LEGO® challenge success

BGS pupils of all ages made it through to the national finals of a major LEGO® robotics competition for the first time in the School’s history.

The team of ten, comprising pupils spanning Years 7 to 12, had been practising for weeks after winning the regional finals of the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) FIRST® LEGO® League challenge.

Pupils had designed and built a robot to carry out a series of challenges.  Although they suffered a nail-biting robot malfunction on the day of the finals (22 April) at Harrogate Convention Centre, the team battled through to seventh place with their back-up robot.

In addition, they won the Bechtel Award for Safety for their innovation project, for promoting safety in the community. Pupils created a CO2 measuring device to be placed outside schools to encourage drivers to turn off their engines and improve air quality. They also ranked fourth in the STEM project phase.

Mr Asghar, Head of Computer Science at BGS, said: “The students didn’t let having to use the back-up robot stop them and they competed in all three rounds with everything they had.

“We ended up a respectable 7th nationally after competing against 67 other teams on the day. I’m immensely proud of how well the students worked together as a team. The day was long but thoroughly enjoyable. The team are already planning on how to improve for next year and hopefully win the Nationals in 2024!”

Zaina M, in Year 8, who had the opportunity to present live alongside celebrity host Tom Deacon at the event, said the team had grown together as friends over the months working on the project.

“I’m really into computing, it’s fun, and there’s also a lot of banter in the group which is great,” she said.

Dougie T, in Year 7, added: “I’ve always enjoyed LEGO® since I was really young and it’s been good to work really hard on this but also have a laugh with everyone. We’re like a family.”