Micro:bit Mentors After School Club

About the Club

A fully funded 8-week after-school club designed for year 4 & 5 girls.  Each week, girls and their teachers will learn how to use micro:bits to create their own smart model home. We are looking to start with 10 schools, with up to 10 girls in each club. At the end of the club all the schools will come together on the 2nd of July for an in person all-day workshop to build their model smart home.

The lessons will be simple but engaging. Perfect for girls (and teachers) who are using micro:bits for the first time.  All of the sessions will be delivered live online by TECgirls, with the teachers providing support in the classroom. Each class will also have a chance to break out into smaller groups with a helper to check if they need anything. Lessons will be provided in advance so teachers can print out instructions. And so that after the club teachers can run the sessions in their classrooms for all students.  

This is more than just an afterschool club!

Critically, at the end of the club, the school will have 10 confident girls who know how to code and can then go on to be MENTORS to the rest of the school. Teachers will also have 8 micro:bit lessons that they can run within the school, utilising the MENTORS as support for their peers or younger students. Just as some schools have house captains or sports leaders, we hope that the schools we work with will be able to make the most of their new tech experts! Each of the girls will be given small enamel badges they can wear to celebrate their achievements. Critically this will give their girls even more confidence in their skills and will subtly show other students that girls can be great at tech.

Future-focused themes and lessons

We know that ICT can sometimes be hard to engage with, so we’ve created a challenge around smart homes to help girls realise the practical applications of what they are learning. We hope the final in-person session on building a smart home will allow them to see their skills in action and will help them create something they can show others and be proud of.

Helping more girls to engage with technology, engineering and creative digital subjects.

We know that across Cornwall only 4% of girls are choosing to take a computing science GCSE and only 5% are choosing Design Technology. Despite the promotion of STEM subjects, many girls across Cornwall still think that tech and engineering are not “girl things”. This is shocking given the career opportunities within the tech and engineering industry in the UK and in Cornwall. Cornwall has a fast-growing tech, engineering and digital sector, with well-paid jobs and huge opportunities. We want to ensure that girls and women are a part of it!

We created the micro:bit mentors club to give girls a chance to try coding and engineering in a supportive environment. We have set a challenge that helps them connect these subjects to real-world opportunities and we’ve created sessions that are perfect for their age group, with a focus on fun and inspiration.