Children as young as six-years-old will soon be learning computer programming as part of the national curriculum.
And many of them will be trained on an innovative new product called the Fuze which has been created in Buckinghamshire.
Founder and designer of the Fuze is Jon Silvera, managing director of Binary Distribution – a small company employing seven people and based on a farm in Wotton Underwood.
Mr Silvera said: “Computer programming will be included in the curriculum throughout key stages one, two, three and four from September. This was driven by education secretary Michael Gove, although he can’t take all the credit.
“There has been a little panic reaction in the last couple of years, a sudden realisation that we are under skilled in programming skills.”
By lucky coincidence Mr Silvera had been working on a design to help his own children Molly, 11, and Gracie, 10, with programming, and so was perfectly placed to react to the government’s new targets.
The Fuze is powered by the Raspberry Pi, and Mr Silvera has already sold 450 units to schools here and individuals overseas.
Production has helped the local economy as the powder coating, packaging and printing is all done in Aylesbury.
In addition to appealing to educational establishments, Mr Silvera hopes families will also be inclined to buy the Fuze to help prepare their children for the new addition to the national curriculum.
The Fuze costs from £69.99 to £179 depending on whether it is bought with or without project cards and the Raspberry Pi which powers it. It is available from Amazon.