Guest post by David Rushby, Head teacher of St Thomas CE vc Primary school

HRH the Duke of York visited St Thomas CE vc Primary school on Thursday 8th May to celebrate the school’s partnership with the University of Huddersfield. The school and the University have been involved in a coding project, with the University students, Jonny Miller and Chris Brenton, teaching a group of year five and six children how to code. The visit incorporated a meet and greet with the Head Teacher and staff, as well as plenty of time to chat with the children. Children from three years to eleven years old lined the hall and were engaged in cheerful conversation with His Royal Highness and the Lord Lieutenant.

After a thorough meet and greet, the party were due to meet the coding party in the school computing suite. Here, some of the youngest children in the school were seen to be testing and enjoying the programming of the older pupils. His Royal Highness took the time to talk to the University students involved and to ascertain how the children were acquiring and applying their new coding skills. The children had been working on a ‘fruit machine’ style game, that had been developed by the Coding club. The group talked about the learning taking place and His Royal Highness was interested and impressed by the children’s understanding of programming as well as their competence. The reception children in the suite happily played the games that had been programmed and were delightfully sharing their views with His Royal Highness.

Following the computing session, a plaque was unveiled to commemorate the visit. Once again His Royal Highness took the time to chat to the staff and children before departing. All members of the school and University involved in the visit were thrilled by the event. In particular, the children appeared somewhat overwhelmed by the experience, and the idea of having such a special visitor at their school Coding Club.