Innovation and Inspiration at FIRST LEGO League Robotics Competition

Year 6 pupils recently attended the FIRST LEGO League regional competition at GKN in Filton – a truly special experience for all involved.

The competition consisted of three rounds. First, the girls presented their innovation project: a prototype robot designed to help archaeologists gently brush away dirt and soil to reveal delicate discoveries. Their confidence shone through as they spoke with knowledge, clarity and maturity.

Next came the action round. The team carefully decided who would operate the LEGO robot and who had the magic touch for the all-important “plonking” — placing the robot onto the course with precision. Imagine an obstacle course designed for a LEGO robot, with a series of tasks to complete. The room buzzed with energy as teams prepared, the noise levels rising as the stopwatch started. Scores flashed onto the screen while our girls remained impressively calm and focused, clearly relishing every second of the challenge.

The curiosity and knowledge of the girls was evident throughout. Even more impressive was the way they conducted themselves in what was a very unfamiliar and busy environment. Their confidence and composure did not go unnoticed. In fact, one of the judges said afterwards how impressed he was with the girls’ ability, confidence and manners. He shared that he has a two-year-old daughter, with another on the way, and that he had never previously considered an all-girls school for them — until meeting our team!

Our talented group was significantly outnumbered by boys at the competition, and remarkably, we were the only all-girls team taking part. Watching the girls in action was thrilling. The idea that STEM subjects are typically “more suited to boys” simply does not exist in their minds. For them, it is their subject — one they clearly love and excel in.

During the judges’ question and answer session, the girls once again shone. What stood out most was how they worked as a team — generously highlighting each other’s strengths and ensuring everyone’s contributions were recognised. They spoke openly about the different skills each team member brought and how these helped them work effectively together. It was also wonderful to see their ability to reflect thoughtfully on challenges and consider what they might do differently next time.  We were proud to see them demonstrate such a high level of reflection and teamwork throughout.

Our Year 6 team represented themselves and the School with confidence, enthusiasm and determination. Their hard work and creativity were rewarded when they were awarded the Innovation Project Award — a fantastic and well-deserved achievement.

Congratulations to our brilliant robotics team — we cannot wait to see where their curiosity and talent take them next!