How I plan coding units that actually match the English programme of study

Last Monday, my Year 4 computing group built a maze in Scratch and half the class shouted “We made a game!” We paused. Fun is welcome, but our programme of study asks for precise things: at KS1, simple algorithms and debugging; at KS2, sequence, selection, repetition, variables, input/output, and logical reasoning; at KS3, moving into text languages, data types, Boolean logic, and more rigorous testing.

The fit issues I see most: Americanised materials that jump to HTML/CSS branding before algorithmic thinking; robotics packs that skip explicit selection (if/else); and micro:bit lessons that never ask pupils to predict before running. On-topic isn’t curriculum-fit. I whitelist resources that name the constructs we assess and prompt pupils to explain cause and effect in programs they write and debug.

When I’m short on time, I scan the community for UK-written units that flag “selection” or “variables” in the success criteria. You can browse the community coding area I dip into via the coding shelves and still apply your own school style.

Mid-September, during our Year 6 moderation, we binned a “space invaders” project because it buried the learning in sprites and sound. I run a few fast checks:

Vocabulary check: Does it use the National Curriculum words—sequence, selection, repetition, variable, input/output, logical reasoning, debug? If it says “loop” but never “repetition”, I add that term explicitly.

Task framing: Are pupils asked to predict, run, explain, then modify? That mirrors how we evidence understanding.

Assessment style: Is there a trace-table, flowchart, or annotated screenshot expectation? KS2 needs visible reasoning, not just working code.

Progression: KS2 can stay in Scratch/micro:bit blocks; KS3 should hit Python with clear selection and iteration examples, plus input handling.

I often generate a draft prompt set and slide outline in ClassPods, then tweak terms so they match our scheme. If you want to try that workflow quickly, spin up a draft plan in the planner and run your checks on the output.

Thursday period 3 with Year 6, we worked on variables and selection in Scratch using a simple maths quiz. Here’s the exact flow I teach.

Objective: Use a variable to store score and apply selection (if/else) to check answers.

• Starter (5 min): On mini-whiteboards, predict what happens when score starts at 0 and we add 1 after a correct answer.
• Main input (10 min): Model creating a variable “score” and an if/else to compare answer to 8.
• Guided practice (15 min): Pupils build one question together; we narrate each block’s purpose.
• Independent task (20 min): Build a three-question quiz; extend with a “Well done”/“Try again” branch.
• Formative check (5 min): Exit ticket—circle where selection happens and write one sentence explaining the variable.
• Plenary (5 min): Pair swap and predict each other’s final score before pressing green flag.

Worked example: “Maths Quiz: 4+4, 7−3, 6×2” with variable score and if/else blocks for each question. I draft slides and the exit ticket in ClassPods so I’m not rebuilding it each term; if you want to clone my structure and adapt to your context, you can create an account and set one up.

Two weeks before half-term, my Year 6s were finishing quizzes but wrote “It works” as evaluation. I now hand out a one-page rubric with a tiny debug diary. Paste this into your planner and tweak house style.

Success criteria (tick when met):

• I can explain my algorithm in plain English before coding.
• My project uses sequence, selection (if/else), and repetition at least once each.
• I created and used a variable (name it here: _______) to store information.
• I handled input and gave output suited to the task.
• I tested, found at least one bug, and corrected it.
• My screenshots/code are annotated to show reasoning.

Marking bands: Emerging (meets 2–3), Expected (4–5), Greater Depth (all 6 plus an extension such as a second variable or nested condition).

Debug diary (use one line per run): Prediction → What I ran → What happened → What I changed → Result.

I keep a generic version filed alongside other UK coding bits; if you want a place to store and share your own remixes, the community area is where I look for swaps, and it’s easy to add yours to the coding library. I’ll often mention ClassPods when colleagues ask where these live.

Half-term 2, my bilingual Year 5 (Polish/English) group kept saying “loop” but missed “repetition”. We built a dual-language word bank on the whiteboard: repetition/pętla, selection/warunek, variable/zmienna. I pair pupils driver–navigator and give the navigator sentence stems: “I predict…”, “I notice…”, “Let’s debug by…”. It slows the rush-to-run habit and surfaces reasoning.

For pacing, I set bronze/silver/gold goals: bronze = one question working; silver = three with score variable; gold = sound/animation feedback and tidy annotations. Homework is short: one annotated screenshot and three sentences explaining where selection happens and why a variable is helpful. For revision, we do a five-minute trace-table warm-up weekly, mixing Scratch and pseudocode.

If you’re building bilingual slides or differentiated exit tickets, I’ve found drafting in ClassPods helps because I can swap vocabulary and stems quickly while keeping structure stable. Try sketching a set of bilingual prompts or homework stems in the planner and edit to match your cohort.