A GROUP of Ammanford school pupils have beat off 9,000 competitors to become national winners of an interactive competition which could see their idea be produced by Microsoft.

Ysgol Dyffryn Aman year eight pupils Logan Narren, Jack Sykes, Thomas Vaughan-Jones and Jamie Barker all took park in a Generation Code challenge with Splat Cymru, which provides coding training and resources to youth workers and young people across Wales.

The competition, run in partnership with UK Youth, Youth Cymru and Microsoft, asked young people to work together to design a new app idea that will tackle a social issue in their community.

The group entered the challenge wanting to improve people’s wellbeing by creating an app called “GuDeed” that could record a good deed that a person would do for someone else.

The app allows users to collect points through doing a chores and players can then use their points to build virtual cities and villages.

As winners, the boys have been awarded two tablets for their school to use and help them continue on their coding journey.

Head teacher Nerys Nicholas said: “I am really proud of the pupils with their efforts and engagement with the project.

“This is a fantastic opportunity with the digital framework and provides both pupils and staff with additional skills.”

Head of Technology Richard Jones added: “28 pupils in the school took part in the six-week challenge which took place during after school and also during half term.

“The school’s facilities were used throughout the challenge and it was excellent to see an external group come and take advantage of our equipment in our community.”

James Barker, founder of Splat Cymru and developer of the #S-CODE program was overwhelmed by the pupil’s success in the competition said: “I was invited to attend a training program at Youth Cymru which looked at delivering a coding scheme to children from the ages of 11-14.

“The training was outstanding and an inspiration. This allowed to contact Ysgol Dyffryn Aman and offer this as an after school program #S-CODE.

“There were a few really good contenders at the school such as Fitbit app but the boy’s idea came out on top.”