Earlier this month Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns was pleased to welcome three Kinson Primary School pupils and their teachers to Westminster. The pupils, all girls, had come to Parliament at the invitation of PICTFOR, the Parliamentary Internet, Communications and Technology Forum to demonstrate to MPs their computer coding skills at an event called ‘Girls Get Coding’.
The event brought more than a hundred girls from around the country to the historic surroundings of the Palace of Westminster. The girls had been practising their coding skills, ready to teach their MPs the basics of this vital skill. Three students from Kinson Primary were selected to take part, and enjoyed showing parliamentarians how to get ahead in programming.
Following the event, Conor was able to meet the group and talk to them about their day. Afterwards, he said: “I was very impressed not only with the girls’ obvious enthusiasm for coding, but also the knowledge they were able to demonstrate of coding itself. Skills such as coding will be of great importance in the workplaces of tomorrow, so I think it is great that Kinson Primary School offers lessons in this subject and actively encourages girls to consider careers in science and technology. I am sure that the pupils will reap the benefits of these lessons in years to come, and I hope that Kinson Primary continues its excellent work in this area.”
Girls Get Coding is generously supported by the Institution of Engineering and Technology and forms part of the government's Your Life campaign to encourage more young people, and girls in particular, to consider careers in science and technology.