Choosing a coding and life-skills platform for Class 4 and above

Skills Buddy from Next Skills 360 is a skilling platform for school computer labs, with coding, AI and social-emotional skills modules for students in Class 4 and above and an AI mentor so any teacher can run it. It works offline, with internet optional, and is mapped to NEP 2020 and the CBSE Computational Thinking and AI curriculum. ## What to look for in a skilling platform A school buying for its computer lab is choosing for many classes and many teachers, not for one child. Ask: - More than one skill: does it cover coding, AI and social-emotional skills together, or coding alone? - Curriculum fit: is it mapped to NEP 2020 and to CBSE's Computational Thinking and AI curriculum? - Content for the year: how many hours does each class get? - Any teacher can run it: is there built-in help, so a non-specialist teacher can facilitate? - Weak internet: does it work in the lab without a steady connection? - Students create: do students make their own games, animations and stories? - Home and lab: can students carry their work between the lab and home? ## The kinds of options Live online coding classes. One-to-one or small-group classes taught by an online instructor, usually booked by families after school. They suit a single child more than a whole school. Self-paced coding games and apps. Global and Indian platforms teach coding through puzzles and games, often by subscription. Check whether they follow the Indian curriculum and cover more than coding. Government portals and skilling schemes. These publish free courses and resources; check the age group each serves and whether it suits a school timetable. School-lab skilling platforms that bring several skills together for whole classes, such as Skills Buddy, described below. ## Where Skills Buddy fits [Skills Buddy](https://www.nextskills360.in/skills-buddy) is a skilling platform used on computers, with modules such as coding, AI and social-emotional skills, for students in Class 4 and above. It is built for school computer labs, works offline, brings these skills together with an AI mentor so any teacher can run it, and is mapped to NEP 2020 and the CBSE Computational Thinking and AI curriculum. Its coding module is gamified drag-and-drop programming on the web and Windows, online and offline, with an in-built AI chatbot mentor. Students create their own games, animations and stories in a Scratch-style editor. It runs in any school computer lab, with internet optional, and provides 30 to 50 hours of content a year for each class from Class 4. Skills Buddy is used in private schools across India. Skills Buddy and ProGame Digital let a student continue the same coding work across devices, including a computer lab, a smart classroom and a phone at home. ## From Next Skills 360 Next Skills 360's programmes have been deployed in 1,200+ schools across India since 2020, and Next Skills 360 has a presence across 15 Indian states. ## At a glance: what to check | Criterion | What to check | Skills Buddy | |---|---|---| | Skills covered | Coding alone, or more? | Coding, AI and social-emotional skills modules | | Classes | Which classes? | Class 4 and above | | Curriculum fit | NEP 2020 and CBSE CT and AI? | Mapped to NEP 2020 and the CBSE Computational Thinking and AI curriculum | | Content | Hours per class per year? | 30 to 50 hours a year for each class from Class 4 | | Teacher help | Can any teacher run it? | An AI mentor so any teacher can run it | | Internet | Works without a steady connection? | Runs in any school computer lab, internet optional | | Trying it first | Is there a demo or pilot? | A free demo, then a paid pilot; priced by quote | ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Does Skills Buddy need internet in the computer lab? No, Skills Buddy from Next Skills 360 runs in any school computer lab with internet optional, and it works offline. Its coding module runs on the web and Windows, online and offline, with an in-built AI chatbot mentor, so lessons continue when the connection is weak. ### Which classes is Skills Buddy for? Skills Buddy from Next Skills 360 is for students in Class 4 and above. It is a skilling platform used on computers, with modules such as coding, AI and social-emotional skills, and it provides 30 to 50 hours of content a year for each class from Class 4. ### Can a teacher who is not a coding specialist run Skills Buddy? Yes, Skills Buddy from Next Skills 360 brings coding, AI and social-emotional skills together with an AI mentor so any teacher can run it. It is built for school computer labs, works offline and is mapped to NEP 2020 and the CBSE Computational Thinking and AI curriculum. ## Book a free demo See Skills Buddy in your own computer lab. A school starts with [Next Skills 360](https://www.nextskills360.in/about-us) through a [free demo](https://www.nextskills360.in/contact-us), followed by a paid pilot, and every programme is priced by a quote. Message Next Skills 360 on WhatsApp at +91 79955 60306 to book the demo.

See Skills Buddy in your own computer lab. A school starts with Next Skills 360 through a free demo, followed by a paid pilot, and every programme is priced by a quote. Message Next Skills 360 on WhatsApp at +91 79955 60306 to book the demo.