Adventurers: Ages 8-11

Scratch: Game Making - Platform Games (2 hours)

Does your child love to run and jump their way through platform games like Mario? In this course, students take their coding skills to the next level, learning more advanced Scratch concepts and features by making their very own platform games.
Age 8-11
Difficulty Level
Intermediate level - students should have Scratch experience
Date & Times (duration 2 hours 15 minutes)
(duration 2 hours 15 minutes)
Price £150.00 (25% off the second course when booking 2 or more)
£150.00
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Want to code with friends?
Add the names of your friends in your booking notes to be placed in the same class!
BOOK USING CHILDCARE VOUCHERS

In this course, students  use Scratch to learn key game-making concepts. They will  explore the exciting world of game design, looking specifically at the mechanics, features, and programming needed to make a fully-functioning platform game. Freedom of expression is key within this course - students can customise their creations, including the goal, characters, scenery and music,, making each of their games unique! This course covers more advanced game-making techniques and is aimed at students who are familiar with Scratch.

Learning outcomes

Students will be guided through a series of challenges and tutorials, learning about core computing concepts like keyboard control, events, loops, and lists, and developing their own unique code from the ground up! They will learn how to pair keyboard controls with movement commands, build more complex game interactions using functions and incorporate data structures into their designs. This course aims to cover tougher coding concepts and logic, encouraging students to create projects and solve problems more independently. At the end of the course, they will be well positioned to move from block-based to text-based coding.

Information for parents

We ask that - for at least the first session - an adult is available to help your child with their set-up in order to avoid any delays. Setting this software up is easy and we will provide you with comprehensive set-up instructions before your lessons begin, so do check your email!

Class structure

This is a sample schedule to show how our virtual lessons are structured.

10.00 - 10.15
Set-up
Students will set up their coding environments, share any work from the previous day or projects they have done independently.
10.15 - 11.00
Coding
45 minutes of focused coding, led by our fantastic teachers. Students will face new challenges, solidify their knowledge of coding concepts and flex their creativity!
11.00 - 11.15
Wrap-up
Students will complete quizzes and challenges to test their knowledge and share their work.

“My favourite part was creating my own game, especially when I got to shoot the lasers”

Student, aged 9

  • How does it work?

    • We have a maximum teacher:student ratio of 1:6 - this means that all students receive dedicated support, and top-quality, hands-on teaching
    • Our courses and virtual classroom have been extensively user-tested and refine to ensure they offer the best possible learning experience
    • Reports from teachers detail what your child has learnt, their strengths, and how they can improve

  • Each student will need...

    • A laptop or computer with a high-speed internet connection
    • A headset/earphones
    • A webcam and microphone
    • An adult to help set up - before each session we will email instructions on how to set up out video conferencing software

  • Our tutors

    • BlueShift teaching staff are coding professionals, who are passionate about passing their expertise onto children - many have previously taught at prestigious schools
    • Teachers undergo a rigorous application and training process, ensuring we get the best of the best
    • All teachers are vetted by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

Policies

Lateness policy

Customer feedback has told us that students joining late can be disruptive for other learners. Therefore, we have imposed a cut-off time for joining lessons. If a student is more than 15 minutes late to a lesson, they will not be admitted. Late students will be able to catch up using recordings of the lesson and additional learning resources.

Recordings of lessons

All online lessons will be recorded, and recordings will be uploaded to the class padlet as a resource for students who have missed a lesson, or who want to watch again. Recordings will only be available to students in the class, the class teacher and the BlueShift team. Recordings will be deleted seven days after the course ends.

FAQs:

  • Can I book individual days?
  • Can I use an iPad/tablet or a Chromebook instead of laptop/PC?
  • Is adult presence required?
  • Can I make the session more private?

  • "Thank you BlueShift for doing such a great job. My son is so excited about coding and learning made fun."

    Natalia, parent

  • "These courses are an amazing way to get kids interested in coding and robotics. Fun and educational"

    Isabel, parent

  • "My son was very keen to advance in programming. Not only has this been achieved, but his self-esteem has been greatly raised through your work. Thank you!"

    Marcos, parent

  • "The teachers have been excellent, full of enthusiasm and patience making the whole experience really fun"

    Angela, parent