Langley locals release their inner (code) ninja
On Saturday 19th September, Code Ninjas Langley celebrated its grand opening, welcoming a crowd of excited young ninjas. The brand-new coding studio, based at Langley College, has been set up by two local couples, Biraj and Sital Nakarja and Raman and Karnvir Bath. As well as a group of excited ninjas, the launch was also attended by some noticeable local faces, one being the Mayor of Slough, Councillor Preston Brooker.
The socially distanced launch party featured a real-life ninja, a selfie wall and ninja bread men, all to celebrate the opening of the area's first children’s coding studio. Mayor Preston Brooker said, "I wish Code Ninjas Langley all the best in their adventure. In a time when we are still worried about the pandemic and its effects on our local businesses, it's great to see this new studio launch.
"Coding is the future. Learning about computers at such a young age is crucial because it helps build the vital foundations for future success. So many people who start coding at a young age have far advanced problem-solving skills in later life. It will also help when you get to my age. I still have to ask my daughter how to turn on the computer!"
One of the co-owners, Biraj expressed his excitement at the launch saying, "It's so exciting to get all the ninjas into our dojo finally. We provide them with an alternative form of education that they aren't getting at school or any other extracurricular programmes.
"We’re something different for parents who want their kids to enjoy learning an area not taught in mainstream education. At Code Ninjas, we aim to teach children to think and solve STEM problems using coding. This kind of education is vital, especially after all the school our kids have missed recently. We also look to provide parents with a convenient service. Code Ninjas prides itself on not just being really fun, but also very educational."
Ninjas are allowed to attend up to two sessions a week and can do them at times that are convenient to the whole family. This means you don't have to attend sessions on the same day and time every week. The sessions include CREATE and Junior, which children 5-14 will be able to work through after school and on weekends. The team will also offer coding camps over the school holidays from Monday to Friday. There will also be birthday parties and ‘Parents Night Out’ events available.
Someone who experienced the fun of Code Ninjas first-hand was Ruben, aged 7, "The best part was that I could make things on the computer and do loads of creative stuff. Everyone was friendly, and I had a fun time."
Faraz Qureshi, the dad of one of Langley’s newest ninjas, said, "We brought our child here because coding helps develop logical thinking, problem-solving, and instils confidence in children. Technology is the future - it makes sense to me to introduce my children to it at an early age.”
Another parent, Aman, was impressed with the studio's staff, "They‘re helping promote the use of teamwork and creative thinking. Social distancing measures made me feel confident to bring my children back as well. I was very impressed.”
The studio is also helping the community in terms of youth employment, having already taken on seven college and university students as their senseis. To sign up or find out more about Code Ninjas, Visit: https://www.codeninjas.co.uk/langley-brk-uk
Editor’s notes- For more information, or to speak with Biraj, Sital, Raman or Karnvir contact Kelly Ayres at Rev PR on 07895 876745 or email kelly@revpr.co.uk
Images available: A large selection of photos from the event available