Team Brent take 'pole' position

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A group of P6 pupils from West Winds Primary School in Newtownards were on the ‘podium’ last weekend, lifting the trophy for ‘Innovative Thinking’ at the F1 in Primary Schools Technology Challenge Final in Manchester.

Taking its cues from real-life Formula One racing, F1 in Schools is a multi-disciplinary challenge in which teams of students aged nine to 19 deploy CAD/CAM software to collaborate, design, analyse, manufacture, test, and then race miniature gas powered balsa wood F1 cars.

Sharon Heaney, P6 teachers at West Winds said she was delighted the class’s ‘Team Brent’ had one the Regional Heats earlier this month as well as scooping the award for ‘Best Team Identity’, before travelling to last weekend’s finals where they made it a hat-trick.

As Mrs Heaney explained, this is the first time the school had ever entered the competition and the children really enjoyed the challenge: “The children were really enthusiastic about this project and worked incredibly hard. We never expected to be heading to the National Finals and are all so proud of them.

“The whole class began by researching F1 drivers and tracks, and considered team names and car designs. Then they voted who should be on the team to take the project further. They chose the name ‘Team Brent’ as they felt the Brent Goose displayed qualities they would like in their car – aerodynamic, sleek and streamlined.”

The children had to raise sponsorship themselves and manage a tight budget. The challenge also encouraged them to investigate and learn about aerodynamics, design, manufacture, branding, marketing and teamwork.

With Regent House Grammar recently scooping the F1 in Schools (senior) title it seems that young people from Ards really do have the ‘winning formula’.

This is the first time a primary school from SEELB has been to National Final and everyone in West winds is immensely proud of their achievements. The children travelled t Manchester via Liverpool last Thursday and spent an interesting day in Manchester visiting the town hall and art gallery.

Full report in this week's Chronicle.