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Brilliant ideas, big impact: National Computer Science Competition finals

The Isaac Computer Science national competition finals were buzzing with energy, creativity, and innovation - exactly what you’d expect from some of the brightest young minds in computing! Hosted at Birmingham City University (BCU) as part of their Innovation Fest, the event brought together six finalist teams from Years 9 to 11, all ready to pitch their incredible ideas to a panel of expert judges.

The day kicked off with an inspiring keynote from Severine Trouillet, who set the tone with her thoughts on technology’s power to solve real-world problems. The theme of the challenge? Design an Internet of Everything (IoE) device to help tackle some of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.

What is the Internet of Everything (IoE)?

Imagine a world where everything around you is connected to the internet. Not just your phone or computer, but your watch, your shoes, your fridge, even your toothbrush! This is what we call the Internet of Everything.

The IoE is like a giant invisible web that connects all things, people, data, and processes. It’s like a big team where everyone and everything works together, sharing information and making decisions.

The IoE is made up of four main parts: people, things, data, and processes. When these parts work together, they can make our lives easier, safer, and more enjoyable.

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The ideas

Each team stepped up to present their unique solutions, and the ideas were seriously impressive!

  • Two Bit from Didcot Girls’ School designed an app that scans food items to show their carbon footprint, helping users make more eco-friendly choices
  • Cookies and Cream, also from Didcot, pitched an air purifier that uses algae to reduce CO2 levels
  • Clean Air Alliance from Eltham Hill School imagined a high-tech way to filter greenhouse gases and grow underground ecosystems
  • We4Grow from The Douay Martyrs Catholic School created a device to support urban farming and link growers to buyers through an app
  • LifeLine from Henrietta Barnett School wowed with a life-size vending machine designed to tackle food waste and hunger
  • FeelScope, also from Henrietta Barnett, dreamed up an AI-powered device that senses your mood and reacts - like playing your favourite playlist or ordering pizza if you’ve had a rough day!

Judging

Judges Severine Trouillet, Rehan Bhana and Sara Hassan from BCU, and Christina Lovelock from BCS, were blown away by the finalists. They assessed the teams on creativity, feasibility (could it actually work?), and how much impact the idea could have on society.

Awaiting the results, the students explored the Innovation Fest while the judges assessed, chatting with university students, seeing cool tech in action, and taking part in a workshop using WISE’s My Skills My Life, helping them link their passions to future STEM careers.

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The results

A big congratulations to the winners!

The group award went to LifeLine from Henrietta Barnett School, and the individual award went to Nicole Chen from Didcot Girls’ School (part of Cookies and Cream)!

Their ideas were original and had real potential to change the world. Prizes and trophies were presented by Rachael Gray from the Department for Education, and all finalists took home goodie bags as a thank you for their hard work.

A massive well done to all the finalists, and a big thank you to our partners Birmingham City University (BCU), The British Computer Society (BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT), Cisco, Dassault Systèmes, Herd Consulting, Kainos, Reed, and Siemens for helping to make this all possible.

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