The 6-Week Programme – GameForge Guild

Programme Overview

A structured beginner course that takes students from first steps in coding to building a playable game of their own.

Level 1 is designed for complete beginners aged 9–12 and 13+. No coding experience is required.

Students begin with core programming ideas in Java, then move into Processing, a visual coding environment where they can see their code come to life through movement, interaction, and game mechanics.

Each 90-minute session follows a clear rhythm: a short teaching section, guided building, a brain break, and a practical challenge.

Alongside coding, students build problem-solving skills, patience, confidence, and the ability to explain their work clearly.

The programme ends with a Week 6 parent showcase during the final 20–30 minutes of the last session, where students present the games they have built and talk through what they created.

Free

6-week summer course

6 × 90-minute structured sessions
All session materials provided
Small group class sizes of 8-12 students
Week 6 parent showcase event
Level 1 Completion Certificate
DBS-checked instructor
Public Liability Insurance covered

The free summer course will run on Fridays at Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road, Hollingdean, Brighton BN1 7BH. Exact times are TBC with the community centre, expected late morning. Future term-time cohort details are confirmed before booking.

Apply for a Place

Future Guild Progression Path

Level 1 is the current beginner pathway. Later Guild levels describe the intended route as students grow in confidence.

Level 1: Apprentices

Foundations first.
Students learn core programming concepts, complete guided builds, and create their first playable projects. The focus is understanding how code controls behaviour, visuals, and interaction.

Level 2: Builders

From scripts to systems.
Students strengthen their systems thinking, build larger game loops, and begin planning features more independently. This level introduces Unity, including 2D tile systems, 3D models, and basic animation.

Level 3: Architects

Designing with intent.
Students move toward independent problem-solving, stronger code structure, and more polished game delivery. They continue using game engine workflows while learning how ideas become finished, playable experiences.

The Forge: Engineer Path

For students who want to keep building after Level 3.

Students who complete Level 3 earn the title of Forge Engineer and can continue into The Forge: a weekly studio-style space for more advanced young creators.

Students can build their own projects, work in teams, test ideas, share progress, and take on bigger creative and technical challenges.

The instructor remains actively involved throughout, offering guidance, answering questions, and helping students solve problems as they build.

Forge Engineers also present their work, give feedback to others, and learn how real projects develop through planning, testing, teamwork, and iteration.

As the Guild grows, future opportunities such as Brighton studio visits may also be explored.

Week-by-Week Breakdown

Each week has a theme, a goal, and a hands-on build task.

W1 Week 1 – "What Is Code?"

Theme: Code is instructions. Games follow rules.

Goal: Build a Random Number Guessing Game in Java (console).

Students will learn:

What programming is and why it matters
Variables and basic data types (int, String, boolean)
Generating random numbers with Math.random()
Simple conditional logic (if / else)
Building a working text-based game with lives

W2 Week 2 – "How Games Repeat Themselves"

Theme: Games run in loops.

Goal: Introduce while loops and move into Processing to visualise x/y coordinates.

Students will learn:

While loops and loop logic
x/y coordinate systems on screen
First Processing sketch: drawing and moving a shape
How draw() in Processing is a built-in game loop
Making objects move with variables

W3 Week 3 – "From Animation to Game"

Theme: Turning movement into control.

Goal: Add keyboard input and introduce methods to organise code.

Students will learn:

Keyboard input with keyPressed()
Moving a player object with arrow keys
Writing and calling methods to organise code
Simple boundary detection (keeping the player on screen)

W4 Week 4 – "Adding Challenge"

Theme: A game needs something to challenge you.

Goal: Add enemies or falling objects, collision detection, and a lives system.

Students will learn:

Spawning moving objects
Collision detection (bounding box method)
Lives counter and game-over condition
Increasing difficulty over time

W5 Week 5 – "Score, Feedback & Polish"

Theme: Make it feel like a finished product.

Goal: Add scoring, game states, and polish the visual experience.

Students will learn:

Score counter and on-screen display
Game states: title screen, playing, game over
Adding sound, colour, or text feedback
Personal touches and customisation

W6 Week 6 – "Showcase Day" 🎤

Theme: Present what you've built.

Goal: Final game, presentation to parents, and Level 1 Certificate.

Final session: last tweaks and presentation practice
Parents invited to attend the showcase
Students demo their completed games and explain how they work
Each student receives a GameForge Guild Level 1 Completion Certificate

Session Structure

Every 90-minute session follows the same format to balance learning, building, and fun.

🧠

Focused Mini-Lecture (10–15 min)

A short, focused explanation of the week's concept using whiteboard examples and real-world analogies. Kept simple and visual.

💻

Guided Build (40–45 min)

The instructor builds alongside students step by step. Students follow along at their own pace. The goal is always a working result by the end.

🧩

Brain Break (5–10 min)

A quick prediction challenge or discussion question to consolidate learning and encourage creative thinking before moving on.

🚀

Guild Quest (15–20 min)

Faster students take their build further. Others reinforce what they've built. No one is left waiting and no one is left behind.

Available Groups

The free 6-week summer holidays course will run on Fridays at Hollingdean Community Centre. Exact times are TBC with the community centre, expected late morning.

6 weeks · 90 minutes per session · class sizes 8-12. Students build their first playable game and finish with a Week 6 parent showcase.

Term-Time Cohorts

During school terms

Small groups · Details confirmed before booking

Regular beginner groups for young creators ready to build their first playable game.

Summer Holidays Programme

Free 6-week course

Fridays · Time TBC · Expected late morning

A free 6-week route into coding and game making at Hollingdean Community Centre, Thompson Road, Hollingdean, Brighton BN1 7BH.

⚠️ Places Are Limited

Each group is designed for 8-12 students to ensure a high-quality, focused learning experience. Apply now to register interest; places are limited.

What Students Need

Minimal requirements. Just enthusiasm and willingness to try.

✅ Required

Laptop (preferably a personal/family device so work can continue at home)
Pen and pad (writing reinforces retention and learning)
Willingness to learn
Love of games and technology

If a student does not have access to a laptop, families may contact us and a spare device can be arranged where possible.

ℹ️ No Prior Experience Needed

The Level 1 programme is designed for complete beginners. Students who have used Scratch, Roblox Studio, or basic Python will find they pick things up faster, but no prior knowledge is assumed.

Ready to Sign Up?

Apply for the free Friday 6-week summer course at Hollingdean Community Centre or register interest in a future term-time cohort. Places are limited.

Apply for a Place →