The race was on at St Cuthbert’s when four of our Year 8 students accelerated their way to the regional final of a prestigious Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) competition.
Team ‘Lightspeed’ was challenged to design, create, and race their own miniature Formula One car as part of the international STEM Racing Challenge – a competition that now involves more than 40 countries worldwide.
Led by our Head of Design and Technology, Miss Alexander, and supported by Design and Technology teacher Mrs Whitfield, the team worked tirelessly to combine creativity, engineering and teamwork.
“The competition is based around several elements – project management, manufacturing and engineering the miniature F1 car, racing, graphics, and social media,” said Miss Alexander.
The pupils were required to produce a detailed portfolio documenting how they collaborated to achieve their goals. On competition day, they delivered a verbal presentation, explained the design and manufacturing process of their car, raced their creation, and showcased a pit display to promote their team.
Originally known as F1 in Schools and introduced to the UK in 1999, the competition has grown into a global challenge with regional, national, and world finals. St Cuthbert’s has a proud history in the event, having qualified for the regional finals eight times, taken part in the UK national finals three times, and sent a team to the World Finals in Singapore in 2015.
“Projects like STEM Racing are extremely important to the development of our young men, and pupils across the country, for life beyond school,” Miss Alexander explained.
“They develop skills that go beyond the classroom – teamwork, project management, public speaking, and independence – while also sparking a passion for careers in engineering, graphic design, project management, and social media.”
Many of our alumni have gone on to study or work in these fields, crediting their time in the project as a formative experience. One former pupil from the 2015 World Finals team, recently shared that the skills he developed through the competition were instrumental in achieving his current role in the engineering sector.
Congratulations to Team Lightspeed for their remarkable achievement and thank you to our dedicated staff and supporters who continue to make St Cuthbert’s a place where young talent can thrive.
