The Test Valley School Computing Department have been very active within the local community this term.
Test Valley School have been collaborating with local Primary Schools to develop innovative Computer Science sessions, designed to increase pupil engagement and interest in the cutting edge field of Computer Programming and Game Design.
This term, Test Valley School visited Lockerley Primary School and Stockbridge Primary School to run the sessions, with many more schools to benefit from the program from September.
The sessions, run by the new Head of Department Mr Willcox, allow Year 5 and 6 pupils to explore computational concepts using game Design Software created by Microsoft called ‘Kodu Game Labs’.
The 2 hour sessions engage pupils by introducing them to Computer Science concepts such as writing algorithms, exploring functions and understanding variables by producing a computer game from the beginning.
Pupils are required to build a virtual world, insert characters and objects, and then use ‘code’ to create algorithms and control all aspects of the virtual game.
“When pupils join Test Valley School they are now learning how to write algorithms, implement variables and comment of the flow of computational information from Year 7, it is such an exciting time for pupils to become part of the new Computer Science Curriculum” – Head of Department Mr Willcox.
Test Valley School will continue to run sessions for Primary Schools across the local area into the Autumn term, engaging pupils in Computer Science.