The questions parents actually ask.
Choosing where your child spends their time is a real decision. Here are straight answers to the things parents genuinely worry about - whether they'll enjoy it, what happens if they struggle, how you'll see progress, and what it costs - for one Coding & Robotics pathway, ages 7-18, in Leicester.
Every child, met where they are.
Will my child actually enjoy it?
Because they build real things.
Every session is built to end with something your child made and can show off - a working program, a robot that moves. No worksheets: they'll be programming real robots in a small group, and they'll have the same friendly mentor each week. Enjoyment isn't the bait - it's how the learning sticks.
What happens if they struggle?
No one will be rushed, and no one will be left behind.
Your child will start at the right level - set by the challenges in their free trial lesson, not by their age - and will work at their own pace, with a supported version of every task. A child never moves up a band until they can do it unaided, so gaps don't get papered over. Classes are capped at 10, every class will have a mentor and an assistant, and getting stuck is treated as part of getting good, not a failure.
What if they're already advanced?
They won't sit through what they already know.
Their starting band is set by the highest challenge they can complete independently, so an advanced child simply starts higher. Progression is by capability, never by age - and beyond the top band there's competition robotics, advanced projects, GCSE Computer Science preparation, and even a route to becoming an assistant instructor.
What if my child has additional needs?
Talk to us - the pace will be set per child.
Every task comes in a supported version, the room is designed to be calm and low-sensory, and the pace is set per child rather than per class. We're a young academy and we won't overpromise formal provision - so the best first step is to book a free trial lesson and tell us about your child in the form - we'll be in touch before the day and talk their needs through with you before you commit to anything.
Hands-on, structured, and founder-led.
How much screen time is involved?
Less than parents expect - and it's the active kind.
A lot of the work is physical: building and programming real robots, testing them, watching them move - and, higher up the pathway, wiring real electronics. The coding happens on screen, but the two-hour session is structured - build, break, rebuild, show - so it stays hands-on and social, not a child alone at a monitor. As they progress into typed Python the screen share grows, but robotics keeps them building with their hands throughout.
Is it more hardware or software?
Deliberately both.
Children learn through both software projects and hands-on robotics and electronics. We use Sphero BOLT+, Kitronik :MOVE Motor with micro:bit V2, Arduino and Raspberry Pi. Block-based and text-based coding tools are matched to the hardware, the task and your child's stage of learning. Some projects run on screen; others make a robot move or respond to sensors. Both build the same habits: plan, code, test and improve.
How are different ages managed?
Three age-matched programmes, one Coding & Robotics pathway.
Younger children (7-10) are aligned to Key Stage 2, and older ones (11-15) to Key Stage 3 and a pathway toward GCSE Computer Science - both taught the same capabilities in age-appropriate ways. 16-18 year olds join the Juniors Programme, the top of the same pathway, on Monday evenings. Children are grouped by age and ability, and always progress by what they can do, never by how old they are.
Who exactly is teaching them?
Founder-led - and a clear bar for every hire.
Hikora is founder-led by Redwaan Maxamed (IT & cybersecurity) and Tarik Mokthar (operations, architecture and STEM tutoring). We're still growing the teaching team, and the bar is set before anyone is hired: every adult who works with a class will hold an enhanced DBS check and first-aid training before they work with children, and will be chosen for real industry experience as well as the patience to teach it. Your child will have the same mentor each week, with an assistant in the room - so the person teaching them will already know where they got stuck last week.
Real proof, and skills built to outlast the course.
How will I know they're progressing?
You'll see it, not just be told it.
Stripes mark progress within each of the eight bands. When your child completes a band, they earn a certificate recording what they can do and a coloured wristband to keep. A band is awarded only when a mentor has watched them demonstrate the skills unaided. You'll also receive progress updates, so you can see what they are working towards.
What will they have after the first term?
Concrete, dated proof - not a vague promise.
The first term is built around projects your child can show you, feedback on their progress and clear next steps. Certificates and wristbands are awarded when they complete a band, rather than after a set number of weeks. Every child moves at their own pace, so we won't promise a particular band by the end of term.
Why this over sport, tutoring or another club?
It's a pathway, not a pastime - and it complements the rest.
It's a structured academic route, aligned to the national curriculum and toward GCSE Computer Science; it's built around a genuinely future-shaping skill set - code, robotics and AI; and it's designed to grow durable, transferable skills like problem-solving, resilience and communication that carry across school and life, not just at a keyboard.
How much does it cost?
Limited time offer: £80 per month.
The limited time offer is £80 per month for one two-hour Coding & Robotics session each week. The offer is limited to 10 places in total across the academy. Your child can start with a free two-hour trial lesson, with no payment details and no obligation to enrol.
A method, not a club.
Every project a child builds with us runs through the same five steps. It is how a hobby becomes a habit, and a habit becomes a skill.
Think deeply
Understand the problem before touching a keyboard.
Build boldly
Make the thing. Real code, real hardware, no worksheets.
Test rigorously
Find out what breaks, and why. Failure is data here.
Present with clarity
Stand up and explain it. Confidence is taught, not hoped for.
Reflect and grow
What would you do differently next time? Then do it.
No commitment
See if Hikora is right for your child.
Book your child's free two-hour trial lesson - pick the class and the date, and it's booked when you send the form. No payment details and no obligation to enrol.
Classes are capped at 10. One two-hour lesson each week, in person in Leicester.