Meet and Code

Python coding with turtle Graphics and HTML coding Making them learn the computational skills Key stage 3(7,8&9) Motivating students that they can relate these skills in cross curicullum across all subjects. I am opening this underserved and underrepresented group mainly aiming at girls.

The main thrust of the event is to address gender stereotypes and misconceptions in coding with a whole school launch followed by a series of classroom based activities. A Specialist Computing STEM Ambassador has been requested to attend the event at the beginning and primarily address the girls from our Key Stage 2 classes (8-11 year olds). They will talk about the importance of STEM in the workplace environment and the practical application of coding in a career-based context. Following the initial launch, Key Stage 2 teachers (8 classes) will follow-up by adjusting their weekly timetable to allocate sessions to delivering an exciting opportunity to fully explore how coding is used in the workplace environment. The opportunity will help to give the girls in our school a global view and help to bring coding to life with real examples to make programming relatable and much more exciting too. Due to our school demographic and catchment area, there are a number of Pupil Premium children (defined as being from low-income families) who will stand to benefit substantially. They will have an opportunity to hear from an expert in their field which will inspire them to seek out opportunities linked with STEM which they may have previously thought to be unattainable. The event will be shared with parents via our Seesaw communications app, school website and newsletter and in person celebration sessions.

The aim of the after school club is to introduce physical computing through the use of BBC Micro:bits, Make Code software and Kitronik Move Motors (https://makecode.microbit.org/) The club is aimed at Year 7 pupils (11-12 years old) and will be run after school from 3pm - 4pm each week. Students do not normally get the opportunity to do hands on physical computing and this club will enthuse them to try out their ideas, work collaboratively and learn basic programming skills. We will also target under represented groups to join this club such as girls and students with SEN and physical impairment. We will also be able to invite primary feeder schools to bring Year 6 students to the club and our Year 7 club members will be taken to primary schools to run a robotics club for primary school pupils during STEM week.