Computing Competitions with McAfee16/12/2019

We are always excited when companies want to meet with our amazing students, and would welcome any chance to show them how real world businesses work with technology. The ICT & Computing department have been working with McAfee for two years, now, inviting Dave Oxley and his colleagues into lessons with Year 13 students, advising them on best practices for developing security systems for their BTEC coursework. This year we’re really pleased to have Dave and several McAfee interns working with us to support competitions that Year 12 and Year 8 students are entering. 

Year 12 are being mentored as they work to produce a platform computer game. These games will be pitted against teams from the Aylesbury UTC in March. Their mentors are both studying Computer Science at Brunel University, so this will also be a great opportunity to meet HE students and talk about courses with people taking them. The interns will be available to meet with them regularly to check their progress and support their projects. The students will gain invaluable experience of working in teams towards a project plan. 

Some great game ideas are already taking shape and the competition looks like it will be hotly contested.

Year 8 girls are preparing to enter the National Centre for Cyber Security’s CyberFirst for Girls competition this January. Interns spent a lesson training them for the challenge ahead. We were really amazed by how quickly there were able to tackle some really tricky puzzles, making us hopeful that we will have some incredible cyber security experts in the near future. All the girls were really keen to solve as many puzzles as they could in the session, so we’re confident that they will take the challenges presented in the real event in their stride. As with the Year 12’s, the McAfee interns, both studying Computer Science at Manchester University, will be available to mentor the teams on puzzle solving skills as we enter the competition for real. I know that they all have their eye on the final later in the year. 

Massive thanks must go to Dave Oxley and his fantastic team of interns for their support in both these programs. Lots more opportunities to tackle tech competitions will be available in the New Year, so watch this space.

Mr Clawson and the Computing & ICT Team