Woodham Academy has just embarked upon an innovative Digital Leaders initiative.
Several students applied for a position and only the best were accepted.
Mr Smith, Director of ICT, said: “The standard of applications were really high. It was a difficult choice but it is important position which requires a good level of expertise.”
The first two Digital Leaders selected, Tamsin and Erica, are already keen computer users in school demonstrating excellent technical knowledge in lessons and regular attendees to Woodham Academy’s CC4G (computer club for girls) and Code Academy lunchtime clubs.
As part of the Digital Leaders venture the two girls ‘Skyped’ the Hatvani Kossuth Lajos school in Hatvan, Hungary and shared their expertise.
The students created an extensive teaching resource which supported the lesson and then used Microsoft’s Skype video conference software to make a video call to the Hungarian school. Tamsin and Erica then expertly took the Hungarian schoolchildren through the process of creating a computer game using the Scratch programming language.
Tamsin said: “I was really nervous about doing this but it was fine when I got started. It was excellent fun.”
Erica added: “I loved doing this. I can’t wait to do something like this again.”
Feedback from Hungary has been amazing. Lionel Basa, the Hungarian teacher involved in the project said: “It was really great. Our children loved it. They were very excited after the lesson and your students did a great job.”
Woodham Code Academy club teaches students how to create games and apps and is available to year 7 and year 8 students on Tuesday lunchtimes in room 111.