Children to learn to code from age 12 under new NSW plan

Children are set to become experts at coding under a new plan to overhaul the state’s computer syllabus for NSW high school students.

Children entering high school will start learning how to code as part of a complete overhaul of the state's elective computer studies curriculum. Picture: Richard Dobson

Children will learn to code from the age of 12 under a massive overhaul of the state’s computer syllabus for high school students.

Education Minister Sarah Mitchell said the new Computing Technology curriculum was aimed at producing the next generation of tech leaders and entrepreneurs.

“Students need to develop an understanding of essential computing skills to not only keep themselves safe in a digital world, but also to thrive in the careers of the future,” Ms Mitchell said.

“The curriculum has also been updated to better reflect the latest computing technologies and the expectations of industry, so that we create the next generation of tech savvy experts here in NSW.”

Tech teacher Mariah Bell said coding for students was like learning another language and so doing it from an earlier age meant students could tackle more complicated problems later.

Ms Bell with her computing studies class. Picture: Richard Dobson

“When you learn to code, you’re learning a brand new language. So when you have those fundamental skills and foundation over an extended period of time, you have that ability to progress at a higher rate.,” she said.

She said she was impressed by her current students who she said would thrive under the new curriculum which will be taught in schools from 2024.

“These kids are phenomenal. They are building exceptional pieces of software in limited time with a limited curriculum at the moment, but with the new curriculum, they’ll be able to build and learn fundamental programming and build apps and games as part of the curriculum,” she said.

The Ponds High School Year 11 student Shaurya Vajhula said getting started with coding was the most difficult aspect of it.

The students say it extremely satisfying. Picture: Richard Dobson

“It all seems like gibberish but practising with Ms. Bell and at home made me truly appreciate it,” he said.

His classmate Maaz Wasim wanted to do computer studies to learn how to code and said making his own app was a “joy to experience”.

For Mujtaba Shah he got by watching online tutorials to figure out how to turn an idea for software into a reality.

“The most enjoyable part is definitely the finished project when it eventually works as you wished after days and days of work,” he said.