Jaguar Primary School challenge 2018

The Jaguar Primary School Challenge is a STEM competition, open to pupils aged six to 11 years old. It involves designing and manufacturing the fastest car possible within a set of rules, following the design and engineering processes employed by real engineering companies like Jaguar Land Rover.

Pupils form a team of three to six pupils to design a race car out of 160g/m² card complete with wheels, body and even a mini driver. They design and manufacture a body shell to fit a standard chassis using software before printing and cutting their designs onto card using a plotter cutter and then making their car ready to race. The cars are powered by a 4gm recycled CO2 cartridge and are raced on the standard 20-metre F1 in School’s track and timing system.

North Wales regional final

The F1 in Schools Jaguar Primary School challenge concluded in north Wales at Venue Cymru, Llandudno. Seven schools took part and, as usual in the north Wales hub, the competition was fierce with a record four places available in the UK final. Competing teams must compile a portfolio and organise a pit display to illustrate their learning. Prizes were shared among Lightning Strikes from Ysgol Bodafon, Eyri Eagles from Ysgol Bro Gwdyr and Plasma from Ysgol Esgob Morgan.

In addition to the pit and portfolio category teams are also required to give a verbal presentation to judging panels and their cars are also marked for engineering quality. The verbal presentation was won this year by Jungle Racers from Nercwys with the best engineered car prize going to Eyri Eagles from Ysgol Bro Gwydyr.

The racing was again very competitive, and no team managed to beat the incredible reaction time of 0.009 set by Ysgol Bro Gwydyr last year. However, Spycon from Ysgol Esgob Morgan achieved the best reaction time on the day of 0.162 of a second. The fastest car was designed and made by the team from Llanidloes called Jaguar X. A judges discretionary award was given to Cosmic Raycers from Ysgol Bodafon.

Overall champions of the north Wales hub though were Lightning Strikes from Ysgol Bodafon with Light Speed from Nercwys, Eryi Eagles from Ysgol Bro Gwydyr and Jungle Racers from Nercwys receiving invitations to take part in the UK national final. The south Wales hub final was held at the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea and was attended by 22 schools with five places allocated for the UK final. Such was the high standard this year that the judges decided to give seven discretionary awards. These were awarded to: Electric Roadsters from Clytha Primary; Electric Wheels from Albert Road, Penarth; Supersonic from Coity Primary; Dragon Fury from Garnteg; Lightning Bolts from Castle Park Primary and Team Spitfire from Llanbedr School.

The pit and portfolio award was given to the team from Caedraw in Merthyr called End Game. The verbal presentation was jointly awarded to End Game from Caedraw and Dragon Racing from Gwaunfarren. The driver from Deri View Primary and the team Lightning Bolts, achieved the fastest reaction time of 0.014 of a second. However, the fastest car was designed and made by End Game from Caedraw – its car took just 0.958 of a second to travel down the 20-metre track, which means that it was travelling over 46 miles per hour!

End Game from Caedraw were awarded a richly deserved overall champions trophy. In addition, the following schools/ teams were given invitations to take part in the UK national final: Deri View Primary School – Lighting Bolts; Llangynydir Primary – Team Bolt; Gwaunfarren Primary – Dragon Racing and Mynydd Cynffig Primary – Turbo Titans. Unsurprisingly, given the standard they had displayed throughout the regional and national finals, End Game from Caedraw was crowned UK champions on June 20, 2018 at the National Motor Museum, Gaydon. This a great accolade for the school and Wales and is the culmination of several years hard work by the school and its teachers, Miss J Stokes and Mr S Beale. Mention also must be made of Gwaunfarren Primary which achieved the sponsorship award, this is most notable as this is its first year taking part in the Jaguar Primary School Challenge.

South Wales regional final UK national championships