Digital skills to the fore as pupils make most of Inspire Learning during Europe Code Week

Published: 22nd October 2021

Overhead shot of pupils at a desk with iPads

It comes as a Borders teacher got the chance to discuss Coding with Apple Chief Executive, Tim Cook

Nearly 2k young people have been displaying their tech skills through our award-winning Inspire Learning programme, which has been taking part in Europe Code Week.

This is a grass-roots initiative that is designated across Europe to focus on the impact and potential of coding in education.

As part of this, the Inspire Learning team hosted a live lesson on Monday, using iPads and Apple TV technology, involving up to 90 of our P4-P6 classes across primary schools in the Scottish Borders and involving around 1.8k young people and many of our teaching staff.

The session looked at creating and designing apps with a focus on accessibility for all.

Peebles teacher discusses coding with Apple Chief Executive

Following on the success of the live lesson one of our teachers at Kingsland Primary School in Peebles, Catherine Little, was invited to share her story around coding on a call with Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook alongside two other educators from England and Ireland.

Find out more

More information about the Tim Cook call is available.

Lesley Munro, Director of Education and Lifelong Learning

“The session on Monday was incredibly successful and feedback has been very positive. Many of the young people continue to work on their development ideas and have put them forward as part of a competition to see if we can find the next big app developers.

“We look forward to developing the coding experience that we began on Monday and continuing to offer support for the development of key digital skills to all of our schools.”

Catherine Little, teacher at Kingsland Primary School

“It was amazing to be able to share the importance of coding and the work that we are doing around it with such a high-profile Apple representative. Our young people are really embracing coding and it’s been great to see them getting involved with Europe Code Week. Coding helps children with things like communication, creativity, maths, writing and confidence, and through Inspire Learning we've been able to make it really accessible for the pupils."