Co-curricular

Vincent cracks the code!

20 March 2023

Year 8 pupil Vincent places 4th nationally in the Oxford University Computational Challenge

We are thrilled for Vincent who has placed 4^th nationally in the Oxford University Computational Challenge. With over 9,500 students taking part in the first round, Vincent navigated his way to the final where students achieving full marks in the previous rounds were invited. With the final three places secured on equal points, Vincent finished second in points, overall.

The OUCC (Oxford University Computing Challenge) is a challenge set for students in the UK, designed to help them develop their computational thinking skills through a series of programmed solutions. The competition is open to students who achieve a requisite score in the prior UK Bebras competition.

Vincent has worked tirelessly during lesson time and built on the knowledge he’s accrued there by making a huge personal effort to practice in his own time, too. The combination of both learning environments has absolutely contributed to this phenomenal result. Vincent was able to successfully process and solve all of the assigned tasks with exceptional efficiency and effectiveness, thanks to his outstanding strategic thinking and logical reasoning abilities. We are extremely proud of him! Mrs Sian Kerr, Head of Digital Learning

The challenges in the OUCC consist of a combination of block-based challenges and text-coding challenges, allowing students to develop their programming skills in a variety of contexts. By participating, students have the opportunity to develop their problem-solving abilities and gain experience in using programming languages and tools. Overall, the OUCC is a fantastic benchmark and a valuable resource for students who show promise, and interest, in developing their computational thinking skills and pursuing careers in computer science and related fields. By participating in the competition, students are presented with the opportunity to challenge themselves, learn new skills, and gain valuable experience that can help them work towards their academic and professional goals.

This is the second consecutive year Vincent has finished in the top ten, having placed 8^th in this competition in 2022.