York schools in national finals of educational competition

Children from Archbishop Holgate’s School, Hempland Primary School and Clifton with Rawcliffe Primary School entered teams into the regional finals of F1 in Schools, which took place at the National STEM Learning Centre in Heslington on February 5 and February 6.

The event promoted the learning of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects and allowed students and pupils aged nine to 19 to participate in the multi-disciplinary challenge using professional CAD software to design, analyse, manufacture, test, and race air powered F1 cars.

Cars entered by teams from Hempland Primary School - (l-r) Dynamite, Rocket, CREATE and Black Hawk (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Over 200 pupils from schools across Yorkshire and the Humber performed under different team names for multiple awards which included racing against each other along a 25-metre track, but also included a verbal presentation award, a sponsorship and marketing prize, and best engineered car – all for cars which the pupils had designed, marketed and made themselves.

Each pupil had a job title to reflect their contribution to the team's performance.

Archbishop Holgate’s School’s team called MGLL Racing were regional champions in their class and also won in the Best Engineered car category.

MGLL Racing, a team from Archbishop Holgate's School, at the regional finals. (Image: F1 in Schools)

Organisers said one team from Clifton with Rawcliffe Primary School progressed to the national finals next month in Rotherham.

Their team ‘Burn Rubber Racing’ were given the Research & Development award in the regional finals.

Joining them on the list of teams invited were all four teams entered from Hempland Primary School.

Organisers gave teams from the school in Whitby Avenue the 1-2-3 in the Primary Class regional championships – Team Dynamite topped the podium, followed by Team Black Hawk and Team Rocket.

Another Hempland Primary School entry - Team CREATE collected the Sponsorship and Marketing award.

Between them, these four teams won a total of nine awards in the Primary Class, according to organisers.

As well as achieving first place overall, Team Dynamite won in the category of verbal presentation, and design and engineering.

The Press met up with Team Dynamite, and Year Six teacher Gareth Dyer at Hempland Primary School and asked for the inside track on the secret of their success.

Effie, team manager and head of engineering, said: “The best part of winning was how we all worked as a team and supported everybody.”

All the team were full of praise for their teacher, with Chloe, head of communications, saying: “Mr Dyer has put in so much work in with the software and helping us with all the work we needed to help us improve.

Mr Dyer praised the efforts of all of the Hempland Primary School teams (Image: Kevin Glenton)

Gareth Dyer said: “The teams all learned resilience and the value of hard work.

"Although there may have been times when they'd rather be outside at lunchtime, they came inside instead and worked on the project. 

“They were referred to the hard work of inventor James Dyson and improvements he continually made to prototypes.

“The pupils learned that you do not get it right first time every time.

“All of the four teams we entered were very good and we have had a celebration assembly where all the children were presented with their awards in front of the rest of the school by the headteacher and myself.”

Team Dynamite were looking forward to the final.

Lily, head of creative design, said: “We need to step up and will be taking on board what the judges said to us at the end of the regionals."

Macy, head of branding, said: “We must remember that although we might have won here, for the national final we need to be just like we were at the start of the competition.”

The Lenovo F1 in Schools 2024 UK National Finals will take place at the Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham in March.

Organisers said if these teams go on to achieve success at the national event in March, they will be in with a chance of competing at world finals held annually alongside an international F1 grand prix.