Camden calls in Google to help its children learn computer coding

11 July 2013

A Google-backed scheme to teach children how to make apps and webpages is set to be rolled out across all of Camden’s primary schools.

Code Club, a Google-backed London organisation founded last year, is helping Camden become the first local authority in England to introduce volunteer-led afterschool computer programming clubs across all its 41 maintained primary schools from September.

Code Club has signed up Google and UCL’s Faculty of Engineering Sciences to provide staff and student to teach the classes, with 16 already committed from Google.

Launching the scheme at Camden City Learning Centre yesterday Code Club’s patron The Duke of York said: “There are huge numbers of tech jobs that are becoming available. I’m very determined to try and get local employment for local people.

“What Camden is doing is going to be a sure foundation for coding to become more normal. It’s right that [Camden] should show this encouraging leadership.”

Camden Labour councillor Theo Blackwell said: “London’s got a problem with technology skills. Last year only 375 students in London took computing A Level. Camden wants to lead the way in changing this, taking advantage of the new curriculum.”

Google has chosen Camden as its new London base, building a £650 million headquarters by King’s Cross, and other big firms such as business security firm Mimecast are based in the borough. Blackwell said he wanted to give more local people the opportunity to get jobs at firms like these.

Google employee Bart Govaert, who will help run the clubs, said: “Googlers are passionate about teaching computer science to the next generation of innovators, so we're very proud to be a part of this project."

Clare Sutcliffe, co-founder and chief executive of Code Club, said: “Camden have shown that they are a forward thinking council and we would like other councils around the country to get in touch to discuss how we might do something similar in their area.”