Coding club FAQ

Q: What is a Coding club? 

A relaxed and fun after-school club where children learn ‘computational thinking’ and principles of computer science. Coding is an essential part of digital literacy that will better equip our children for whatever they decide to do in the future. We have already seen a few inspired to choose Computer Science at GCSE and A Level.

Q: What do children do at Coding club?

The children make games that they can play, build apps, solve programming puzzles, make animations, weave interactive stories, create computer drawings, learn to type code, learn about the web and how to use it… and importantly, learn to share and collaborate with their peers. They also discover how hardware and software ‘talk’ to each other.

Q: My child has been attending Coding club for more than a year; does s/he know it all?

Although some children started coding at a very young age, their coding skills develop over time with practice. As they move through the school years and their understanding of mathematical concepts becomes more solid, so will their ability to tackle code. They can begin to solve more challenging algorithms and use their own creativity to make more complex games and puzzles. Technology also moves very fast and there is always something new to learn. 

Q. What happens at Coding club when there is a mixed ability of school years?

At Coding club the children usually range from school years 3 to 6. The children are always given activities according to year group and their experience with coding. All children get challenged to push the boundaries of their own knowledge and will often tell you they have learnt something new after each Coding club session.

Q. My child has never done coding before; will s/he be able to join in?

Every child is welcome to join Coding club at any time. Activities are prepared for different ‘levels’ according to a child’s coding knowledge. I always give ‘new’ starters some one-to-one time and make sure they understand the basics… from which they can build.

Q. Is Coding club just for boys?

We need more girls to be inspired about computer science and to code. Coding is a creative subject and in our experience most girls love to make stories and illustrate them. There are plenty of activities that girls can work on and the activities are not gender-based. Every child uses her or his own imagination to create new project ideas using code. There is no limits on what girls can do, they just need to give it a try. We desperately want more girls to join Coding club and learn the same things as boys; computational thinking and programming skills. These skills will help boys and girls on all other subjects they do at school and develop the skills that they need for their future jobs.

Q. What programming languages do children learn at Coding club?

Year 3 to Year 6 children learn to program with the Scratch block programming language. They also learn some JavaScript, HTML/CSS and Python.

In some schools, Year 1 and Year 2 children learn to program with ScratchJr on iPads. They also learn ‘computational thinking’ by solving programming puzzles.

Q. What equipment does my child need for Coding club?

Everything the children need for Coding club is provided. Of course, if you would like to help your child build on what s/he is learning in the sessions at home, ask the teacher for your child’s Scratch login details.

Q. How do I sign up my child to Coding club?

Letters (including a registration form) are usually sent out to parents during the last week of each school term so children are signed up in time for the start of the following term. You can also sign up online by selecting your child’s school from this website main navigation menu.

Please note that your son or daughter’s place is not confirmed until full payment is received in advance of the first session.