2nd – 6th July at Magna Rotherham

Yes that’s right – free, which is why there’s not much time get book your places. This is a national event with schools from all over the country taking part but as it’s in Rotherham, we’d like to make sure that YHGfL schools make the most of this fantastic opportunity. Sign up for as much or as little as you want. Take your pupils or just go yourself, it’s all free and runs over 5 days so loads to choose from:

• 5 days of hands-on interactive and inspiring workshops and lectures from leading figures in education and industry.
• Fully inclusive workshop schedule – from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 5.
• A fully engaged curriculum – Coding/Programmer/Computer Science, Art, Maths, Physics, English, Drama.
• 750+ workshop places and 2000+ activity places – applications encouraged from schools across the country.
• 250 CPD opportunities for teachers and educators to develop existing and new digital skills taking game creation back into the classroom.
• Industry-lead careers surgeries, vital advice and guidance for schools and young people.

For every you need to get the most out of this event, visit the website or download the Planning Your Visit document. They’ve even done your visit risk assessment for you!

http://www.gamesbritannia.com/2012/assets/planningyourvisit.pdf

http://www.gamesbritannia.com/2012/index.php

Following the fantastic success of the last 2 years, Childnet have just announced the launch of their third annual Film Competition for young people aged 7-16.

The shortlisted finalists from each category will be invited to go to London on Monday 9^th July where they will attend a private screening of their film at the British Film Institute. The winners will receive lots of fabulous prizes for their school!

 At a glance

Competition opens: Monday 16^th April 2012 @ 9am

Competition closes: Friday 15^th June 2012 @5pm

Finalists notified: Friday 22nd June 2012

Screening & finalist event: Monday 9^th July 2011

For more information and to register visit the Childnet website:

http://childnet.com/film-2012/

Tickets for workshops, talks and for entry into the REPLAYED arena are now available to Games Britannia registrants on a first-come-first-served basis.

Additions To The Schedule

Games Brittania are delighted to announce that Alex Warren will be delivering two Creative Writing/Literacy/Puzzle Solving workshops using Quest his free Text Adventure creation tool, and Bruce Grove, the General Manager of OnLive UK will be talking about the future of gaming – specifically cloud based systems that are set to revoluntionise how we play videogames at home and on the move.

Star Wars videogame writer comes to Sheffield

A Sheffield Hallam University graduate who now lives in Austin, Texas, is returning to the city to pass on her experiences of working on one of the world’s largest multiplayer online video games.

Jo Berry, who studied a master’s in creative writing at Sheffield Hallam, is a writer on Star WarsTM: The Old RepublicTM, a ‘massively multiplayer online role-playing game’ based in the Star Wars universe.

For more information and to book your free places:

http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/org/1178088293?s=7706373

Are you starting to hear things about Kodu? Interested in finding out more? The Microsoft Schools UK blog has some case studies, stories from teachers and links to the free download.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukschools/archive/2011/05/11/kodu-bringing-fun-to-learning-in-the-classroom.aspx

If you’re a YHGfL member don’t forget you can request a free online training session to get you started on Kodu. Simply email us and we’ll make all the necessary arrangements.

contact@yhgfl.net

UK’s founding father of interactive entertainment to open videogame festival

The co-author of the Livingstone-Hope Next Gen report in 2011, which prompted the government to address ICT in schools, will officially open the Games Britannia videogames education and careers festival in July.

Ian Livingstone OBE, co-creator of the Fighting Fantasy series of interactive adventure books, has given the festival organisers the go-ahead to run a Fighting Fantasy themed workshop. The session, which Ian will help facilitate, will show children how interactive fiction can bring the art of story-telling to videogames.

Ian said: “Interactive fiction is becoming more prevalent in games as players look for deeper, more engaging story-telling and increased scope for decision-making.

“The Games Britannia festival will give children a real look at how videogames involve writing skills and story-telling to create interactive fiction. I hope the Fighting Fantasy workshops will promote a passion for literature and encourage sometimes reluctant readers and writers to …read and write!”

The Fighting Fantasy series of workshops will showcase a new interactive fiction tool, created with writers and schools in mind and completely free of charge, by new creative start-up company inkle

Created by a pair of former videogame developers, Jon Ingold and Joseph Humfrey, inklewriter requires no set-up, no programming and no drawing diagrams – and it enables young people to write and share interactive literature.

Co-creator Jon Ingold said: “Before founding inkle, Joe and I both worked in the videogame industry and we know first-hand the importance of events like Games Britannia, to get kids thinking about how games work and how they’re made.

“It’s a real treat for us to be involved, especially in collaboration with Ian and Fighting Fantasy. We can’t wait to see what the students make with our inklewriter tool!”

Ian Livingstone will also be showcasing his brand new Fighting Fantasy title at the festival, called Blood of the Zombies.

The videogames education and careers festival will take place from 2 to 8 July at the MAGNA Science Adventure Centre, and will celebrate the strength of the UK industry and inspire the next generation of British videogame talent. The festival includes Games Britannia: REPLAYED, which opens the Games Britannia doors to the public for a weekend of games-based learning and entertainment.

Games Britannia, incorporating Games Britannia: REPLAYED, is organised by a partnership including Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, Sheffield Hallam University, Brinsworth Comprehensive School Academy Trust, Replay Events and UK Interactive Entertainment, and is backed by industry companies including Sony Computer Entertainment Europe.

To find out more about the festival, visit  www.gamesbritannia.com/2012/

April 15 marks the centenary of the Titanic disaster. Schools throughout the British Isles will explore their links with Titanic’s story.

There are many Titanic links throughout our region. For example, Harrogate was home to Wallace Hartley, leader of Titanic’s Band. As the Titanic sank, Hartley and the band famously continued to play, calming passengers as they boarded lifeboats.

YHGfL will help schools exploring the Titanic story through a series of on-line workshops and events, exploring the FREE online resource www.thewreckofthetitanic.com.

Some spaces still available BOOK NOW.

22 February 2012

Control is an area that many schools struggle with teaching and software and resources can prove very expensive. This free session will look at different software that is freely available for teaching control. From simple roamer style robot activities through to more complex blocks and flow charts.

Starting at 4:00 this session will last approximately 45 minutes and be conducted through Adobe Connect. All you will need is access to a computer and a set of headphones. If you aren’t sure what to do we will happily run a quick test session with you first.

Click HERE for further  information and booking form

29th February 2012

Scratch is a very versatile free programming tool, which can be used to create animations, games, music and art. In this online workshop, you will learn how to use Scratch to produce a short animation and you will look at how the software can be used for more complex, interactive animations too.

Starting at 4:00 this session will last approximately 45 minutes and be conducted through Adobe Connect. All you will need is access to a computer and a set of headphones. If you aren’t sure what to do we will happily run a quick test session with you first.

Click HERE for further  information and the booking form.

22 February 2012

Control is an area that many schools struggle with teaching and software and resources can prove very expensive. This free session will look at different software that is freely available for teaching control. From simple roamer style robot activities through to more complex blocks and flow charts.

Starting at 4:00 this session will last approximately 45 minutes and be conducted through Adobe Connect. All you will need is access to a computer and a set of headphones. If you aren’t sure what to do we will happily run a quick test session with you first.

Click HERE for further  information and the online booking form

8 Febuary 2012

To support Safer Internet Day 2012 this online session will look at some of the latest issues around eSafeguarding for schools. Covering Ofsted, policy and behaviour it will be packed with useful information and sources of support for schools. After the formal session delegates will be able to take the opportunity to stay online for a further online eSafeguarding surgery where they can raise issues and ask any questions on any aspect of eSafeguarding.

Starting at 4:00 This session will last approximately 45 minutes and be conducted through Adobe Connect. All you will need is access to a computer and a set of headphones. If you aren’t sure what to do we will happily run a quick test session with you first.

Click HERE for further  information and booking form