We worked with the BBC and Micro:bit Educational Foundation to help primary school pupils across the UK learn more about collecting and analysing data.
BBC micro:bit – the next gen was launched in September 2023, with an aim to help children gain digital skills to understand the world around them and to shape their own future.
Schools received tens of thousands of micro:bit classroom sets, including the BBC micro:bit. This is a pocket-sized computer that introduces children to data and coding in a fun and easy way.
The project gave students the chance to carry out a large-scale playground survey between May and July 2024.
Micro:bit playground survey results
Primary school children aged 7 to 11 years looked at everything from playground size to the biodiversity they support, as well as how pupils spend their playtimes.
We have now published blogs that explain how we analysed the data and the work that went into examining it.
Read the results of the BBC Micro:bit Project on the Data Science Campus website.
You can find out more about BBC micro:bit – the next gen on the BBC website.
The importance of data literacy for a new generation
Mary Gregory, Director, Population Statistics at the ONS, said:
"I can’t stress enough how important projects like this are. They spark curiosity and show children the real-world applications of data, laying a foundation that will serve them well as they grow into adulthood"
"Data literacy is no longer just a skill for specialists; it’s an essential part of understanding and navigating the modern world. And what better way to introduce these concepts than through something as familiar and fun as playtime?"
Sir Ian Diamond, said:
"Young minds are the ones who will shape the data-driven world of tomorrow, and I’m delighted that the ONS has played such an important part in the playground survey, which has given children valuable experience with data collection and analysis, in an engaging and fun way."
"Hopefully this experience has inspired them to be the next generation of data scientists and, who knows, maybe even a National Statistician of the future."