The Potteries Educational Trust is proud to be a regional Digital Schoolhouse hub delivering free computing workshops to local primary schools
The Potteries Educational Trust (PET) is a digital trailblazer offering primary schools across the city a free day of programming workshops. Now a regional hub for the Digital Schoolhouse Network, schools can experience play-based learning through innovative activities and free adaptable resources.
Ukie’s Digital Schoolhouse is a national not-for-profit programme providing primary schools with an opportunity to experience free creative computing workshops.
The programme is supported by large gaming companies such as Nintendo, PlayStation and Sega. They aim to raise aspirations and bridge the gap between education and industry.
The educational workshops will help to equip the next generation for the digital age and revolutionise computing education to future proof the industry’s workforce.
The Potteries Educational Trust Digital Schoolhouse has been delivering workshops to primary schools across the city since December 2021 and recently worked with Sneyd Academy, part of the Alpha Academies Trust.
Sarah Vaughan, Potteries Educational Trust Primary Lead, delivered a session to Year 5 pupils who used the Micro:bit to program their own robot. The session began with an unplugged activity (no technology) so that the students understood the concept before they began. Once their learning was embedded, students began programming their robots.
Sarah Vaughan commented, “The Digital Schoolhouse workshops are very current giving children the experience and knowledge for jobs later in life working in digital technology and gaming industries.”
Sneyd Academy students, Joshua Butler, aged 9, and Amelia Sakeb, aged 10, were amongst the students who took part in the session and thoroughly enjoyed learning how to program a robot.
Joshua said “My favourite part of the session was changing the faces of the robot. When I am older, I would like to be a footballer but now I would also like to program robots. This class was really interesting, I would like to do it again”
Amelia commented “This session has taught me what it would be like to work in programming, and I am now interested in becoming a games developer. It was really fun discovering how to make the characters for my robot, the robot is really cute!”
Year 5 Teacher and Computer Lead for Sneyd Academy, Leighanne Cook was made aware of the Digital Schoolhouse through the Alpha Academies Trust, she said, “All of the children have loved this experience so much; it is great to see them get creative and hands-on. You can see that it has raised aspirations amongst our pupils, and I would now like to see investment for Micro:bit technology within the school.”
The Potteries Educational Trust Digital Schoolhouse is offering a free day of programming to primary schools across the city. Workshops can be tailored to the needs of the school to bridge any gaps in knowledge to further develop student and teacher confidence and enthusiasm for computing.
Sessions can be unplugged activities using no technology to model key concepts or using creative and innovative technology for a hands-on approach.
Sarah Vaughan also said, “We offer schools one full day where we will deliver 4 workshops of their choice or two half days with 2 sessions each day. I can deliver these sessions face to face or remotely if preferred.”
If your school would like more information or to book a workshop, please email digtialschoolhouse@potteries.ac.uk and follow us on Twitter @PotteriesDSH
In addition to this, we are also able to provide Computing CPD for teachers through North Midlands Computing Hub. To find out more about this Department for Education funded programme, please email TeachComputing@potteries.ac.uk
