Rather than being shown answers, students learn how to:

• analyse problems
• test different approaches
• improve their solution over time

Learning through problem solving

In Rodocodo, students are not given the answers.

Each unit begins with a short video that introduces the concept and models how to approach the levels that follow.

Students are then expected to:

• apply what they’ve seen
• experiment
• make mistakes
• refine their solution

This approach helps students develop independence and confidence when solving problems.

A different approach to learning

Many coding platforms focus on completing levels or following step-by-step instructions, but do not give students the tools to understand why something isn’t working.

Rodocodo is designed to teach these skills directly.

Through dedicated debugging levels, students learn how to:

• identify errors
• test ideas
• improve their solution

They can then apply these same techniques across all other levels.

This means students are not just completing tasks, but developing the ability to think through problems independently.

How learning is structured

Rodocodo is organised into courses, units, and levels.

• Courses are made up of multiple units
• Each unit focuses on a specific concept, such as loops, functions, sequencing, or debugging
• Each unit contains a series of levels that allow students to practise and apply what they’ve learned

Working through levels in order helps students build a secure understanding over time.

Using the videos

The videos at the start of each unit model how to approach the levels.

If students are stuck, you can:

• refer them back to the video
• remind them of techniques demonstrated
• prompt them to apply similar strategies

Progress reflects understanding

Student progress is based on how well they understand each level, not just completion.

This allows you to see which students:

• need support
• are developing understanding
• are confident with the concept

We have courses specifically for those that are new to Rodocodo (called Starter courses), and courses for those who have previously used Rodocodo.

If your school is already using Rodocodo, then skip to the choosing courses for existing schools section below.

For EYFS (4-5 year olds) and KS1 children (5-7 year olds) you should choose the course that corresponds to their age. So for 4-5 year olds, choose the Reception course, 5-6 year olds choose the Year 1 course, and 6-7 year olds choose the Year 2 course.

For KS2 (7-11 year olds) the Year 3 – Year 6 courses will have too high a learning curve for children who haven’t used Rodocodo before so we’ve created Starter courses which assume no prior coding knowledge. So for example, if your class are in Year 4 (8-9 year olds) then you should choose the Year 4 Starter course instead of the Year 4 course.

Choosing courses for new schools

If your class is new to Rodocodo and haven’t used it before, we recommend you set the courses as follows for your year groups:

Note: Completing the units as suggested in the table above will mean that next year they’ll be at the appropriate level for their year group and you can switch to choosing the course based on year group. For example, if this year’s Year 4 class complete the Year 4 Starter course, they can then move on to the Year 5 course. They should not do Year 5 Starter.

Choosing courses for existing schools

If your class has already been using Rodocodo then we suggest you choose the course for this year based on their progress rather than year group. This is to avoid an unnecessarily steep learning curve if they haven’t completed the requisite work for that course.

Note: If you have a new child in your class who hasn’t used Rodocodo before then please use the choosing courses for new schools table to choose the appropriate Starter course for them.

Make sure your class has completed at least the number of units specified in the table before moving your class up to the next course. If they haven’t, consider getting them to finish the minimum number of units or resetting their progress and starting the course again

To view a class’ progress to determine which course to put them on follow these steps:

1. Log in at https://www.rodocodo.com/admin
2. Go to the Classes section.
3. Click on the Progress button.
4. You can now view the progress of your whole class.

You can see how many units each child in the class has completed.

How to set the course

Once you’ve decided on the course for each class you just need to update the course.

1. Log in at https://www.rodocodo.com/admin
2. Go to the Classes section.
3. Change the course for each class using the dropdown menu.

Now when any student in that class logs in they’ll see the correct course.

For more in-depth information about choosing the appropriate course read our choosing courses for your classes guide.

Changing course for a class

Following these steps changes the current course for the whole class. Please note that you can always see the class’ progress on other courses by going to the Progress page and using the dropdown menu to change the course.

1. Log in at https://www.rodocodo.com/admin
2. Go to the Classes page.
3. Change the course for each class using the dropdown menu. This guide will help you choose the right course.

Changing course for an individual student

If you have a student who is new, or is finding the current course too easy, or too difficult you can put them on a different course to the rest of their class.

1. Log in at https://www.rodocodo.com/admin
2. Go to the Classes page.
3. Click on the Progress button for the class your student is in.
4. Click on the name of the pupil.
5. Click on the course dropdown and change it to the course you want.
6. Click on the Assign Course button that appears next to the dropdown.

Your student has now changed course. Please note that now when you go to the Progress table for their class you’ll need to use the dropdown to see this student’s progress, as the Progress page will always default to the class’ course.

Also, to unlock units for them you’ll need to use the dropdown menu to change the course to the one they are on, and then unlock the levels there.