Code Ninjas’ 11th centre in the UK will open in West London in 2020

The kid's coding franchise also named industry specialist, Grant Smith, as vice president of education

“This is an incredibly exciting time for us, as we advance with our plans for UK expansion. We were particularly pleased to welcome the first British franchisees to our training facility in the States in January. It’s been wonderful to share in their franchise journey since we met them last year and I can’t wait to see where they take their franchises in 2020,” said David Graham, co-founder and CEO of Code Ninjas.

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New franchisees from around the UK jetted off to the Code Ninjas headquarters, in Houstons, Texas, to undertake their training alongside the specialist support team. This is in preparation for the upcoming opening of the first UK centre, in Pinner – the first of many in Greater London.

The latest entrepreneur to join Code Ninjas in their mission for providing quality coding education to children around the nation is Adnan Hussain. An experienced data and analytics professional, he has spent over 20 years working on company flagship data programs in the UK and US. In recent years, he found himself looking for business opportunities in franchising and, as a dad of two school-age children, Code Ninjas was the perfect fit.

“The franchise opportunity appealed to me for all manner of reasons,” said Hussain. “The brand’s success in the US and Canada stood out for me, as did the obvious demand for the programme in the UK. Above all else, I really believe in the concept of helping children learn through creativity. I think that what Code Ninjas is doing for the landscape of children’s coding education is integral to helping our kids thrive in such a digital world. Plus, my own children love puzzles and games – they’re five and seven, so the perfect ages to become my first students! Skills such as analytical thinking, applying logic, understanding data and problem-solving are core foundation blocks for children. For me, this opportunity will give me the work-life balance I’ve been craving for so long and an opportunity to do something I feel passionately about. I’m looking forward to my Code Ninjas journey and where my franchise will take me in the future.”

In line with its commitment to providing an exceptional standard of coding curriculum, Code Ninjas has announced the appointment of computer science education expert, Grant Smith, as VP of education. In this role, Grant will draw on his years in teaching and curriculum writing to enhance and expand the learning opportunities offered at each Code Ninjas centre.

“Our programme continues to appeal to families around the world and we are investing significant resources back in to the quality coding education we offer,” explained Graham. “Grant’s background in the education system makes him a valuable addition to our central support team. He specialises in enhancing computer science education opportunities for kids and has an extensive career doing just that. We are thrilled to welcome him into the Code Ninjas family as we continue to drive the brand to new heights across the globe.”

Smith joined the team in Houston at the end of 2019. His insight will benefit franchisees around the UK, as they implement the self-paced curriculum available to students.

“I’m excited to be part of a rapidly growing, global company that shares my passion for teaching computer science to the younger generation and beyond,” said Smith. “Code Ninjas is revolutionising the way that kids learn to code, giving them a chance to gain valuable life skills in a way that’s fun – using video games. I am so excited to be part of the movement and to make an impact on young learners around the world.”

As Code Ninjas prepares for the launch of the first UK centre, and for the upcoming discovery day in London on the 13th February 2020 is set to be a pivotal year for the global brand.