South West Computational Thinking Cup
On the 22nd of November, Millfield buzzed with excitement as over 100 enthusiastic students from across the South West in Year 7-9 gathered to compete in a series of intellectually stimulating puzzle challenges. West Buckland School entered six teams of three students; four teams in the A team competition and two teams in the B team competition. The event, inspired by the Bebras Computing Challenge, featured five distinct puzzles, each designed to test the students’ problem-solving skills, logical thinking and teamwork.
The day began with a brief introduction to the rules and objectives of the challenges. The students, divided into small groups, eagerly anticipated the tasks ahead. Each puzzle challenge lasted 20 minutes, providing just enough time for the students to immerse themselves in the problems and collaborate on solutions.
Challenge 1: Pattern Matching The first challenge required students to recognize patterns to solve a riddle. Teams were provided with sequence puzzles or visual patterns and had to deduce the next element. This included number sequences, shapes, or grid-based puzzles. For example, students tackled sequences like (4, 7, 12, 19, 28…) and worked to find the next three terms and derive a general formula for the nth term. This challenge honed their pattern recognition and logical reasoning skills.
Challenge 2: Algorithm Design Next up was a task focused on breaking a task down into smaller steps to create a set of instructions. Students were given scenarios such as programming a robot to move through a maze and had to write clear instructions to guide the robot from start to finish. For instance, they navigated a 5×5 grid with obstacles, crafting step-by-step algorithms like “Move forward 2 spaces, turn right, move forward 3 spaces.” This challenge emphasized algorithm design and problem decomposition.
Challenge 3: Logic Puzzles The third challenge involved applying logical reasoning to solve problems. Teams faced classic logic puzzles, such as the “river-crossing” problem where a farmer must transport a wolf, sheep, and cabbage across a river without leaving the wolf and sheep alone. Another example was determining which cards to flip to verify a rule about vowels and even numbers. This task required deductive reasoning and logical thinking.
Challenge 4: Decomposition Puzzles In the fourth challenge, students tackled larger problems by breaking them down into smaller parts and solving them sequentially. They engaged in story-based puzzles similar to escape rooms, where solving one puzzle revealed clues or tools for the next. For example, they solved riddles, pattern puzzles, and logic challenges to unlock a combination lock, with each step providing part of the final answer. This challenge developed their decomposition and problem-solving skills.
Challenge 5: Debugging Challenges The final challenge focused on identifying and fixing errors in a set of instructions. Teams were given broken algorithms, such as a set of instructions that would cause a robot to crash into a wall, and had to debug them. For instance, they corrected a faulty algorithm for a robot in a 3×3 grid: “Move forward 3 spaces, turn right, move forward 2 spaces,” identifying that the robot would crash into the wall. This task sharpened their debugging skills and attention to detail.
As the day drew to a close, the students were treated to a presentation by tablet academy about the skills required for the future and why computing skills are so important.
Afterwards, the students gathered to reflect on their experiences. The atmosphere was one of camaraderie and achievement, with everyone celebrating their collective efforts and individual successes. The event was a resounding success, leaving the students inspired and eager for more opportunities to challenge their minds.
All our teams did incredibly well but West Buckland team 6 were the winners of the B team competition. Well done to Tilly, Martha and Evelyn.
Thank you to Mrs Brown for accompanying us on the trip.
Mrs Christine Hamilton – Head of Academic Aspiration
