CHILDREN ENCOURAGED TO TACKLE REAL-LIFE CODING CHALLENGES

ARC, a leading network of science and innovation clusters, has launched RE:CODE Oxfordshire, a partnership with The Institute of Imagination (iOi), the LEGO Group, UTC Oxfordshire and Raising Robots.

The project gives children across the county the chance to use their imagination and creative skills to tackle real-life coding challenges.

ARC concentrates companies in Advanced Research Clusters in major knowledge economies like Oxford and London. These are unique ecosystems that accelerate commercial growth by providing the best possible working environments for our members.

RE:CODE, originally launched in London to build coding and creative problemsolving skills in pupils, while boosting 21st century skills. The World Economic Forum estimates that 65 per cent of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in new job types that don’t yet exist.

More than 200 children from Oxfordshire primary school schools and 28 young mentors from UTC Oxfordshire, took park in the eight-week programme; inventing, creating and coding robotic models that solve real issues such as climate change by building an eco-home or an electric car.

The programme aims to steer children towards STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) subjects and demonstrate how they can be applied in real life.

Stuart Grant, Chief Executive of ARC said: “Solutions to some of the greatest challenges that we face are yet to be designed, developed or even imagined, that’s why allowing the next generation of innovators and scientists the opportunity to think creatively and use their imagination is extremely important.”

Tom Doust, Executive Director of The Institute of Imagination said: “From the first mark on a cave wall, to the first footsteps on the moon, our greatest developments have begun with leaps of imagination.”