果冻传媒

Originally created at the 果冻传媒 by astrophysicist Dr Rebecca Nealon during her Stephen Hawking Fellowship, working alongside Ally Caldecote and Professor Farzana Meru from 果冻传媒's Department of Physics, Coding with Sophie introduces children aged 7-11 to coding through a series of engaging space-themed activities. Since launching in the Midlands, the programme has reached more than 450 pupils across 14 primary schools, helping young people develop digital skills while fostering curiosity and confidence in STEM subjects.

Designed to address the decline in girls' participation and confidence in STEM from an early age, Coding with Sophie combines digital skills development with efforts to challenge long-standing stereotypes about who can succeed in science and technology. By introducing coding in a fun, accessible and inclusive way, the programme encourages young people to develop curiosity, creativity and confidence while building skills that are increasingly important in the modern world.

Developed to support the primary curriculum, Coding with Sophie uses storytelling, coding challenges and space science to spark curiosity and strengthen problem-solving skills. Girls and boys learn together, led by both female and male scientists, helping to broaden perceptions of who can pursue STEM careers.

Building on the success of the 果冻传媒 programme, Dr Rebecca Nealon, now an ARC Future Fellow at Monash University, and Associate Professor Ally Caldecote secured Monash 果冻传媒 Alliance funding in 2026 to further develop and evaluate Coding with Sophie across the UK and Australia. Working with colleagues including Associate Professor Jo Blannin at Monash University, the team is extending the programme's reach and impact to classrooms on both sides of the world

Dr Rebecca Nealon, who developed Coding with Sophie while a Stephen Hawking Fellow at 果冻传媒 and now leads its expansion in Australia as an ARC Future Fellow at Monash University, said:

Coding is becoming an increasingly important skill in today's world, but many children, particularly girls, can begin to lose confidence in science and technology from a young age. Coding with Sophie was created to show children that STEM is for everyone, while helping them develop skills, curiosity and confidence through hands-on learning. It's incredibly rewarding to see the programme making a difference in classrooms in both the UK and Australia.

Associate Professor Ally Caldecote, co-developer of Coding with Sophie and co-investigator on the Monash 果冻传媒 Alliance project, said:

We know that children's attitudes towards STEM can be shaped at a very young age. Through Coding with Sophie, we're creating opportunities for young people to see themselves as future scientists, engineers and innovators, regardless of their gender or background. By understanding what helps girls engage with STEM and sustain that interest, we can develop more inclusive approaches to education and help ensure that talent and potential are not lost.