For 3 years, Dorset Coding Day has been helping to inspire the future Ada Lovelaces and Bill Gates.
Run for pupils aged 9 to 12, the event provides schools with a coding activity that is both fun and educational.
Free to enter, the event has grown every year and last year 7,000 children across the county took part. And now it’s grown so big, we have renamed it ‘Dorset Coding Week’ to reflect that many schools run the event across a whole week with multiple classes.
We also have a new mascot called Boter, designed by a pupil from Southill Primary School in Bournemouth.
This year’s coding activity will be themed around internet safety, an important topic that will help young people to safely navigate the internet.
Dorset Coding Week 2025 will take place 6 to 10 October and schools can now sign up.
Coding week is for:
- school children in years 5,6 and 7 (ages 9 to 12 years)
- home educated children
- children in alternative education settings
If your child is older than the recommended ages, but you feel that they would still benefit from taking part, then they are very welcome. You can email digitaldorset@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk for further information.
Coding benefits children by:
- developing problem-solving skills
- encouraging creativity and collaboration
- skilling up in our increasingly technology driven world
Coding also has applications in science, art, design and many more areas.
Coding Week activities
Dorset Council’s Digital Dorset team is joining forces with BCP (Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole) Council and Barclays Digital Eagles to run this event.
Following an activity provided by Barclays Digital Eagles, pupils will create a simple and easy-to-follow internet safety themed coding project. The session will last approximately one hour and will cover many elements of programming.
Tech industry volunteers
Volunteers from local tech companies will join schools in-person where possible. They will inspire the children by sharing their own experiences of using coding and other digital technologies in their careers.
Shout out for volunteers
If you work in IT, coding or any other STEM related field, we would love you to get involved and help us inspire the workforce of the future.