What are they?

Since the rewriting of the English curriculum subject ICT to become Computing and the associated high-profile press coverage of political and industrial commitment to programming there has been a groundswell of development in extra-curricular “Coding Clubs”. These clubs vary hugely in their objectives, approach and content ranging from simply providing extra time to play with code to more formalised and structured learning frameworks. Each methodology has merit but, if you are considering engaging, it is important to reflect on which approach meets your needs and those of your learner community.

Who provides them?

These additional “Coding Clubs” may be the brain child of a local volunteer, a staff member or another member of the school community or, they may be part of a wider organisational offering that sometimes incurs cost. Either way they are usually gratefully grabbed hold of by schools, especially primary schools, who are, frankly, often struggling to develop the in-house expertise to deliver the Computer Science aspects of the Computing subject. Unfortunately, these clubs should not be seen as curriculum replacement but rather as curriculum enhancement and it is in this role that we will consider them here.

Code Club aims to “give every child the skills, confidence, and opportunity to change their world … believe in working and learning together … inspire discovery and invention through play … believe in the transformational power of programming”.

CoderDojo believes “an understanding of programming languages is important … that it’s better and easier to learn these skills early, and that nobody should be denied the opportunity to do so! At a Dojo they will learn skills such as building a website, creating an app or a game, and explore technology in an informal, creative, and social environment.”

School of Coding aims to “excite and inspire children about Computer Science and learn to code a different way … students create something different and original with each project and are challenged to be more creative and make them independent thinkers”.

ComputerXplorers offer “specialist computing education in their own school or nursery … Our classes are the optimum blend of fun and education designed to capture the imagination, spark a child's creativity and prepare them for a technology-driven future.”

Rocket Coders say they “teach computing in a way that leverages children's creativity and imagination encouraging them to take a critical approach to the digital world and empowering them with the skills they will need to become the architects of our future … our students learn how to code through creative exploration and project led activities.”

Junior Game Creators say they are “a family of fun, educational clubs and workshops designed to kickstart and develop an interest in computer science through video games. Our sessions and clubs are where code meets the creative arts.”

Go Code Academy says it was “founded with the mission to inspire the next generation of coders by giving them the computational skills and programming knowledge … excited to empower our young people to become creative thinkers in the digital world, to make the world a better place.”

The Pixel Gang says “Our aim is to transform children from being users of games and websites … into creators. We do this with activities that support and complement the national Computing curriculum”

How good are they?

The quality of provision will vary significantly between and within providers and although some offer the reassurance of certification and experience these will be no substitute for attending yourself, getting alongside your children or your students and learning with them. Just as they are not curriculum replacement schemes they are also, ideally, not substitute child care schemes but creative and practical “making sessions” that offer the opportunity for young people and their adults to collaborate in learning.

What next?

Decide if you are looking for a volunteer organisation or a commercial service delivered to an agreed contract. Decide if you yourself wish to become a volunteer within a community or if you would prefer to be, still there but, slightly more distant.

Be realistic with your expectations regarding the benefits of the after school coding experience, while they are developing rapidly there is plenty of room for new models to emergehttps://www.nfer.ac.uk/pdf/After-schoolCodingClubs.pdf

Finally, when you have made your decision, share your reasons and your experience so that others can reflect on your story and, in turn, offer an engaging, challenging and ultimately rewarding experience to young learners. 

Consider adding a link here to your story or to other providers not covered by our research including the comparative information that we have used in our table.