What is a BrightSparks event? A look inside Norwich School's latest session
Each week, one of our hub schools shares an update on activities in their region. This week, Norwich School gives us an insight into their recent BrightSparks event.
Bringing computer science to life
Each of our five hubs hosts a BrightSparks session for its linked partner schools every half term. In Norfolk, sessions have taken place at the University of East Anglia, Norwich School, and East Norfolk Sixth Form College, covering topics including algorithmic thinking, arrays, image representation, and AI. Feedback has been consistently positive, with pupils often asking for longer sessions.
What happens at a BrightSparks session?
A BrightSparks session is a half-day experience for up to 100 pupils aged 12 to 15 from partner schools. The aim is to encourage more young people to consider computer science at GCSE and beyond, particularly those who might not yet see themselves as suited to the subject.
Schools are asked to select pupils who show potential but may not yet have considered computer science, including those from lower socio-economic backgrounds or students whose aptitude may be under-recognised.
Every session is designed to be engaging, challenging, and inspiring. Pupils explore familiar problems through a computational lens, applying logic, understanding how computers work, and solving problems the way a computer would. Activities include group work, hands-on tasks, and visual and interactive elements, with plenty of opportunities to move around rather than stay desk-based.
Why challenge matters
Challenge is central to BrightSparks. Pupils are sometimes given difficult tasks with limited information, building resilience and problem-solving skills. The satisfaction of cracking these problems reflects the core appeal of computer science.
Sessions are rooted in the real world too. Pupils hear short talks from academics, professionals, sixth-formers, and undergraduates, and benefit from visiting inspiring venues such as universities and colleges. Tours of facilities and exposure to student life are often highlights.
What the pupils thought
Feedback from the Norwich sessions has been very positive. On average, pupils rated their likelihood to recommend the session 4.1 out of 5, and gave UEA's computing facilities and campus 4.5 out of 5.
Pupils described BrightSparks as "amazing," "inclusive," "eye-opening," and "fun," with many highlighting the coding activities and the venue itself as standout moments. The most common suggestion for improvement? Make it last longer. There were also occasional requests for more biscuits.