Students from Lindley Junior School take to the podium
Dated: 24/04/2009
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Teams from Lindley Primary School win 1st & 3rd place in F1 in Schools Competition. Lindley Lightening Bolts stormed to victory beating off 28 other teams on Monday when they won the F1 in Schools Primary Pilot Final. The event was held on Monday at the Royal Armouries’ Leeds where VIP’s and spectators watched in anticipation as 132 primary students from West Yorkshire competed to win the trophies and prizes.
The winning team from Lindley Primary School who took 1st place on the podium are made up of four students aged 9 and 10 years old. The team also won the Corus Fastest Car award with a time of 1.205 seconds. Queens of Speed, also from Lindley made it to the podium winning 3rd place overall.
The competition challenges teams of students to use CAD/CAM software to design, test and manufacture miniature compressed gas-powered balsa wood F1 cars. A purpose-built 20 metre track will be used to test the speed of the model F1™ cars. In addition, participants will be judged on their final car design, engineering development, team work and project presentation.
Ben Gowthorpe a member of Poison Demons, from Ackton Pastures Primary School who came 2nd Overall said: “I like manufacturing - I liked cutting the car out and using the machines best. We’re looking forward to seeing our race and how good the car looks!”
“I can draw well and Jessie can draw well so we got to do the design and paint the car which was the best bit for me. I enjoyed using the cutting machines too but really got into the design.” Kennedy Muntanga, Poison Demons from Ackton Pastures Primary School.
The Primary Pilot Final event took place with the assistance of a host of sponsors and supporters. Amongst these are Yorkshire Forward, Denford Limited, The IET, Corus Jaguar, The Learning Grid and Frog.
“This was an excellent day which demonstrated how engineering, science and design can be brought to life in an innovative way to build on the skills of our regions youth. We believe that by opening up communication between our regions private sector and the communities that surround them, we can begin to develop links that will eventually secure the future prosperity of both – the F1 in Schools Regional Final has done this at ground level with local businesses sponsoring local teams. The children showed an enterprising spirit, with some teams fundraising in their own way for a successful project – A skill in itself!” Ruth Adams, Assistant Director of Skills at Yorkshire Forward
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The F1 in Schools Challenge is an existing international competition in its ninth year, which currently engages with secondary school pupils and teachers in over 10,000 schools from 31 countries around the world. Bernie Ecclestone, President and CEO of Formula One Management gave his support to F1 in Schools by granting the challenge a world-wide protected trademark and a new logo in 2005. Since this time the initiative has built close links with teams and personalities within Formula One.
James Allen from ITV Sport who commentated at the event and also presented the awards to the winning teams at the presentation ceremony said "I've always been impressed with the work of the children in the F1 in schools programme, but the event for the younger age group In Leeds really blew my mind. There were 9 year olds looking at the problems of reducing friction in wheels, taking weight out of the chassis, improving the aerodynamics; all the things real engineers do. Hats off to Andrew Denford and his team. This challenge is opening up a really exciting new frontier."
The Primary project has allowed F1 in Schools to further expand within the primary education sector in partnership with 19 West Yorkshire schools. Building upon a well developed and delivered model in the secondary education sector by extending the existing F1 challenge and activities to the primary sector will encourage secondary schools already participating in F1 challenge to act as manufacturing and race hubs for a group of associated feeder primary schools.
Andrew Denford, Founder and Chairman of F1 in Schools said “The standard of work on display at the pilot final was outstanding. The event has been a great success and for the students involved, the project has brought a real sense of fun and excitement into learning ICT, Science, Engineering and Maths”.
Full Results F1 in Schools Primary Pilot Final
Best Team Sponsorship and Marketing – Moorlands School
Best Pit Display – Poison Demons, Ackton Pastures Primary School
Best Portfolio – Lightning Dragons, Moorlands Primary School
Best Verbal Presentation – Golden Hawks, Park Junior School
Best Team Identity – The Sparks, St. James Church Primary School
Best Website – Reinwood Primary School
The Chairman’s Team Identity Award – XLR8, Thornton Primary School
Best Engineered Car – Half Acres Hurricanes, Half Acres Junior School
Fastest Car Award – Lindley Lightning Bolts, Lindley Primary School
3rd Place Winners – Queens of Speed, Lindley Primary School
2nd Place Winners – Poison Demons, Ackton Pastures Primary School
1st Place Winners – Lindley Lightning Bolts, Lindley Primary School
