, teaching since 2020](/about) - [Modern Age Coders pricing, one honest price per plan](/pricing) --- *Canonical: https://learn.modernagecoders.com/coding-classes-in-merseyside*