School Coding Competition
Tue, Mar 18th 2025 at 9:30 am - 1:00 pm
At the Centre for Computing History
Our annual event attracted 11 teams of four from local schools (8 state schools and 3 private schools) at the Centre for Computing History. CfCH's Education team and volunteers devised a perfectly graded task and presented it brilliantly. The challenge was to use a Raspberry Pi computer to programme a vehicle containing a Micro-bit (pictured) to travel around a test track with bends and obstacles. The Francis Hookham Trophy was presented to the winners, St Mary's Junior School. Many of those teams whose vehicle didn't make it to the finish line showed teamwork, ingenuity or resilience!
This report appeared in the Cambridge Independent Newspaper on 20 March:
The Centre for Computing History was buzzing for the second Rotary Cambridge Coding Competition [on]18 March.
Organised and run by volunteers and staff from the Centre for Computing History Learning Team (CfCH), the competition saw teams of Year 6 pupils from 11 local schools competing for the Francis Hookham Trophy.
Each team was challenged to devise block-based programming code to instruct BBC micro:bit buggies to navigate an obstacle course. The challenge was designed to develop the children’s resilience, teamwork and problem-solving skills, as well as providing an immersive coding experience.
Neil Whiteside, of Cambridge Rotary, awarded the trophy to St Mary’s Junior School, whose buggy crossed the finish line in just under 25 seconds.
“This is the third year that we’ve run the competition, and the second in its present form at the CfCH,” said Neil. “I was so impressed by the level of teamwork between these youngsters, and especially the leadership skills of some of the girls – which goes to support getting more women interested in STEM subjects.”
"It’s been so exciting to watch the young people engage with physical computing in such a creative and dynamic way,” said Anjali Das, head of learning at the centre.
“But this competition is about more than code: it’s been a day of problem-solving, innovation and enthusiasm and it’s been wonderful to see the children’s confidence develop over the course of the day.”
One of the children summed it all up, saying: “It’s been the best day ever!”
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