Welsh Labour pledge to get all kids in Wales ‘coding’

Welsh Labour has outlined ambitious plans to support the roll out of coding skills in Welsh schools if they win the Assembly elections in May.

The five point plan was launched at Sony UK Technology Centre and included proposals to give every child in Wales access to a coding workshop and expand programmes such as the successful ‘Technocamps’ initiative led by Swansea University.

Welsh Labour’s 5 Point Plan to Support Coding and Digital Literacy in Schools

1. Support the effective development of the new Curriculum for Wales by: Developing a new Computer Science subject from 5-16 within a new Science and Technology Area of Learning and Experience; Rolling out Digital Competence as a cross-cutting curriculum responsibility (on a par with literacy and numeracy); and; Developing a Digital Competence Framework from September 2016.
2. Expand successful projects such as Technocamps and partner with innovators such as Raspberry Pi to give every child in Wales access to a coding workshop and encourage more girls to take up STEM subjects.
3. Work with industry and local businesses to encourage Coding Clubs in every part of Wales.
4. Support the projects like Technoteach to provide effective Continuing Professional Development support to teachers.
5. Develop new pathways for Initial Teacher Education and Training in Computing to encourage the best talent into the profession. All entrants to the teaching profession should have the skills to deliver the Digital Literacy Framework (DLF).

Welsh Labour Leader Carwyn Jones said:

“It’s essential we equip our young people with the digital skills they need to compete in the knowledge economy of the future. This means exposing young people to skills such as coding at an early age in school because of the important role that knowledge is going to play in their future careers.

“Our plan supports that work with a commitment to invest £10m in providing every young person in Wales with access to a coding workshop and plans to extend successful programmes like Technocamps which has helped educate thousands of children about coding and computer science.

“We should aspire to make Wales a world leader in coding and digital skills. With the opportunity we have to support the roll out of the new curriculum we can develop the next generation of young people who can not only write code but also gain the deeper understanding of how digital technology works.

Commenting on Labour’s plans a spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said:

“Today’s announcement demonstrates yet again that Welsh Labour are desperately running out of ideas.
“Devolution is about blazing a trail and distinguishing ourselves from the rest of the UK, yet coding has been embedded in the English schools’ curriculum since 2014.
“This is another example where Wales, under Labour, is yet again having to play catch-up.”