Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

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DC17C
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by DC17C »

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stroudydad
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Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by stroudydad »

Should perhaps declare an interest here, as DD is an Arkwright scholar, but the more I have to do with this organisation the higher my opinion become. If my Dd’s Experience is anything to go by these will be very good
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by Guest55 »

Good idea but hardly aimed at widening access. Thy could be so much better if aimed at certain groups ... and how do they check whether Year 9s have already started GCSEs.
stroudydad
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Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by stroudydad »

It’s free, being held in locations, which certainly have a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds, what else can they do??
Guest55
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Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by Guest55 »

They are nowhere near certain parts of the country. How are the advertised? Maybe make them only open to PP students/low income groups and give grants for travel?

First come, first served is never a good way of allocating places.
stroudydad
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Joined: Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:25 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by stroudydad »

Well I’m not certain about this particular one, but certainly Arkwright are very keen on promoting to those that wouldn’t usually be able to access.
Loopyloulou
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Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 5:20 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by Loopyloulou »

I see no good reason why this course ought to be aimed at "widening access" anyway. It sounds like something which might be of interest to, and might benefit, anyone.
Loopy
MedievalBabe
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Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 9:56 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by MedievalBabe »

My DS has done 2 of these courses and last year he went residential which was still free. These courses are free and they tend to hold them in either universities (so great advertisement of uni) or schools which have a computer specialism linked with a government scheme based in schools with more pp children. There is a problem that they are not always in the most accessible place but the option is there and the experience is good for those who like computers.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by Guest55 »

LLL - many families could research this for themselves. My personal feeling is that some less advantaged students would gain so much more from this ...
DC17C
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:34 pm

Re: Smallpeice Trust Cyber courses for 11-14 yr olds

Post by DC17C »

I suspect the courses are in areas where they have the expertise and resources to run them which possibly limits where they are in the country. Certain universities are gaining Accreditation for courses by the National cyber security centre...so possibly involved in running these courses. One course in Cardiff....for Wales....nothing in North Wales...
Locally NCSC have sited 2 school based cyberhubs in local comprehension schools rather than grammars ..as well as the new UTC at Berkley which is focused on engineering and cyberskills which seems to be gaining momentum.
however we live close to GCHQ..Id hope this would be to encourage less advantaged local young people to aspire to this work but I am also aware of some parental attitudes that almost prevent children from aspiring so personally see that a diverse spread of young people should attend these courses.
I suspect there must have been a degree of selection with the residential courses last year as these were definitely not first come first served...my dd applied fairly early on but was only offered a place at the last minute..2 days before and given an hour to get her information in...only to then be told she hadn’t got a place...as others had beated her to it...it was pretty annoying at the time..
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