CHILDREN in Worcestershire will be finding out how to create simple computer code thanks to a technology company.

Pupils from St Barnabas CE Primary in Worcester and St Egwin's CE Middle School in Evesham have already taken part in free programming workshops offered by ComputerXplorers to prepare for a new computing curriculum.

The workshops were created because, from September, primary schools throughout the county will have to teach new computing classes with the emphasis on how to code and programme, following Education Secretary Michael Gove’s latest curriculum changes.

The Government’s revised national computing curriculum for 2014 puts significant emphasis on teaching children how to write code and pupils aged five to seven will be expected to understand what algorithms are and to create and debug simple programs.

By the age of 11, pupils will be expected to design, use and evaluate computational abstractions that model the state and behaviour of real-world problems and physical systems.

Fran Greenaway from ComputerXplorers said: “Teachers now face the challenge of learning how to deliver the new curriculum and finding resources and support.

“We know how hard it is for teachers to find time away from school so we are offering to bring help and support into local schools in the form of training for teachers and classes for children.

“Our free programming workshop for children will have them designing and programming their own video game whilst our free Introduction to Programming session for primary, first and middle school teaching staff will demystify the new computing curriculum and provide hands on programming experience.”

The workshops have been offered as part of the national Programming for Primaries Awareness Week which runs from Monday, March 24 to Sunday, March 30.

Schools interested in signing up for a free workshop for teaching staff or children should contact Fran Greenaway on info@cotswoldsandwyvern.computerxplorers.co.uk by Friday, February 28.