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What is Espresso Coding?

  •  What is Espresso Coding?

    Espresso Coding is a simple way for pupils to learn to code and create their own programs/apps. It includes:
    • The software
    • Support videos
    • Ready made activity packs/projects
    • Additional support materials

  •  Who is it aimed at?

    Espresso Coding is for all primary pupils and teachers. It is very simple to get started with, yet teaches pupils how to use advanced concepts like variables. Pupils can even use it to build their own apps.

  •  What will children learn from using it?

    Pupils will learn the skills they need to start coding and creating their own programs/apps.

  •  Why do we need to teach coding?

    The subject of ICT is being replaced by Computing in the English Curriculum and will need to be taught from September 2014. While aspects of ICT will continue, the Computing programme of study places a large emphasis on teaching Year 1 pupils to learn to code.

  •  What learning objectives does Espresso Coding cover in the new Computing Curriculum subject?

    It gives significant coverage of the objectives in the new curriculum. Please visit this page for more information.

  •  What is different about Espresso Coding compared to other services?

    • Compared to other services it is much simpler to use
    • Only the options/code needed for each lesson/activity are offered
    • Support videos and other materials are provided (linked to the National Curriculum)
    • It is highly graphical and provides simple feedback on errors that are made
    • It is much more powerful (you can make an app with it and instantly share it with other learners, teachers and parents, or even the world)
    • It works on many types of computers and devices (including iPads)

  •  Will all the staff in my school be able to use it?

    Yes. It is designed to be used by all teachers. While there will be more confident teachers using more complex software to run coding/programming clubs, Espresso Coding is a program that all teachers can use and we offer CPD for those teachers who might need extra support. It also gives more confident teachers ways to extend pupils learning, and publish their own apps.

  •  What age groups is it designed for?

    It is designed for KS1 & KS2 pupils, although many Reception pupils will also be able to use it. Teachers may find it a useful introduction at KS3. We are working on a more sophisticated service for KS3 pupils. Please let us know if you are interested.

  •  The new National Curriculum says my KS1 pupils need to understand algorithms. Help!

    Don't worry! This is one of the reasons we developed Espresso Coding. An algorithm is just the set of steps or way you solve a problem. Coding is about making computers solve problems, step by step. Espresso Coding shows your pupils (and you) how to do this.

  •  Will there be an open environment for pupils to code in?

    Yes, although to minimise distraction and ensure pupils embed the appropriate learning objectives, this area will be restricted depending on which year group are accessing it.

  •  Can I really make an app with it?

    Yes, a web app. Subscribers to the full service will have their own school space where pupils can publish their apps. We have made it as safe as we can. Pupils cannot add their own photos, so what they can publish is restricted.

How do I order? / I need help completing the order form

  •  I'm having technical problems filling in the online form

    To order online, you will need to use one of the web browsers below:


    We are committed to ensuring that Espresso Coding works on older browsers, operating systems and computers. However, if you are using Internet Explorer 7 or 8 on an older operating system or computer (such as Windows XP), we recommend downloading a modern browser, if possible. We have ensured that Internet Explorer 8 is fully supported for the lessons and activities but we recommend using IE9 or IE10 to order online. 

    If you are having issues filling in the form in Internet Explorer, it could be because you are viewing the site with compatibility mode turned on. Please ensure that compatibility mode is switched off. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.

  •  My Local Authority does not appear in the list / I cannot find my DfE

    Local Authority
    If you are an Independent school and not part of a Local Authority, please select the Local Authority you are within, not necessarily associated to. This is purely so the system can identify the area you are in. Please select "International" if you are overseas: there are options for Europe and ROW (Rest of the World).

    For MOD or BFPO schools, please select Ministry of Defence from the Local Authority drop down.

    Department for Education (DfE) No.
    If your school office is unable to provide your school's 4 digit DfE number, you can look it up here: http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase. Once you locate your school by entering the school name or postcode, it will show you your establishment number, which is your DfE number.

    For International schools, please contact us on espressocoding@espresso.co.uk for the DFE number that you should enter.

    For Scottish schools that have a 7 digit Seed number, please enter the full 7 digits.

  •  Who is authorised to complete the form and what is the role of the Administrator?

    Main Contact details
    The person completing this form should be authorised to enter the school into a contract with the Espresso Group for the Espresso Coding service. This person will be asked to read and agree to the terms & conditions of the contract further on in the form before finally submitting it. If you do not see your job title on the drop down list, please select the closest in nature to your role or email us with any queries. For security reasons, we ask for a school email address. Personal email addresses will not be accepted.

    Administrator details
    The title "Administrator" refers to the role this person will carry out in managing and setting up teacher accounts for Espresso Coding, rather than that person's school job title. This does not need to be the person leading or teaching Espresso Coding within the school and could be the school's ICT Coordinator, ICT Technician or School Secretary. It is not a highly technical role and we provide full instructions upon submission of the order form. The administrator will need a list of each teacher's school email address to set up the individual accounts; for security reasons personal email addresses will not be accepted. If you have questions relating to email addresses, please email them to us and we will be in touch.

    If you have questions relating to the above, please email your query to schoolsupport@espresso.co.uk and we will contact you to discuss them.

  •  I have a query about contract dates and pupil numbers

    Contract dates
    As the initial contract is a period of free access, the dates are fixed regardless of the activation date. Details of your renewal will be sent to you 60 days prior to the renewal date. Please refer to the "Invoice and Renewal questions" section of the FAQs.

    Number of pupils
    This is the number of Full Time Equivalent primary pupils on your school roll at the point of order. Espresso Coding is a whole-school resource which includes resources that cover from Year 1 to Year 6 (Primary 1 to 7 in Scotland).

  •  What is included in CPD?

    Please note: CPD is currently only available in England.

    CPD/Training sessions

    Our interactive CPD sessions explore the English 2014 National Curriculum requirement to teach Computer Programming and how Espresso Coding can support the introduction of this new area of the curriculum into the primary classroom. 'Hands on' is an important element of the sessions and teachers will learn important programming constructs through creating and sharing simple programs of their own. Delivered by experienced primary teachers specialising in this area, Espresso Coding CPD is designed to be confidence-building, equipping teachers with the knowledge and ability to be able to teach this element of Computing effectively at KS1 and KS2.

    Session objectives include:

    • The 2014 curriculum for 'Computing' including progression from KS1 to KS2
    • Key terms used in the teaching of computer programming
    • How to program to a level that is required by the 2014 curriculum
    • Hands-on guidance on Espresso Coding: a program that has been designed to support the teaching of the new objectives
    • How to plan computing lessons using a scheme of work for Y1 to Y6 written specifically to meet the 2014 curriculum requirements

    We would recommend that teachers who have no experience of coding will benefit from at least a half day or two twilight sessions. If you want a more in-depth focus on coding or have teachers you feel need more support, a whole day can be booked.

    • Twilight session (up to 1.5 hours) @ £350
    • Half a day (am or pm - 3 hours) @ £400
    • Full day (6 hours) @ £700

    We recommend you book online with your initial Coding order, which you can do here.

  •  I am not a school, how do I order Espresso Coding?

    Unfortunately, Espresso Coding is only available to schools. If you are a parent, please register your interest with your child's school.

  •  I am a Local Authority advisor, how do I order Espresso Coding?

    Please email your request to espressocoding@espresso.co.uk and we will be in touch. 

  •  What happens after I sign up for Espresso Coding?

    You will receive an order confirmation email and a welcome email which includes your activation details. 

    If you have pre-ordered CPD, our dedicated CPD team will be in touch to help create your bespoke CPD and book a date.

     

CPD / Training information

  •  I am an Espresso Primary customer, can I use my Espresso Primary CPD entitlement for Coding CPD?

    No. Espresso Coding is a separate service and the CPD is a separate offering.

  •  How many can attend the CPD sessions?

    Espresso Coding is designed to be used by all Year 1 to Year 6 teachers and the number attending will depend on the number of staff at the school and your ICT facilities and number of laptops. Due to the hands on nature of the session, we would suggest no more than 25 people should attend the same session and you may prefer to have two sessions with smaller numbers attending to get more hands-on time and interaction.

  •  How much does Coding CPD cost?

    We would recommend that teachers who have no experience of coding will benefit from at least a half day or two twilight sessions. If you want a more in-depth focus on coding or have teachers you feel need more support then a whole day can be booked.
    • Twilight session (up to 1.5 hours) @ £350
    • Half a day (am or pm - 3 hours) @ £400
    • Full day (6 hours) @ £700

  •  When should I book CPD?

    As early as possible to benefit from the free period of access and prepare your staff for the curriculum changes. Book your CPD session here.

  •  How do I book CPD?

    We recommend you book online with your initial Coding order, which you can do so here.

  •  What happens after I purchase CPD?

    Once you have informed us of the type of session you require (full day/half day/twilight) and your requested dates, we will be in touch to confirm this date and session is booked and will ask you the follow questions:
    • The number of staff attending
    • What your session objectives are
    • Where the session will be held
    • The type of interactive whiteboard you have (if any)
    • How many laptops you have

  •  What happens if I have to cancel/re-arrange the CPD session?

    If you need to cancel or re-arrange the dates of your CPD session you should contact cpd@espresso.co.uk.

    Please note you may be liable for cancellation charges if you do not provide us with sufficient notice. Please refer to our terms & conditions.

  •  My school is not in England, how can I get CPD?

    The advertised CPD course has been developed to specifically address the English National Curriculum requirements for Computing, and may not be relevant to your school. We may still be able to offer on-site CPD (depending upon your geographical location), but would have to adapt the course to your curriculum.

    We would need to discuss this with you and inform you of any associated changes in costs before you order. Please email your requirements to cpd@espresso.co.uk with the subject line Espresso Coding CPD request.

Service Set up/Activation

  •  Has my school got Espresso Coding?

    Please check with your Head Teacher/ICT Coordinator to see if they have signed up for the full Espresso Coding service.

  •  My School signed up for Espresso Coding, when will we be set up to access?

    The main contact who signs up for the Espresso Coding service receives an Order confirmation and a Welcome email advising how to access. The nominated Espresso Coding administrator receives a Welcome email advising how to access and how to set up individual teacher accounts and a shared pupil account.

  •   I am the main contact and/or Espresso Coding Administrator but have not received any login information, why not?

    The email can occasionally be delayed. If it has been more than 24 hours since you signed up to Espresso Coding, please check the following:
    1. that the email has not been diverted into your junk folder.
    2. ask your school technician to check that the email has not been blocked.
    If you still do not have the email, please contact our support team on espressocoding@espresso.co.uk

  •  I was nominated as the Coding Administrator on the Sign up form but have not received information on setting up other users.

    If you have received an email but is it NOT an administrator email, this is because your school already has as an administrator for Espresso Primary and your Espresso Coding administrator should be the same person.

    If you wish to change the administrator to be the person you nominated on the Espresso Coding sign up form, the current administrator needs to change this through the admin centre. If the existing Admin no longer works at the school or you cannot find out who this is, please contact our Support team on espressocoding@espresso.co.uk

  •  How do I log in to Espresso Coding?

    Please ensure your school has signed up for Espresso Coding. If so, your Espresso Coding Administrator should have set you up individual teacher accounts and you should have received an email with activation instructions. Your username is your email address and you set your own password from the Welcome email. If you are still unsure, please contact our support team on espressocoding@espresso.co.uk

  •  How can I create a link on the computers to login?

    Please add a favourite from your browser.

  •  I have entered my login details but get an access denied message. What has gone wrong?

    1. Your school may not have signed up to Espresso Coding. Please check and if you are not signed up, an authorised signatory can sign up here (enter hyperlink)
    2. You may have made a mistake with your login details. Please ensure that your username and password are correctly entered. NB. This is case sensitive so check that your caps lock is not on.
    3. Re-set your password (refer to What if I forget or lose my Username and / or password? section below)

    If you are still having problems, please contact our support team on espressocoding@espresso.co.uk

  •  I have forgotten my username and / or password?

    Your username is your email address, if you are unsure which one you signed up with, please email espressocoding@espresso.co.uk If you have forgotten your password, you can reset it here

  •  Who is our Espresso Coding administrator?

    If you have checked within your school and are still unsure of who is your school administrator for the Espresso Coding service, please email espressocoding@espresso.co.uk

  •  How do we change the Espresso Coding administrator to someone else?

    The current administrator will need to log into the admin centre and change the email address under 'school administrator'. If the administrator has left the school, please email espressocoding@espresso.co.uk with the new admin user for the school and we will change this for you. For administrators who require more information on managing your accounts, please refer to this document − Managing Your Account. 

  •  Can teachers share a username and password?

    Teachers should only log in using their own individual Teacher account. The shared accounts are for pupil use only.

  •  Can teachers use the student login details?

    Teachers should only log in using their own individual Teacher account. The shared accounts are for pupil use only.

  •  How do we set up teachers and change the student password?

    The Espresso Coding administrator can do either of these tasks through the Admin centre. Here the administrator can add Teachers using the ‘Add Teachers’ button and add/edit the student password at the bottom of the page in the Students section.  Please note that you cannot change the student username. 

    Your administrator can refer to this document − Managing Your Account. 

  •  We are having problems with school email addresses. Can we set the teachers up with their personal email addresses?

    For security reasons we only accept school email addresses. If you do not have school email addresses, please ask your Espresso Coding administrator to contact us on espressocoding@espresso.co.uk and we will work with you to resolve this.

  •  The Admin centre says I can only add up to 50 teacher accounts but we have more teachers than that. What should I do?

    We can add teacher accounts for larger schools, please contact us at espressocoding@espresso.co.uk and we will arrange this for you.

  •  I have requested a new password from the login page but I haven’t received anything.

    Speak to your Espresso Coding administrator to ask them to re-set your password from the admin centre. You will then receive an email with instructions.

Using the service (Technical FAQs)

  •  Do I have to sign up to use the sample service?

    No, the sample service is free to use and you do not have to sign up. However, you will only have a limited view on the sample service and will not be able to save or share any apps. Signing up is quick and easy and will give you access to the full Espresso Coding service. Please visit this page to sign up.

  •  How and when do I access the full service?

    You will receive customer communications upon submission of your Espresso Coding order form, including your activation details. If you have not yet signed up, please visit this page

  •  How do I share my Coding work with parents and friends?

    Once you have signed up to the service you will be able to share your finished apps with parents and friends via a URL for quick and easy viewing on PCs and iPads.

  •  Can I embed my Coding work into a Virtual Learning Environment/Learning Platform?

    Yes, you will be able to embed your shared apps into both VLEs and Learning Platforms. We will provide code for each app and for your school's lists of shared apps that will make linking to your apps quick and easy.

  •  Where and how can we view the shared apps?

    They will be published to a bespoke school area. This means you will be able to see only your school's apps. The bespoke area will also act as a record of progress.

  •  Can we edit the shared apps?

    You can save apps locally in the browser and then go back to them to make changes. Once an app is published using the share functionality you cannot make any changes. 

  •  Who owns the rights?

    We own the intellectual property of the app but not the content of the app i.e. if an app contains inappropriate content then the school is responsible not Espresso Education.

  •  Which Internet Browsers does Espresso Coding support?


    We are committed to ensuring that Espresso Coding works on older browsers, operating systems and computers and have worked hard to ensure that Internet Explorer 8 is fully supported for the lessons and activities. However, if you are using Internet Explorer 7 or 8 on an older operating system or computer (such as Windows XP) we recommend downloading a modern browser, if possible, for a better experience.  

  •  Can I use Espresso Coding on tablets/iPads?

    Yes. iPads are currently supported. You can even program apps that use the accelerometer (tipping) feature. Some features of the service will work on Android and we will be continually working to improve functionality. You will be able to view apps that you have created on a large range of mobile devices including iPhones and some Android devices, using the share functionality. 

  •  What software do I need to run Espresso Coding?

    Broadband connection
    The speed and performance of Espresso Coding, including watching videos, is mostly dependent upon the school's bandwidth, the speed and age of the PC, and the browser type that you are using. If a network is also being used by heavy bandwidth applications (such as video conferencing, large file transfers, etc.), there may be less bandwidth available for Espresso Coding. A minimum broadband connection of 2Mb broadband is required and clients must have internet connectivity to access Espresso Coding.

    Client computer hardware and software
    • Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Apple MAC OS X 10.6 or above are supported with a minimum of:
    • Graphics card and monitor capable of high colour setting and 1024 x 768 screen resolution
    • Safari on iPad
    • X86 Processor running at 1.60Ghz (or equivalent)
    • 512MB RAM memory (1Gb for Windows Vista and Windows 7)
    • Sound card
    • Speakers and/or headphones (headphones are recommended when Espresso Coding is being used simultaneously on multiple computers)

Invoicing and Renewal information

  •  How much does it cost and when do I start paying?

    There is a free period of access up to 31 October 2014 for all schools who sign up before that date. If you have ordered CPD you will be invoiced upon receipt of your order. You will be advised of renewal cost 60 days prior to contract end date and will be invoiced at the point of renewal.

    Pricing

    Number of Pupils (Years 1-6)Annual subscription
    < 100 FTE £200
    100–200 [Years 1–6] £300
    200+ [Years 1–6] £375

  •  Can a school be invoiced in advance for their subscription?

    Yes – if it would be beneficial to the school, please let us know and we can raise the invoice for the period Nov-14 to Oct-15 now.

  •  I no longer wish to subscribe to Espresso Coding

    Your period of free access is fixed (1st November 2013 to 31 October 2014) and we will contact you 60 days before the end of this period with your renewal information. If you no longer wish to subscribe, you can terminate this agreement by giving written notice of termination to Espresso by 1st October 2014. Please refer to our terms & conditions.

  •  I am an existing Espresso customer and have a query about my contract dates

    Espresso Coding and Espresso Primary are two separate services with separate contract dates. Please note you will be invoiced separately.

  •  My invoice has the wrong billing address or contact name

    Your invoice has been sent to the main contact at the school address given to us on order submission. If this is incorrect, please email the correct details to accounts@espresso.co.uk.

  •  What are the payment terms?

    Invoice payment terms are 30 days from the date of invoice.

  •  I have a query about VAT

    If you are a tax-exempt customer and have received an invoice with VAT on it, please contact us on accounts@espresso.co.uk.

  •  Can I pay with a credit card?

    No. Espresso Education does not currently have the facility to accept credit card payments.

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