Digital Skills Workshops for Schools and Colleges
Browse our range of free workshops for North East school students from key stage 1 to 5. We combine computing with real-world problem solving to help boost digital skills in your classroom.
We’re here to help young people across the North East build essential digital skills.
Our free workshops and activities are available to schools and colleges in the North East. They connect computing with real-world problem-solving and STEM learning.
Why work with us?
- Free workshops tailored to your students’ needs
- Expert-led sessions from our friendly team
- Bursary support for state-funded schools and colleges
Meet the team
Our team has over 10 years’ experience delivering workshops to local schools and colleges. Our workshops are led by experienced staff and enthusiastic students from the School of Computing.
Our team includes:
- Team lead: Chris Napier
- Louise Talbot
- Marie Devlin
- Staff from the School of Computing
Got a question? Email us at cs.outreach@ncl.ac.uk.
Workshops and activities
We offer free workshops for primary, secondary and further education students in the North East. All sessions are hands-on, engaging and designed to develop key digital and computational skills. We also tailor each session to the year attending.
Bursary support: We can help cover transport costs for state-funded schools and colleges.
Group size: Up to 60 students per workshop.
CrumbleBot programming
Key stage 2
Length: 2 hours
We’ll use the CrumbleBot to explore sequencing, patterns, repetition and abstraction. We’ll also have fun following lines, flashing lights and avoiding obstacles!
A CrumbleBot is a robot based on the Crumble controller.
CrumbleBots are inexpensive yet feature rich robots that allow primary pupils to relate computing to the real world in an engaging way.
Physical computing with the Pibrella
The Pibrella is a small circuit board that can be used on its own or with many other little projects.
Scratch programming
Key stage 2
Length: 1 – 2 hours
We’ll make sounds, flashlights and learn how to interface with Raspberry Pis!
Students will use Scratch GPIO to interact with the Pibrella, encouraging them to learn the fundamentals of programming. This session can also be delivered in Python.
Python programming
Key stage 3 and 4
Length: 1 – 2 hours
We’ll use the Raspberry Pi addon to make sounds, drive motors and learn how to interface with Raspberry Pis!
Students will be using Python to interact with the Pibrella, encouraging them to learn the fundamentals of programming.
Turing Tumbles: Marble-powered computers
Key stage 2 to 5
Length: 2 hours
Turing Tumble teaches a number of concepts and skills that are fundamental to computers, programming, and digital electronics.
In this session, we will use a Turing Tumble to understand how a computer works at a basic level.
Using switches and other connectors, we will solve different challenges that give you an understanding of some of the key Computer Science concepts and skills such as logic gates, binary, circuit design and computational thinking.
The concepts include:
- logic gates
- truth tables
- conditionals
- binary
- binary operations
- digital circuit design
It also builds skill in:
- computational thinking
- logic
- algorithm design
- critical thinking
- debugging and troubleshooting
- fine motor
- spatial reasoning
- persistence
Understanding networks: Communicating using binary
Key stage 2 to 5
Length: 1 – 2 hours
The modern world is built on computer networks, from cloud computing to big data to social networking.
These systems connect many different types of devices and systems that all talk different "computing languages" over networks that can fail in many ways.
In this hands-on session, we will develop protocols to communicate with each other across a network and explore problems in networking and how to solve them.
The magic of computer science: Unplugged activities
Key stage 2 to 5
Length: 1 – 2 hours
Computers are not very clever, but they are very fast!
Computer science is about finding simple solutions to complex problems so that we can use computers to solve our problems quickly, reliably and repeatedly.
In this session, we will use games and magic tricks to explore what look like difficult problems and how we can simplify them so that a computer can solve them.
MBot programming using a block-based language
Key stage 3 and 4
Length: 2 hours
mBlock is a free, extensible version of Scratch with blocks for connecting to and programming an Arduino.
It provides an accessible introduction to physical computing using a programming environment familiar to primary school students.
It also converts Scratch programs to their equivalent in C++.
In this session we will explore sequencing, patterns, repetition and abstraction through a variety of activities such as avoiding obstacles and following lines.
Driverless cars: Programming a robot using C++
Key stage 4 and 5
Length: 2 hours
The world of driverless cars is coming. These systems are based on programming robots to sense their environment.
You’ll learn how to use C++ to program robots that can:
- avoid obstacles
- follow lines
- sound warnings and flash lights when dangers are near
C++ is an industry standard programming language.
Bespoke workshops
Need something tailored for your students? With enough notice, we can create custom workshops for smaller class sizes.
Contact us to discuss options.
Other activities
Throughout the year, we may offer other opportunities to take part in activities. During school holidays, we organise ‘Open Days’ where parents and guardians can bring their children to take part in small taster sessions.
Visit bursary
We offer funding to help state-funded schools and colleges cover transport or staff costs when visiting us. Applications are considered on an individual basis.
How to book
Complete our online form to book a workshop. A member of our team will be in touch.
For any questions, or more information, contact us at cs.outreach@ncl.ac.uk.
