Nineteen IT students from Strode College have been visiting Brookside School in Street weekly, to teach computer programming to Year 3 and Year 4 pupils (aged 7, 8 and 9). The college students, who are all in their first year at Strode and studying IT Extended Diploma at level 3, have been making the visits since January, as part of their communications unit, which focuses on life skills and working as part of a team.
Julie Wheadon, Head of IT and Engineering at Strode College, said: “The Government wants to see an improvement in primary school pupils’ knowledge of programming. Our level 3 students are learning the latest technology; it makes perfect sense for them to share that information with these youngsters.”
Ewan Trebble-Westlake, from Street and formerly at Crispin School, is one of the Strode students who visits Brookside every week. He said: “It has been really exciting helping these young children learn how to program. I have been surprised at how well they have done. The visits have helped me improve my interaction with other people and given me the confidence to stand up and talk in front of a group.”
Pupils from Elmhurst School in Street also benefit from the IT students’ knowledge by visiting Strode College every Thursday for an after school programming club.
Photo: Strode College IT student Ben Maddaford teaches computer programming to pupils at Brookside School in Street.