Computer Science Innovation Days

Pupils from the Second Year have been spending a whole day taking part in the Computer Science Innovation Days this half term. This initiative aims to allow pupils time to become immersed in creative problem-solving activities.

Their brief was to create two innovative solutions to problems in one of four fields chosen from health, transport, sport or home and leisure. After finding their own real-world problem to solve, pupils had to design and build two prototypes, both incorporating technology with the micro:bit. This small computer requires students to write software to control a range of sensors and outputs to produce their desired solution.

Products included a treadmill calculating distance end energy expenditure, a step counter embedded in the sole of your trainer, an alarm clock using light to wake you up, a reaction time tester, a thermostat to help the warn the elderly if they are getting too hot or cold, a device to make decisions when you don’t know what to do, a wallet with a digital display so you always know how much cash you have and a hot potato game. All teams are to be commended for the way they overcame obstacles and found solutions when building the electronics of their prototypes and the effectiveness of their code.

Each Second Year tutor group will have their own opportunity to excel in further Computer Science Innovation Days throughout the term.

Neil Stokes

Head of Computer Science