A national KS-3 programming competition?

1
A national KS-3 programming competition?

• Roger Boyle, roger_at_comp.leeds.ac.uk
• CETL ALiC

2
Programming competitions

• Lots of such competitions exist locally or
  regionally. They are all very good.
• Teacher views are that KS3 (11-14) is untapped
  potential 11yos still have stars in their eyes
  about computers, and there are many suitable
  vehicles for teaching programming.
• A national competition may raise profile
  engender enthusiasm.
• People think its an idea worth considering
  BCS, Google, IBM, e-Skills, IET, CPHC, UKCRC,
  Microsoft. And those here today.

3
NOT todays questions

• Olympiads (older pupils)
• Language wars

4
Todays questions

• What are KS3 children capable of the teacher
  community will advise.
• How do existing competitions work successes and
  pitfalls. Manchester and HW will advise.
• If there were a national KS3 competition
• What might it ask them to do?
• How might it be publicised, recruited to,
  managed?
• How might it be judged?
• If there were a national KS3 competition
• How might it be organised?
• What would it cost?

5
Todays questions
If there were a national KS3 competition, and we
knew how to run it and pay for it, would you be
able offer anything to it?