GCSE – Lesson 2 – Representing algorithms

The main focus of this lesson is on developing flowcharts. This lesson assumes that learners have already covered the flowchart lesson in the KS4 Programming unit but can also be used to introduce the symbols if required. A step-by-step worked example of a flowchart for a coin toss game is used to cover each of the flowchart symbols apart from subroutines, though you can ask learners to develop the dice roll simulation in the worksheet as a subroutine.

Learners are also introduced to using structured English to specify the steps of an algorithm in detail, though this is referred to as “written descriptions” throughout the unit so as to not introduce more terminology than is necessary. Structured English is used to describe each of the searching and sorting algorithms later in the unit so that learners can focus on the logic of the algorithm, before later being shown programmed examples of all bar merge sort.