Justin Helps Launch Digital Schoolhouse Programme In Swindon

Justin Tomlinson MP has visited New College to launch the Digital Schoolhouse Programme, the first in Wiltshire and the first Further Education College in the country to have one.

The programme has gained national and international recognition for its pioneering initiatives in the teaching of ICT and Computer Science to school pupils. The programme is led and delivered by games and interactive entertainment trade body UK Interactive Entertainment, with Playstation as its lead partner. Each DSH is based in a secondary school or college and aims to work with a network of primary and secondary school teachers to deliver creative and cross-curricular computing lessons.

New College has become the first Further Education College to become a Digital Schoolhouse (DSH) and is the only one in the Swindon and Wiltshire area. The aim of the programme is to teach pupils computing in a way that is creative, innovative, inspirational, engaging and fun. Computer Science concepts are taught wherever possible without the use of computers and related to pupils existing ‘real world’ understanding and the fusion of art and sciences (e.g through dance, art, maths, literacy and magic).

The first school to take part in the exciting initiative was Even Swindon Primary School.

Justin Tomlinson MP said: “It was great to come along and see Swindon’s new Digital Schoolhouse at New College. Teaching computing should be inspiring and innovative to encourage more youngsters to become more creative and enjoy computing. As a gaming geek myself I am always happy to support anything that encourages youngsters to engage in the ever-increasing computer and video games industry in this country.”