About Our Academy
Innovate Forge Academy helps children and young people develop practical capability, confidence and agency through connected, project-based learning.
01 · Our Story
Innovate Forge Academy was created around a simple belief: young people develop lasting capabilities when they are encouraged to explore, challenged to create and guided to grow.
Our name reflects that belief. A traditional forge is a place where craftsmanship, patience and purposeful effort bring ideas to life. For us, Forge represents the process of developing capabilities through learning, practice and experience.
02 · The meaning behind Forge
To forge is to develop something through effort, skill and purpose. Our educators provide guidance and encouragement, our programs provide structured learning and practical challenges, and our students bring their curiosity, ideas and willingness to explore. We believe every young person has strengths worth discovering and capabilities worth developing.
Explore interests, ask questions and develop new understanding.
Apply knowledge, practise new skills and turn ideas into meaningful work.
Develop confidence, take initiative and apply capabilities in new situations.
03 · Our educational journey
Our journey began with robotics and computer science at Innovate Technology & Robotics Academy. Through practical projects, competitions and educator-led learning, we saw students develop far more than technical knowledge — they learned to collaborate, communicate, think critically, persevere and approach challenges with confidence. Today, Innovate Forge Academy extends that approach across communication, creative writing, leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship, alongside our established technology programs.
Our foundation
Technology, robotics, coding and computer science education.
Our expanded academy
Technology, innovation, communication, leadership and entrepreneurship.
04 · Our educational approach
We combine educator guidance, hands-on experiences, structured practice and appropriate technology. In robotics and coding, technology is an essential part of learning to design, build and create. In communication, creative writing and leadership, human interaction and practical experiences remain central.
The Forge App is our digital learning environment. It extends the Academy experience beyond scheduled sessions with relevant activities, practice and projects — supporting the learning journey rather than replacing teachers, real-world experiences or human connection.
Meet the Forge App05 · How do we teach?
Students learn through practical projects, guided experimentation, constructive feedback and reflection. They investigate questions, make and test ideas, apply what they know in meaningful contexts, and improve through thoughtful iteration.
How students learn
Explore · Build · Apply · Master
How students are supported
Coaching · Mentoring · Pastoral Care
Intended outcomes
Founder-approved methodology: Explore · Build · Apply · Master remains the academy’s authoritative learning progression.
05 · How do we support students?
Our Growth & Care Framework brings together three complementary approaches: coaching helps students develop their thinking through thoughtful questions, practice and constructive feedback; mentoring encourages them to explore their interests, strengths and future possibilities; and care creates a respectful, inclusive and supportive learning environment where every student is valued.
Educational philosophy
At Innovate Forge Academy, learning is about more than mastering technology or completing projects. Through coaching, mentoring and a supportive learning environment, we encourage young people to discover their strengths, develop confidence, build meaningful relationships and take ownership of their learning.
Learn with purpose. Grow with guidance. Create with confidence.
Coaching
Our educators use thoughtful questions, encouragement, goals, constructive feedback, reflection and practical challenges to help learners develop independent problem-solving skills.
How it works: A coding coach guides a student to identify and correct a programming mistake rather than simply providing the answer.
Mentoring
Our educators and approved mentors help learners explore their interests, strengths, development goals and future pathways through positive role modelling and age-appropriate guidance.
How it works: A mentor helps a student connect an interest in technology with possible projects, further study or future career pathways.
Care
We aim to create a respectful, inclusive and supportive learning environment where students experience encouragement, belonging and appropriate involvement from parents and carers.
How it works: An educator listens to a student’s concern, responds within professional boundaries and involves appropriate adults when further support or safeguarding action is needed.
06 · What can students explore?
Students can begin in one area and connect ideas, projects and capabilities across other pathways as their interests develop.
Build, code and understand intelligent systems.
Explore pathwayTurn curiosity into practical ideas through creative problem-solving.
Explore pathwayDevelop a clear voice, confidence and collaborative capability.
Explore pathwayApply initiative, leadership and enterprise thinking to meaningful challenges.
Explore pathway07 · The Forge App
Forge is the academy’s digital learning platform. For approved programs, it can support guided learning activities, focused practice, project work and progress visibility. The academy provides the educational experience; the app supports selected parts of that experience.
Explore the Forge Learning App08 · Who is behind the academy?
Gary Gopinathan and Sue John bring forward the educational heritage of Innovate Technology & Robotics Academy as co-founders of Innovate Forge Academy.
Co-Founder, Innovate Forge Academy
Gary Gopinathan brings 25 years of experience in teaching, training and capability building across educational settings. His involvement in FIRST LEGO League (FLL) began in the early 2000s, and he was part of the founding team that established the competition in Sydney in 2008.
In 2014, he founded and scaled the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) program across Australia, creating opportunities for young people to develop engineering, problem-solving, teamwork and leadership skills. Through Innovate Technology & Robotics Academy, Gary has helped students explore coding, robotics, computer science and technology through practical learning experiences.
Innovate Forge Academy represents the next chapter in this educational journey, extending the academy’s established technology programs into innovation, communication, leadership, entrepreneurship and future readiness. His educational philosophy combines practical learning with coaching, mentoring and a commitment to helping young people develop confidence, independence and character.
Helping young people develop capability, confidence, independence and character through practical learning, coaching and mentoring.
Co-Founder, Innovate Forge Academy
Director of STEM Learning & Development, Innovate Technology & Robotics Academy
Sue combines international professional experience with sustained work in robotics, coding and STEM education. Before co-founding the legacy academy in Australia, her published biography records work in intellectual property consultancy and leadership of a training and development division in Singapore.
Sue is identified by the legacy academy as a Carnegie Mellon Robotics Academy Certified Instructor. She has taught robotics, coding and technology in primary and secondary settings, contributed to curriculum and classroom delivery, and guided students through many seasons of STEM holiday programs.
Her competition experience includes coaching and mentoring for FIRST LEGO League (FLL), VEX IQ and VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) events at state, national and world-championship levels. She also helped develop early Australian VEX competition activity, school programs, robotics incursions and the academy’s own competition challenges.
Developing engaging learning experiences that help students discover their abilities and grow in confidence.
