Young coders compete to create the best game at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor
IT students have been running Code Clubs at Ysgol Bro Idris sites throughout the year, culminating in the annual competition at the Dolgellau campus
Young computer programming enthusiasts strove to create the best original game in the annual Code Club UK competition at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Dolgellau.
Ninety learners from the Ysgol Bro Idris sites in Dolgellau, Dinas Mawddwy, Rhydymain, Friog and Llanelltyd visited the Dolgellau campus for the competition.
They were supported by students and staff from the college’s IT department - with the winners taking home tablets so they can continue to develop their coding skills.
Throughout the academic year, Level 3 Information Technology students have been running Code Clubs for 96 Year 5 and 6 children at the Ysgol Bro Idris sites - teaching basic skills including how to create their own games and fun activities.
The competition in Dolgellau was a chance for the youngsters to test the skills they had learned, by creating an original game using the Scratch software.
They had to consider backdrops, characters, sounds, how points would be awarded or deducted, and how the game could be won - with games judged on creativity and originality, technical proficiency, gameplay and user experience.
The winners of this year’s competition were:
- 1st place: Brandon and Ollie (Dolgellau site)
- 2nd place: Prideaux and Macs (Llanelltyd site)
- 3rd place: Celyn (Friog Site)
- 4th place: Isaac (Friog Site)
Sioned William, IT L2 and L3 course coordinator at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, said: “Code Clubs are an excellent opportunity to develop sought-after skills and to foster an interest in coding from a young age, which is high on the agenda for development at primary schools.
“Also, they are a fantastic opportunity for our learners to use their skills and work with the local community. Most of our learners are nervous to begin with, but once they have done the first session they thoroughly enjoy it and note it as one of their highlights of the course!”
Level 3 student Sam Stocks said: “I really enjoyed being a part of Code Club this year. The experience taught me a lot about how I can help others, and how passionate children can be about things they enjoy. It was great to see so many young people enjoying what they were doing and eager to advance their skills and eventually try to win the competition.”
His course-mate Harri Jones said: “My experience throughout Code Club was a mix of a little anxiety at the start to being full of confidence and enjoyment by the day of the competition.
“I thoroughly enjoyed it and would do it again, and I'm glad the children had a good time. I gained a lot of confidence and teamwork skills through Code Club, which will help me outside of college as well.”
Fellow student Pawel Lenort added: “I really enjoyed being a part of Code Club this year. It's been a great experience for me as it helped me be more confident in coding, and I enjoyed helping pupils with their games. The competition was a good challenge too as I had to help many children at once.”
Code Club is a nationwide initiative supported by the Raspberry Pi Foundation, which promotes digital literacy and high-end skills for future generations. Their aim is to empower young people to use computing technologies to shape the world.
Do you want to work in the computing, digital technology or games development sectors? Grŵp Llandrillo Menai offers a range of courses from Level 1 up to Degree level. Learn more here.