Coding success at the junior school
Many congratulations to our Year 6 Junior School coding superstars who have done fantastically well in the recent BEBRAS Coding Challenge, after progressing to the second round.
71% of our Year 6 participants received a Distinction grade (well above the national average!), and many of our young coders were in the top 28% of pupils which also included Secondary School pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9!
The BEBRAS Coding Challenge, run by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, is open to pupils aged 10-19 years. Each participant has 45 minutes to tackle a series of interactive tasks, designed to encourage logical thinking and problem-solving skills appropriate for their age group. The challenge is conducted online and aims to enhance skills, build confidence, and inspire students to develop programmed solutions to computational problems.
At our Junior School, coding is an integral part of the Computing curriculum. Pupils begin their coding journey with block-based programming using platforms such as Scratch and MakeCode, where they learn to create animations, games, and interactive stories. These tools help build a strong foundation in sequencing, loops, conditionals, and variables. As our pupils progress, they explore physical computing through Lego robotics and BBC Micro:bits, applying their coding skills to real-world challenges.
Throughout their learning, Junior School pupils are encouraged to develop problem-solving strategies and logical thinking, which are essential not only in computing but across all areas of learning. By the time they reach Year 6, our pupils are confident, capable coders and have learnt a wide range of digital and creative skills, to help equip them for the future.
