It has been six months since celebrations were held for the grand opening of Code Ninjas, the coding franchise for kids, in Edinburgh, the first of its kind in Scotland. The demand for extracurricular coding opportunities is continuing to grow around the world exponentially, made clearer as a result of the pandemic. But Scotland, and Edinburgh in particular, is one such place where this trend is most obvious. Progressions within tech in Scotland have been made a top priority for almost every sector, including those that involve opportunities for children. Code Ninjas, while still relatively new to Edinburgh, is a brand that is supplying such demands as the progressive city sits as one of the top nine tech cities in the UK1.
Opened in 2021 by Mark Higgins and Dacre Purchase, the team at Code Ninjas Edinburgh identified the growing need to satisfy the unavoidable passion that children all over the world now have for consuming various technologies. The pandemic certainly affirmed the importance of digital literacy to families and has created an influx of children who have a natural ability for maximising the endless possibilities of computing. But with this growing trend within a diversity of demographics of children, the extracurricular sector is yet to catch up.
One way that Code Ninjas is delivering its promise of providing exciting and enriching coding opportunities to kids in Edinburgh is through studio manager, Suzy Enoch, who has brought her professional circus training with her to drive the creative and collaborative space that Code Ninjas instils in the brand’s DNA. Mark Higgins, co-owner, believes opening the door for children to hone their skills in coding, while being given a safe, freeing space to express their imaginations and creativity, is an important step for Edinburgh to affirm its position as a leading city in tech innovation.
“We’re incredibly proud that our Code Ninjas location has made such a mark in Edinburgh in such a short space of time. As a progressive city, it’s vital that kids in the area are given as many opportunities as possible to continue developing their love of technology through exciting, creative ways. Much like the arts, sports or any other extracurricular activity, Code Ninjas is equipping kids with skills that go far beyond the academic benefits. Just a few of these include teamwork, communication and confidence, all in a safe environment and developing in tandem learning how to not be afraid of being wrong or simply having a go.
“Edinburgh is powering ahead with 125 kids working through the curriculum today. Our team has performed excellently including all the Senseis. We are now looking to open our second centre in March 2022 and can’t wait to see what the future of Code Ninjas holds in Scotland.”
As plans go full steam ahead with their second location, Livingston, the team hopes they can continue to deliver an inspiring and freeing curriculum to the next generation of leaders through creative and fun mediums. Mark and Dacre have certainly set the pace in Scotland, with Code Ninjas Newton Mearns also having recently opened its doors to passionate and creative children in the Glasgow area. Colin Campbell, the owner of Code Ninjas Newton Mearns, believes that this is just the beginning for Scotland becoming a leading country for kids coding and technology innovation.
“Having done my due diligence before investing in my own franchise, I was more than aware of the need for something like Code Ninjas in Newton Mearns and nearby Glasgow. There was no one in the area offering the interactive and fun curriculum that our studio can provide and so I jumped at the chance to invest. I have two children, aged 11 and 13, and they’re both so confident and capable when it comes to using and understanding technology – which I know is the norm now amongst the younger generation. Having come from an IT background, I feel it’s imperative that this innate talent is nurtured and celebrated. Code Ninjas is the perfect destination for any child with a passion for understanding how the technology they use works.”
1 Charlotte Truman, 2021, 9 top UK cities for tech workers
