CHILDREN from a Forest primary school have been given an insight into the fascinating world of robotics.

The Years Five and Six pupils from Parkend Primary School worked with staff and students at the Dean Academy in Lydney.

The children were able to develop ‘basic control’ skills and knowledge in an hour-long class led by the Dean Academy’s head of computing Mr Richard Wells.

They worked with ‘Spheros’ and ‘Obots’ which were on loan from Gloucestershire Cyber Hub.

The pupils first wor-ked with the Spheros, which are computer- controlled balls.

They initially used an iPad to control the spheres before going onto more complex work involving making them move by drawing simple and complex shapes.

The excited youngsters then used simple programming to control the spheres, including making them travel along a line in the classroom – which was more challenging than it sounds.

They then went on to work with the Obots, which are ‘heads’.

The children used programming to move the Obots, change their eye colour and even speak.

Parkend teacher Hea-ther Wright set up the visit working with Mr Firth Edy at the Dean Academy “in order to enable the children to increase their understanding, knowledge and skills for the future.”

“The children will be able to apply their problem-solving skills in many areas of the curriculum to take their learning forward,” she said.

“We would like the children at Parkend to have many practical opportunities to increase their knowledge of the world.

“The staff at the Dean Academy have been brilliant in welcoming and enthusing our students and we hope to build on this partnership going forward.”

Parkend governor Karen Aldridge assisted with the trip to the Dean Academy.

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