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Newham Collegiate’s Innovative Summer Coding Course Taught by Accomplished Alumni

Students gain hands-on Python programming skills from accomplished graduates Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed.

News, Photo Gallery, Video
August 7, 2023
NCS and MIT graduates Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed outside Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre
NCS and MIT graduates Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed return to teach coding to our current students
  • Newham Collegiate’s Inspiring Summer Coding Course: Accomplished MIT alumni, Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed, return to teach an intensive summer coding course at the prestigious Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre.
  • Hands-On Python Programming Experience: Over four weeks, around 60 pupils were guided by Tafsia and Isuf in hands-on Python projects, offering practical insights into advanced coding and computational thinking skills.
  • Developing Problem-Solving Mindset: The coding course allowed students to enhance their computational thinking abilities, emphasising problem-solving skills through practical application and personal guidance.
  • Students Rave About Inspiring Experience: Students described the course as enriching and enjoyable, providing opportunities to develop problem-solving skills and gain insights into the coding sector.

Accomplished MIT Grads Inspire Students

This summer, Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre, one of the best sixth forms in London for student outcomes, launched an intensive coding course taught by two of its accomplished alumni, Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed. After graduating from MIT, these impressive role models returned to their former school to share their passion for computer science.

“We have a lot of great young people who just need to believe in themselves. And that’s all I really wanted to tell these young people, just believe in yourself and you can do it,” said Tafsia, exemplifying the course’s mission to inspire ambitious futures.

Alumni perspectives on coding (videos)

Hands-On Python Programming Course

For four weeks, Tafsia and Isuf guided around 60 pupils in hands-on Python projects modelled after their own MIT coursework. By experiencing advanced coding firsthand, students gained skills not typically taught in sixth forms as part of Newham Collegiate’s NCS Engineering School

According to Isuf, “Coding is just becoming essential and pretty much everywhere right now. So getting a head start will never, ever be a bad idea. It helps you to develop a different way of thinking.”

Coding Course Develops Problem-Solving Mindset

The coding course allowed students like Zakariyah to expand their computational thinking abilities. “Learning from Ms Shikdar made it easier because it was quite like teaching at The NCS and she was willing to have one-to-one with students to help understand the areas which we struggled,” he explained.

Students Rave About Inspiring Experience

Fatima described the course as “a very enriching and enjoyable experience because it allowed me to develop my problem solving skills further for a different kind of problem where I create my own solution to solve a problem.”

Zeeshan added, “It is also thoroughly enjoyable because the teacher talks about how she personally got into the coding sector by going to universities in the USA and UK.”

School Aims to Continue Innovative Course

ith Newham Collegiate’s glowing feedback, the coding course taught by accomplished alumni is slated to continue next summer. “I want to do my best to help out the community I came from and the communities around me and give them a better chance at doing whatever they want to do once they leave,” Isuf said.

By returning to inspire students, Tafsia Shikdar and Isuf Mohammed exemplify Newham Collegiate’s commitment to unlocking its students’ potential. The innovative coding course is just one of the stand-out offerings that make Newham Collegiate Sixth Form Centre a transformational environment.

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