Coding Club

What Dips Thompson, mentor of Cloudside Coders, learned during her first term at Code Club

Dips Thompson launched her Code Club, Cloudside Coders, at Cloudside Primary School in Nottingham, UK, in June 2025.

After completing her first term with creators aged between seven and eight, she’s sharing key lessons for new mentors.

A mentor points at a laptop screen displaying a Scratch programming interface while a young creator observes and engages during a Code Club session.

Kicking off club sessions

Our Code Club runs after school, and I’ve built a routine that helps everyone transition. Some of my amazing Code Club creators have jobs — they help get the iPads and login details ready and hand them out. It gives them a real sense of ownership over the club.

Once everyone’s settled, we spend a few minutes catching up, discussing their week and what they’re excited to create. I then introduce a collaborative project, showing the finished version before guiding them step-by-step. This often sparks their own ideas, encouraging variations later, which is a helpful approach for my young group.

Navigating logins

My biggest piece of advice for new Code Club mentors? Don’t get bogged down with logins, especially for younger creators. I learned this the hard way in my first session and saw creators struggle with keyboards and password complexities. 

We introduced Scratch logins in Week 3, and by Week 6, most creators could confidently remember their passwords. It was a game-changer!

Introducing Code Club projects

In our first session, I showed the Code Club project site, explaining the layout and how to use it. For my young creators, having two tabs open and following instructions independently felt a little overwhelming for them. We now follow the Scratch pathway together. I choose a project, and most creators follow my step-by-step guidance on their own devices. 

My goal is to gradually build their confidence and skills until they can tackle projects independently.

An informative webpage showcasing the Code Club, featuring sections on Scratch, Python, and Artificial Intelligence project paths. Each section includes a brief description of the coding project options available.

Adapting when things don’t go to plan 

Things rarely go exactly as planned in Code Club, and that’s totally normal. If I notice too many creators stuck on the same piece of code, struggling with logins, or if a lack of digital literacy skills is holding us back, I know it’s time to adapt.

I often split creators into groups to address common problems more efficiently. If a significant number of students can’t access a project due to digital literacy gaps, we’ll pause for a quick skills session, and maybe practice mouse control, typing, or navigation. I also encourage a “brain, book, buddy, boss” system. This empowers them to first think, check resources, ask a peer, and only then come to me. This approach builds their independence.

Giving creators ownership

To give creators more ownership, I encourage them to customise sprites and backgrounds. For our “Catch the Bus” project, for example, we kept the core code, but they were free to choose their own characters and settings. This led to awesome variations like “Catch the Hippo” or “Catch the Train,” which truly ignited their creativity. I’m hoping that as they get more confident, they’ll choose their own projects and pathways entirely. 

A playful cartoon cat running alongside a bright red double-decker bus on a sunny street, with green grass and clouds in the background.

Tips and resources that made running my Code Club easier

I’ve found a few key tips and resources helpful when launching my Code Club. 

Practical tips

  • Device checks: To ensure iPads are fully charged for Code Club sessions, we have a dedicated tech monitor who checks them on Code Club day. This has been super helpful.
  • Scratch Classroom: I use Scratch Classroom with anonymised accounts to easily generate usernames and passwords. This allows young people to log in quickly and save their work without frustration.
  • Peer support: I strategically group more confident programmers with less confident ones. This buddy system effectively handles many common questions.
  • Testing projects: Before I introduce any new project, I build it myself first. This helps me anticipate questions and spot any misconceptions creators might encounter.

Essential resources 

The Code Club website offers fantastic resources that were invaluable when I was starting out:

  • Code Club project site: A treasure trove of coding projects
  • Leader guide and session checklist: Essential for planning and running sessions
  • Code Club online course: Super useful for getting tips and ideas
  • Code Club Login letters/account permission: A lifesaver for getting parental consent
  • Progress Maps: A great way for creators to track the projects they’ve completed
Colorful introduction posters for different coding projects including Scratch, Python, micro:bit, and web development, displayed on a green background with playful icons.

Our Code Club is still in its early stages, but I have high hopes for it. I’m excited to dive back in come September and explore more Code Club resources, such as the one-page projects, and possibly even get creators involved in the Astro Pi Mission Zero and Coolest Projects.

Inspired by Cloudside Coders? Join the movement, and start a Code Club in your community! 

Mentor voices: Bootham School Code Club’s success story, with mentor Tom Lund

Ever wondered what makes a Code Club successful and inspiring? We spoke with Tom Lund, a mentor from Bootham School Code Club in York, to learn about their journey and what makes their club thrive.

A smiling mentor from Bootham School Code Club in York, wearing a Code Club t-shirt, is featured against a green background with the text 'Mentor voices'.

How did you get started with Code Club?

For two years, I’ve had the privilege of being a mentor and trustee at my local coding club. The atmosphere there is infectious; the passion the creators bring to each session is amazing. The leader encouraged me to set up a Code Club in the school where I teach, which I did! Since then, I’ve seen so many different creators learn by making, allowing them to celebrate their impressive achievements.

What does a typical Code Club session look like at Bootham School?

My Code Club runs weekly, every Monday and Friday during term time, and we tackle a variety of projects. As the mentor, I set a weekly theme, which could be something I’ve prepared or an idea suggested by the creators themselves.

A group of six children and a mentor posing together in front of a projector screen displaying 'Code Club @ Bootham Week 4' in a classroom setting.

Depending on the project ideas I develop, there might be templates, instructions, or starter code. Sometimes, my themes align perfectly with Code Club projects, and sometimes we will use other projects. I always make sure creators know that if they don’t want to participate in the week’s theme, they’re free to work on any project they choose, allowing their curiosity and creativity to flourish.

During each session, I provide guidance as needed but strongly encourage problem-solving by the creators themselves or their peers. I also fully embrace the motto: “If you make it, then you can play it.” 

In the last 10 minutes of each session — each one runs for an hour — we celebrate each other’s achievements, and creators can show off their projects if they wish. I also hand out certificates from the Code Club resources page, and we applaud our creators. Finally, I ask them if they have any particular themes they’d like to explore the following week.

Two young participants of Code Club at Bootham School, holding a micro:bit project and a completion certificate, with a presentation screen in the background displaying 'Code Club @ Bootham Week 4'.

What makes your club thrive?

Our Code Club fosters a very relaxed environment where creators can explore whatever they wish, however they wish. This could mean following a tutorial, a Code Club project path, or even starting from scratch with their ideas.

Sometimes, if I feel a certain programming language, like Scratch, is being overused, and creators need a nudge to try something new, I’ll suggest we take a break from it for a bit. This encourages them to discover new technologies they might love, removing any fear or anxiety around trying different tools and keeping them curious and invested.

A student working on a coding project at a computer, using a programming interface with colorful blocks on the screen.

Because my Code Club is within a school and operates as an extracurricular activity, it’s built into students’ timetables. They pick an activity each term and stick with it. This has helped maintain continuity in creator skills and has even fostered young mentors who guide new students transitioning into Code Club.

Describe your club in three words

This is a tough one, but my three words would be: creative, ambitious, encouraging.

What advice would you give to someone starting a Code Club?

My biggest piece of advice is to use the resources that are available. The Code Club website has so many helpful tips, documents, and project ideas to get you started. You can also look for other nearby clubs and see if you can speak to their leaders or champions for advice. It’s always best to try, because if you don’t, you’ll never know what could be!

If Tom has inspired you to set up a Code Club in your community, explore our ‘Run a club’ page to learn how to get started.

Three words that say it all: Code Club creators sum up their experiences!

We often talk about the benefits of Code Club — the problem-solving, the creativity, and confidence building. But who better to tell you what Code Club is really like than the brilliant young creators who come here every week?

We asked a handful of Code Club creators from around the world to describe their experience in just three words. The answers were as diverse and exciting as their coding projects, giving us a glimpse into what makes Code Club special.

Here’s what they said:

Fabian, Barbican CoderDojo, London, UK

“Boundless, because it doesn’t have any boundaries. Creative because you can do anything and interesting because you can do all those things.”

A young boy sitting at a computer in a classroom setting, sharing his thoughts on Code Club with the quote 'Boundless, creative, and interesting'.

Jayantika, Bidkar Foundation Code Club, Pune, India

“I started as a creator and now I am a youth mentor for Code Club. What I love most is seeing children in rural areas grow confident in coding and problem-solving. It’s inspiring to watch them transform, knowing they’re gaining skills that can open doors to global opportunities.”

A young female mentor teaching coding to children in a classroom, with a focus on the quote 'Uplifting, rural, talent' highlighting the positive impact of Code Club.

McKinnely, Normandale Hills Elementary Code Club, Minnesota, USA 

“I like attending Code Club, because I get to meet with a bunch of kids in my grade and above my grade. So that’s the really fun part.”

Child wearing headphones smiling while sitting in front of a presentation screen with the Code Club logo.

What three words would you use to describe Code Club? Let us know on LinkedIn!