Unit 1: All About Python
Term 1 – Python Foundations 🐍
This term, we have been learning the basics of programming using Python. We started with the foundations, built up our skills step by step, and used the Pet Services Program to practise writing better and more capable code over time.
Now that the assessment has been submitted, this page is your main hub for lessons, revision, reference material, and your next coding steps.
📍 Where to next?
Over the next few lessons, you have two good options. You can either keep improving the project you built for your assessment, or head to the mini projects page and try something new and fun.
▶ ⏱️ How This Term Works
- Lessons build gradually
- Code is reused and improved
- Mistakes are expected and useful
- Understanding matters more than speed
- If you finish your lesson activities, keep improving your assessment project or move on to the mini projects page.
▶ 🧰 Tools & Setup
- Install Thonny
- Code files submitted through QLearn
- Help available in class and online
📘 Lessons – Python Foundations
Lessons introduced new ideas step by step. Each week built on the one before it.
- Focus: How programmers think
- Learn: How to think like a programmer
- Setup: Install & set up Thonny
- Learn: Python Basics Hub (Chapter 6 & Chapter 7)
- Project: Pet Services Program – Generating
- Project: Pet Services Program: A worked solution
- Homework: Pet Services Program – Feedback and Improvement
- Focus: Assessment handout
- Working on your assessment draft
- Focus: Introduction to Functions & Assessment
- Pet Services Program: What is a function and why does it exist?
- Pet Services Program: Refactoring the Pet booking system using functions
- Focus: Using Lists and Tuples with Functions
- Pet Services Program: Making and Reading Lists
- Assessment Final due (20.03.26 @ 4:00 pm)
- Focus: Writing elegant code + manipulating images in python
- Modulus challenge
- Learn: Images are text?!?!
- Airport Security Challenge (Imports)
- Saving information Challenge (Writing to files)
- You have two choices:
- Option 1: keep improving your assessment project
- Option 2: Python Mini Projects – Pick Your Challenge
👉 Core Python learning content lives here:
Explorer: The Python Basics Hub
🎮 Mini Projects
Looking for something new to build? Head to the mini projects page for four short coding challenges you can work on over the next few lessons.
▶ 🧠 Learning to think like a programmer
Learning to code is about learning how to think, not just how to type. This hub supports the way programmers approach problems and build understanding over time.
- Breaking problems into smaller steps
- Reading code before writing code
- Predicting what code will do
- Debugging as a normal part of learning
▶ 📚 Python Reference Wiki
This is a reference space you can return to at any time. This section exists to support you when you are stuck or unsure.
- Variables
- Input and output
- Operators
- if / else statements
- Loops
- Strings
- Lists & tuples
- Dictionaries and sets
- Functions
- Files
- Imports
- Debugging common errors and fixes
▶ 📝 Assessment resources
The assessment for term 1 has now concluded, but these resources are still here if you need to refer back to them. Your assessment results will be released by 8:30 am on Monday, the 30th of March.
🤝 Expectations & Norms
- Read your code twice and make sure you run it to check for errors before submitting it.
- Read the error message and try to fix it yourself before asking for help.
- Ask questions when stuck.
- Help others debug.
- Everyone starts at a different point, so remember to be kind when providing feedback.