Peterborough schools get ready for new LEGO challenge

Pupils from Peterborough schools will be able to build on their past successes when the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge tournament returns in 2021.
Students taking part in the tournament in January 2020.Students taking part in the tournament in January 2020.
Students taking part in the tournament in January 2020.

The challenge is a global science and technology tournament for 9 – 16 year olds, with over 67,000 teams getting involved across 110 countries every year.

Now in its second year, the Whirlpool-funded Peterborough tournament will see 15 local teams - 10 returning and five new ones - compete for the chance to progress to the national final in July 2021.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Funding from Woodston-based Whirlpool includes all entry fees as well as a LEGO Mindstorms or SPIKE Prime robot, worth around £450.

Set to take place on May 7, for the first time ever the tournament will be held virtually and tournament hosts and the IET are busy innovating the process to find new ways to make the tournament as engaging and fun as the usual physical event format.

The theme of this year’s challenge is RePLAY, which is based around the importance of play and being more active. Students are challenged to develop a number of key technology and life-based skills through the four components: the Robot Game, Robot Design, Core Values and the Innovation Project.

Ian Moverley, Public Affairs Director, Whirlpool, comments: “Whirlpool has employed thousands of local people over many decades at our UK headquarters in Woodston and we’re really excited to engage more with our community through the funding of the tournament in Peterborough for the second year running.”