Two weeks ago, the IT Stem club announced in this newsletter that we were encouraging the Year 8 girls to partake in the CyberFirst Competition 2023 run by NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre). This is a government’s initiative to encourage more girls to consider Computer Science as an option at school and a career in cyber security.

The competition splits into five part with each part is called a “Challenge” as named the following:

1. Logic and coding;

2. Networking;

3. Cyber Security;

4. Cryptography;

5. Specialty.

Within each challenge, there are three levels: Beginner, Intermediate and Expert.

We have promoted the event and one Year 8 girl; Lamar Alsaedi would like to take part in this competition. The main purpose for our IT STEM club is to help Lamar to learn about cyber security as she completes the challenges. So, this is a learning journey rather than competing intensely against other competitors.

The competition started at midday on 21st November 2022 and will finish at midday on 30 November 2022. This is the qualifier round and with some hope, Lamar could pass this round and make it to the final. She has been very brave and determined because we are supposed to have four Year 8 girls to form a team. However, as very few Year 8 girls were responded, thus Lamar represents the Bushey Meads school as a team with only one member.

We are very proud of Lamar’s enthusiasm and so far, she has gained 467 points from the Logic and coding challenge!

Teaching staff and fellow students, please encourage and praise Lamar when you see her around the school this week.

As for the IT STEM club, we are pleased that we made a start in partaking in the cyber security competition, we are hoping that there shall be more Year 8 girls to take part in the following year.