🎄December 2024

Welcome to our December Newsletter

Seasons greetings!

The snow is back in our games, just in time for the festive season! Santa and Rudolph are on hand to help with deliveries, so don’t miss out—get stuck in before the snow melts away for another year!

Technology has completely transformed the way we celebrate festivals over the years. From digital vouchers to virtual promises in e-cards, the internet has made gifting easier and greener. Many digital gifting services now include eco-friendly touches, like planting trees or supporting carbon offset schemes with every purchase. So, while you’re spreading joy, you’re also helping to keep the planet merry and bright!

Create a more environmentally friendly challenge for your students using our electric van!

Level creator in Rapid Router

Have you tried out our solar panels and electric van in the level creator yet? It may not be much, but it is a step towards creating levels more aligned to helping our planet. Every bit we can do to help towards creating a cleaner climate counts.

Take a look and get creative!

Did you know?

Judith Donath (MIT Media Lab) created the first E-card site, The Electric Postcard. The award-winning site eventually became open source.

Source

Planning for next term's activities?

Have you taken a look at Python Den yet? It's got some great challenges, and is supported by videos and plans should any support teacher have to take over a lesson last minute! Get started here!

Under the Spotlight

Our amazing volunteers at Ocado Group!

For the past 10 years, Code For Life has been supported, and was initially created by a community of volunteers from within Ocado Group. Now a small dedicated full-time team builds the free-to-use products, drives quality and ensures security of the platform, data and all its users. We are still reliant on our volunteers to contribute to new features, improvements, and help with our multiple outreach programmes.

This includes colleagues that are based all over the world in various departments. Recently, we teamed up with our office in Sofia to continue our 10 year coding and robotics workshop celebrations!

Our 10 year celebrations reach Sofia!!!

"Joining Code for Life has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s inspiring to see students light up as they grasp new concepts and gain confidence in creating something with their own hands. The program’s focus on making technology accessible and engaging ensures that participants are not only learning valuable skills but also developing a love for problem-solving. Being part of this initiative has allowed me to contribute meaningfully to the next generation’s education."

Today, Code for Life has grown into a vibrant coding platform supported by the expertise of Ocado Group’s talented teams. From regular security testing by Ocado’s specialists to ensuring data protection and compliance with the latest regulations, we take safety and privacy seriously. Our solutions benefit from industry-leading advice, ensuring scalability and reliability for classrooms everywhere.

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, aligning with Ocado Group’s commitment to responsible resourcing. We have access to a pool of over 2,000 technologists, including experts in robotics, AI, and ethics. With their input, we’re not just teaching coding—we’re connecting classrooms to the future of technology. Together, we’re making computing education secure, exciting, and ready to take on tomorrow’s challenges.

"Helping young students learn about robotics and coding let me share my expertise and passion for technology. This was fulfilling as it hopefully helps inspire the next generation of engineers/STEM workers. Furthermore, teaching these concepts to young students helps develop soft skills such as communication, patience, and adaptability, which are valuable in my professional role."