Winter Coding Competition

Theme: A Whole New World

June/July 2025
Build a cool project Teach us how to build it Win exclusive RocketHour swag
Final Submission Deadline - 20 July, Midnight
Scratch coding competition illustration

Dear RocketHour Student

The Winter Coding competition is a chance for you to flex your coding muscles in an environment with no tutor support. This is a big challenge - things go wrong - and there is nobody there to help out. This can be frustrating, but, it is also an incredible learning opportunity.

What do you need to do?

You may work on any Scratch project you dream up - it can be an app, a website, a game - even a short story or animation. There are few restrictions on what you can build (see rules below). There is, however, a theme to inspire you.

Remember, the competition is meant to help you learn - it is not about winning. It is about having fun, learning through mistakes and throwing yourself into something difficult.

Carefully read through the rest of this website to get a sense of what you should focus on.

I hope you enjoy the journey,

John - RocketHour CEO

John

RocketHour CEO & Head of Learning

Competition Details

Theme

A Whole New World!

Your spaceship descends on a new planet? Or perhaps you step through a mirror to the other side? Robots take over the planet? Anything is up for grabs with this completely open ended theme.

Dates

  • Submissions Open: Monday 7 July, 9am
  • Submissions Close: Sunday 20 July, Midnight
  • Live Online Showcase: Thursday 7 August, 7pm

Prizes

  • 1st place: RocketHour Hoodie + sticker pack + certificate
  • Runners up: RocketHour T-shirt + sticker pack + certificate
  • Participation: Digital Certificate and Portfolio

The Five Rules

1

Learning over winning

The aim is to learn to build independently. Winning is a bonus.

2

Keep it family friendly

All submissions will be shared with the full RocketHour family.

3

There is no help

RocketHour staff are not available to assist. You can always start again!

4

Be creative with the theme

The theme is there to inspire you - take it in any direction.

5

There are no other rules

Got a question? The answer is "YES!"

The Submission Process

Submissions open Monday 7 July Please read carefully before submitting

Your Scratch Project

You will need to submit the link to your final Scratch project. Note, you can still do this even if your project is broken or incomplete.

How to Video

You will need to submit a 2 minute video teaching the audience how to build a project just like yours. Focus on the tricky bits.

Bug Battle Video

You will need to submit a 2 minute video telling us the story of some challenges you had with your project. What went wrong?

Judging Criteria

Communication

Are your videos well structured, easy to follow and well articulated.

Creativity

Is your work playful, original and full of life.

Craftsmanship

Is your work well polished with attention to detail?

A Learning Journey

Do your videos show us you have learned something?