Making the BBC Microbit

A young child looking at a microbit

Lancaster computer scientists help children of the world embrace coding

In collaboration with the BBC and other industry partners, Lancaster computer scientists designed and developed a pocket sized computer to encourage children to learn fundamental coding and programming skills. The BBC micro:bit aimed to inspire digital creativity and reduce the critical skills shortage in the technology sector. The BBC refer to this as their most ambitious education initiative in thirty years.

Led by Professor Joe Finney, computer scientists at Lancaster University created the lightweight operating system for the BBC micro:bit – a pocket sized computing device to engage children in digital creativity and coding. The only academic partner in the micro:bit consortium, Lancaster worked as part of the core product team consisting of Lancaster University, Microsoft, Arm, Samsung and the BBC.

The team at Lancaster created the runtime that allows the programming of the micro:bit device and enables the wider micro:bit ecosystem. The Lancaster University team continue to maintain, design and develop the runtime software as the hardware develops.

  • In 2016, 1 million units were deployed to every year 7 student in England and Wales, every year 8 student in Northern Ireland and every S1 student in Scotland, free of charge with an estimated monetary value of £10 million.
  • Over 6 million micro:bit have now been produced and have been used by an estimated 25 million students and teachers worldwide.
  • 86% of students said the micro:bit made Computer Science more interesting, 70% more girls said they would choose computing as a school subject and 85% of teachers agree it has made ICT/Computer Science more enjoyable for their students (Discovery Research Group).
  • Over 2 million micro:bit programs were written by schoolchildren and their teachers in the first six months.
  • The micro:bit is now available in over 70 countries and 17 languages.
  • There are 257 registered hardware product accessories for the micro:bit spanning 62 companies
  • Lancaster University remains central to the development of micro:bit and is one of three members on Hardware Advisory Committee for all versions of, and products relating to, the micro:bit.