// FAQ

Questions parents ask before booking.

20 questions, answered in full.

Not answered here? Email hello@buildersclub.org.uk. We reply within one working day.

Book your child's free session
What ages do you teach?
10 to 16. Foundations is 10 to 12, Intermediate 12 to 14, Advanced 14 to 16. 12 and 14 year olds sit in two bands, so we place them by experience after the free session, not by age alone.
Does my child need any coding experience?
No. Foundations starts from nothing. If your child has done some coding already, we'll see where they are in the free session and place them so they're neither bored nor lost.
What happens in the free session, exactly?
You pick a time on the booking page: Monday or Thursday 6pm to 7:30pm, or Sunday 10am to 11:30am (UK time). You get a confirmation email straight away. Your child joins a live 90-minute session with 6 to 8 other children and builds something in it. Afterwards we email you what they made and which level we'd suggest. Nothing to cancel if they don't carry on.
How many sessions a week?
You choose once or twice a week. Sessions are 90 minutes, live, in a group of 6 to 8. Twice a week finishes a module every six weeks and a level in a school year. Once a week attends the teaching sessions live and does the build sessions as guided homework, so it covers half the programme each year, with a project every twelve weeks.
What do they actually build?
Things that end up on the internet. At 10 to 12, a website at their own address, a game, a live data dashboard and an AI they trained themselves. At 12 to 14, a Python tool, their own Linux server that we host, an AI assistant that remembers the conversation, and a web app of their own. At 14 to 16, a small app on Amazon Web Services and an AI tool that answers questions from their own notes. Every module ends with a finished project they demo to you at the Parent Showcase.
How do I see what my child is learning?
Every Saturday you get an email with a screenshot of what they built that week, their XP and streak, and one specific question to ask them at dinner. At the end of every module you watch them demo their project at the Parent Showcase.
Is this just another coding club?
Most coding clubs teach block coding and beginner Python and stop there. We keep going: Linux, cloud servers, putting software live on the internet, and building with AI. From 12 your child runs their own Linux server that we host; from 14 they deploy to Amazon Web Services in a sandbox we own. Their work runs on the internet, where other people can use it.
My child already does computing at school. Why this?
School computing in the UK follows a GCSE specification last reformed in 2016. It covers the basics well and does not cover cloud, AI, Linux or putting software live on the internet. We pick up where it stops.
What does my child actually do with AI?
It depends on the level. At 10 to 12 your child trains a real AI model from examples they collect, puts it in a game, learns how ChatGPT guesses the next word, and builds a chatbot character with a personality they design. At 12 to 14 they call an AI from their own Python code, give it memory so it remembers the conversation, feed it their own notes, and learn to use an AI coding assistant and check its work. At 14 to 16 they build an AI that answers questions from their notes and test how often it is right, then turn it into a small product with spending limits. At every level they learn where AI goes wrong and why personal details never go into it. Every AI call goes through a service we run, with our key and our guardrails.
Does my child need their own accounts?
No. Under 13, nothing is in your child's name: they work in the browser on platforms we manage, and we publish their work to their club address. From 13, they create a GitHub account in a session with you present; it is the portfolio they keep. Everything else (the Linux server, the AI tools, the AWS sandbox, the publishing) is ours: we own the accounts and pay the bills. Your child never sees a password or a key for any of it.
What if my child finds it too hard, or too easy?
Groups are 6 to 8, so the engineer teaching notices. We place by experience, not just age, and we move children between levels when it's right for them.
Is this just more screen time?
It's 90 minutes in front of a laptop, once or twice a week. During it your child is writing code, talking to the engineer teaching them, and putting something on the internet. The Saturday email tells you what they made so you can ask about it.
Do I need to be technical to help at home?
No. The Saturday email gives you one question to ask your child about what they built that week. They do the explaining.
How much does it cost?
Between £40 and £55 a session depending on level; the pricing table shows each one. Sessions are 90 minutes and you're billed monthly for 4 or 8 sessions. The first session is free.
Can I cancel?
Yes, any time. Monthly billing, no contract, no notice period. If it stops working for your child, you stop paying.
Is there a sibling discount?
Yes. The second child gets 25% off.
Is there a free session?
Yes. Your child's first session is free. It's a real session with a real group, not a demo.
What equipment do they need?
A laptop or desktop with a current browser (Chrome or Edge is easiest) and a stable internet connection. Foundations and Intermediate run entirely in the browser with nothing to install. Advanced has one optional install (Docker Desktop, for two sessions in module 3) with a browser fallback for anyone who cannot install software on their computer.
What about safeguarding?
Every tutor holds an enhanced DBS check. Sessions are recorded and recordings are deleted after 90 days. Tutors never message a child directly. We have a designated safeguarding lead.
Who teaches the sessions?
Two of us. Ismail is an applied AI and machine learning engineer at AWS. Sami is a platform engineer at AWS. We wrote the curriculum and we teach every session. If we ever bring in other people to teach, they will be engineers we have worked with, and we'll tell you before your child's group changes.