Something Different for Something Good: The Primary Coding League

Introduction

I'm Charlie. Primary Computing Specialist Teacher, father to one and the founder of the Primary Coding League. I've been teaching since 2020, have always been passionate and excited about using technology within the classroom but also trying to do things differently. I love pushing the boundaries and trying something new, even if it flops and fails as I see it always a journey of learning. 

I never set out for the Primary Coding League to become what it has done today. I was jsut trying to provide something exicitng for my students and add to my school's enrichment offering. However, what followed has been beyond my wildest dreams and I feel incredibly lucky and grateful for the position and opportunity I have been given with this.

July 2024: How it all began

It was the summer holidays and like many a teacher I was thinking about new ways and ideas I could bring to my setting. Being a specialist teacher, I ran an afterschool coding club for key stage 2 children. While it was always great to see children coming to my club, they weren't interested in learning something new, but rather "remixing" Scratch projects, changing the colours and making slight adjustments and then claiming them as their own. Most of these were games and it certainly wasn't collaborative or creative.

While I was thinking of new ideas, Chris Lovell (@MrLovellComp) mentioned in his Micro:Bit Gaming Educators Whatsapp Group if anyone would be interested in having a coding competition between their schools. There were a few nods and yeses but after a few days nothing trasnpired, yet I was inspired. This was the type of thing I had always wanted to be a part of, but hadn't always had the time to run or coldn't find for primary age.

However, for the first time I stopped and thought "why not me?". So I took a chance and over the next few days I put together an idea, format and put some feelers out on social media. There was interest for sure and (dare I say it) a need for soemthing like this.

And so, the Primary Coding League was born.

A Quick Run Down

If you're not familair with the basics of the Primary Coding League, here is a quick rundown of how it works.

Primary Schools enter up to 3 teams made up of a maximum of 6 students aged 8 -11 years old. This can mixed as much or as little as schools like in terms of gender, age and ability. They make it work for their setting as they know their children best.

Schools each pay a £15 registration fee which coveres the costs of prizes, certificates, website hosting, emails etc. Every penny goes back into making the competition a success, always has and always will.

Teams will complete a set of 6 challenges (It was origianlly 8, though after feedback from particapants, this was reduced) across the school year where they will be scored out of 5 in 4 key areas for each challenge (Code, Creativity, Theme and Experiece) to recieve a total out of 20 for each challenge. Their total number of points at the end of each challenge determines their league position. The team with the highest number of points after the last challenge, wins the league.

August 2024: Getting Things Running