Jam Coding is officially 12!

Since we started back in 2014, a lot has changed. Technology has moved at an incredible pace, the digital skills children need have evolved, and Jam Coding has grown right alongside it – and sometimes even ahead of it!

What started with a simple mission to make computing exciting and accessible for young people has grown into something much bigger. From after school clubs and an award-winning computing curriculum to holiday provision, teacher CPD and nationwide coding competitions, we’ve found more and more ways to inspire the next generation of digital citizens.

So, to celebrate our 12th birthday, we’re looking back at 12 things we’re incredibly proud to have achieved along the way.

1. We created a whole world of after school clubs

Our after school offering has come a very long way!

What started with a simple eSafety workshop has developed into a huge range of clubs designed to show children just how creative technology can be.

Today, children can explore everything from coding, robotics and game building to AI, animation, digital design, web development and Minecraft – and even more unexpected digital skills like DJing!

Because that’s something we’ve learned over the past 12 years: there really is no limit to what children can create with technology.

Our clubs aren’t just about learning to code. They’re about giving children the chance to experiment, discover new interests and develop digital skills while having a brilliant time doing it.

2. We created our very own computing curriculum

One of our biggest achievements has been developing the Jam Coding Bespoke Computing Curriculum.

We wanted to create an alternative approach to computing that would get children genuinely excited about the subject from the very beginning of their education.

That means making computing practical, imaginative and fun. From as early as Year 1, children can be introduced to concepts such as robotics through engaging activities using equipment such as animal floor robots, before progressing through an exciting range of digital skills as they move through primary school.

Our curriculum covers all eight pedagogical strands of the National Curriculum, with Digital Citizenship embedded throughout.

Computing doesn’t have to mean sitting in front of a screen writing lines of code. It can be creative, collaborative, practical and seriously exciting.

3. We created a CPD tool that supports teachers too

We didn’t just want to create a great computing curriculum for children. We wanted it to make a difference for teachers as well.

Computing is constantly evolving, and we know that keeping up with new technology, terminology and resources can be challenging, particularly for primary school teachers who are expected to teach across so many different subjects.

That’s why teacher development became an important part of our approach.

Our curriculum provides teachers with the resources and subject knowledge they need, while CPD helps build their confidence in delivering each area of computing.

It means we’re not only helping children develop essential digital skills; we’re helping to leave schools with greater computing knowledge and confidence too.

4. We became an award-winning learning provider 🏆

It’s always lovely when the work you’re passionate about gets recognised, and we’ve been incredibly proud to pick up some pretty special awards along the way.

In 2024, Jam Coding received recognition including the Learning Innovation Award at the Learning Awards, the Commitment to Skills Award at the Red Rose Awards and Best Coding & Computing Skills Workshop Provider from SME News.

Then, in 2025, came a particularly special moment when Jam Coding was named Learning Provider of the Year at the Learning Awards.

Not bad for something that started in Blackburn, Lancashire, 12 years ago!

But as proud as we are of the trophies, what they represent means much more: recognition of the work our teams do every day to make digital education exciting and accessible for young people.

5. We established holiday clubs across the UK

Learning shouldn’t have to stop when school finishes for the holidays.

Over the years, we’ve established holiday clubs across our growing UK network, giving children another opportunity to get creative with technology outside the classroom.

Our involvement in funded holiday provision has been particularly important to us. Through programmes including HAF, eligible children can access enriching activities during the school holidays that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to experience.

Our holiday provision combines digital learning with offline activities like sports and arts and crafts, creating safe, social and enriching experiences for children.

Increasing access to digital education is a huge part of our mission, and this is an area we want to continue growing.

6. We launched Computing Labs

We also wanted to give children somewhere they could take their interest in computing even further.

Enter: Jam Coding Computing Labs.

These independent computing sessions take place outside school hours and give children another opportunity to develop their digital skills alongside the computing education they receive at school.

For children who have discovered that technology is their thing, Computing Labs give them somewhere to keep exploring, creating and learning.

Just as children might attend football training, dance classes or music lessons to develop a skill they’re passionate about, we believe they should have the same opportunity with computing.

After all, these are skills that could open up an incredible number of opportunities in their future.

7. We built an amazing network of Code Coaches

None of what we do would be possible without the people who bring Jam Coding into classrooms and communities every day.

Over the years, we’ve built a nationwide network of Code Coaches who share one goal: helping young people develop the skills and confidence they’ll need in an increasingly digital world.

Our Code Coaches don’t simply teach children how to use technology. They encourage them to experiment, solve problems, ask questions, be creative and discover what they’re capable of.

And we’re incredibly proud of the community we’ve built around that mission.

8. We grew from a small North West business into a nationwide network

Jam Coding was established in Blackburn in 2014.

Twelve years later, you’ll find Jam Coding teams delivering digital education in communities across the UK.

Our network has continued to grow through passionate local teams and franchise partners who understand their communities and share our belief that every child should have the opportunity to develop essential digital skills.

That growth means we’re able to work with more schools, employ more Code Coaches and, most importantly, introduce more children to the possibilities technology can offer.

We’ve come a long way from where we started, but there are still plenty more communities we want to reach.

9. We created Code Jam

What happens when you bring together coding, creativity, teamwork, problem-solving and a little friendly competition?

Code Jam!

We created our nationwide coding competition to give primary school children the opportunity to put their skills to the test, work together and experience the excitement of creating something with code.

Schools from across the UK can get involved, with teams taking on coding challenges and the top competitors progressing all the way to a live final.

Code Jam has become another way for us to create a real buzz around computing and show children that coding isn’t something they simply have to learn – it’s something they can genuinely enjoy.

Want to get involved? Primary schools can enter Code Jam 2027 here.

10. We’ve brought computing into hundreds of schools

One of the achievements we’re most proud of isn’t a product or an award. It’s simply how many classrooms we’ve been welcomed into.

Over the past 12 years, Jam Coding has worked with hundreds of school venues, delivering coding and computing experiences to children across the UK.

Every new school represents another group of children getting the opportunity to explore technology in a creative, engaging way.

Whether that’s through an after school club, curriculum lesson, enrichment day, digital safety workshop or another Jam Coding experience, every session takes us another step towards our mission of making high-quality digital education accessible to more young people.

11. We created more ways than ever for children to discover technology

One thing has become very clear over the past 12 years: there isn’t just one way to get a child excited about technology.

Some children love coding. Some love robots. Others discover their passion through animation, Minecraft, game creation, digital art or AI.

That’s why Jam Coding has continued to evolve.

Children can now experience Jam Coding during school lessons, after school, during the holidays and through Computing Labs, enrichment activities and even digital birthday parties.

For us, it’s about finding that spark.

A child might arrive thinking computing isn’t for them and leave having discovered something they absolutely love.

That’s what makes it worthwhile.

12. We’ve never lost sight of why we started ❤️

Perhaps our biggest achievement of all is that, despite everything that’s changed over the past 12 years, our mission hasn’t.

Digital skills are life skills.

Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of how we learn, work, communicate and live. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in that world, regardless of their background or circumstances.

That’s why bridging the digital divide and creating equal access to digital opportunities continues to sit at the heart of Jam Coding.

Whether that’s through funded holiday provision, bringing specialist equipment into schools, supporting teachers or simply helping a child realise that they’re actually really good at coding, it’s all part of the same mission we started with 12 years ago.

Here’s to the next 12!

Twelve years of coding.

Twelve years of creativity.

Twelve years of robots, games, animations, big ideas, brilliant Code Coaches and countless moments where a child has created something and proudly said, “Look what I made!”

We’re incredibly proud of how far Jam Coding has come, but we’re even more excited about where we’re going next.

Technology certainly isn’t slowing down, and neither are we.

Happy 12th birthday, Jam Coding. Here’s to the next 12 years of inspiring the next generation of digital citizens!