Bournemouth Collegiate School | Computer Games Club Co-Curricular
Summer Term 2025
Course Description:
This co-curricular course is the perfect introduction to the world of game development and character animation! Hosted at Bournemouth Collegiate School in Bournemouth, this introductory course for boys and girls is aimed at all ages and ideal for beginners – absolutely no prior experience is necessary.
Game Creation – Unreal Engine or Roblox Studio (tbc)
Using the world-famous Unreal Engine – the same software used to create games such as Fortnite and TV shows such as Star Wars: The Mandalorian – students will learn how to make their very own 3D game in just a few days, from a choice of 3D platformer, Racing Game or Shooter.
We cover foundational skills: the Unreal Engine and its key features are explored through a series of small, incremental tasks that cover key learning outcomes and allow students to complete their first 3D game using the Fortnite world or customised assets. The remaining weeks allow for the creation of a more feature-rich and graphics-intensive game, complete with environments, sound, lighting, animation and AI (artificial intelligence), with a strong focus on learning while playing. Our expert staff will guide the construction of the core gameplay elements, but students will also be encouraged to explore, experiment and extend the game in any way that they choose.
This year we are hoping to implement the Roblox Studio engine into the co-curricular course. Roblox Studio is the tool used to build and design games and experiences within the Roblox ecosystem. It’s a free software available for both Windows and Mac computers, making it accessible to a wide range of users, including beginners and experienced developers.
3D Creation Tools: It provides a comprehensive set of 3D creation tools, allowing users to build environments, design models, and create interactive experiences.
Wide Range of Users: Roblox Studio is used by millions of people, including students, teachers, and developers, for learning coding, game design, and creating content.
“My son absolutely loved the course! Because there was a ‘partial’ world set up it meant he could really make visible changes and see how his coding impacted. The instructors were attentive and let the students go at their own pace - I would certainly recommend this course to anyone interested in coding and gaming!”
Alison
Parent, Bournemouth
“I did the 2-day game development course and really enjoyed it. I love gaming but had never done any game development before the course. I learned loads including creating character controls, developing NPCs, sizing characters and creating scenes. By the end of the course I had developed a game and I would definitely recommend this course to anyone interested in gaming“
James
Student aged 13, Bournemouth
“I have really enjoyed cgApprentice, and have learned a lot about the Unreal engine and how to design video games with it. It is a pleasant and enjoyable place to learn and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to make their own games“.
Murphy
Student aged 15, Bournemouth
Course dates
One event is available:
Co-curricular starts 15th May 2025 until the end of the school term
Course Cost
Course costs £37.50
–> Book your place using this link <–
https://forms.gle/RMFJH1eXJpvJiV1WA
You will be taken to a form where you can add the participant’s details and find payment instructions. Any questions, please email info@cgapprentice.com
Topics Covered – Unreal Engine
• Using the Unreal Engine (standalone) or Unreal Engine for Fortnite • UI and Navigation • Sound • Animation • Visual Programming • Puzzle Creation • Physics Simulations • Materials • Lighting • Spawning enemies and allies • Dataflow • Datatypes and Conversion • Input • Variables • Incrementing • Functions • Arrays • Loops • Packaging a game for Windows 10/11 Computer •
Hardware and Software
BCS existing Windows PCs will be used to run the game engine and Fortnite, pre-loaded with all the necessary software, scene files and assets. The primary software used will be the Unreal Engine for Fortnite and Fortnite, which is free to download and use, so pupils can continue to explore their new skills at home! We are also hoping to have Roblox Studio available – more news soon.
About cgApprentice
cgApprentice is dedicated to bringing world-class education in animation, games and VFX into British schools. Our courses are written by leading educators, and we are the proud recipients of an Epic MegaGrant, awarded by the makers of the Unreal Engine in recognition of our innovative and inclusive approach to learning.
Unreal Engine is the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D creation tool. Continuously evolving to serve not only its original purpose as a state-of-the-art game engine, today it gives creators across industries the freedom and control to deliver cutting-edge content, interactive experiences, and immersive virtual worlds.
The Unreal Engine is used in several creative sectors, Computer Games, Architecture, Film and Television, Training and Simulation and Automative & Transportation.
Create cutting-edge interactive and immersive gaming experiences with the world’s most open and advanced real-time 3D creation platform. Designed for teams of all sizes and titles of all genres, Unreal Engine is behind some of the most successful games of all time.
https://www.unrealengine.com/
arVEE is our virtualised computer environment, allowing students to immediately access virtual workstations on the cloud, reducing the need for costly IT infrastructure. In this scenario, we can provide a virtualised high-end workstation to the students at the touch of a button; all they need is a low-end Windows PC or Mac and an internet connection.
The virtual environment can be run via a small application installed on the machine, or run via a internet browser, offering a secure environment that respects the need for privacy, safety and data security.
Our virtual environment spec is normally as follows:
- Windows 10 Operating System
- NVIDIA T4 Tensor Core GPUs for lightning-fast graphics
- 16 or 32 GiB RAM
- Cloud-based storage
- Simple client or Internet browser access to our learning infrastructure
- Safe and secure sandbox environment
With arVEE, partner schools can use their existing suite
of Windows PCs and Macs to easily and remotely access
cgApprentice’s fleet of high-powered workstations. These
workstations are optimised for intensive graphics work and
game development and come pre-installed with the latest
industry-standard software.
arVEE can be accessed via a small downloadable client, or via your computer’s browser. To ensure a real-time experience, we advise a 5 Mbps connection.
From there, our classes and learning materials give step-by-step guidance on how to create complete 3D games, along the way covering a range of valuable topics and subject areas, from maths and coding to colour theory and design language.
cgApprentice classes are written by internationally – renowned educators with a proven track record and a wealth of experience – their students have gone on to work on amazing projects including Skyfall, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Red Dead Redemption 2 and Blade Runner 2049.