VEX Robotics Day

A day to inspire local primary school students in the world of coding and robotics. 

Aims

The aim was to provide free access to the VEX Robotics GO software, along with the opportunity to build and code a robot.   
 
The day was designed to develop problem-solving, teamwork and coding skills.  
 
The need was to offer local primary school pupils the hands-on opportunity to apply technology, science, maths, and engineering skills through a 21st-century learning experience. 
 
For the event to be a success, we needed to arrange guest access and a tutorial to use the VEX VR account, along with the opportunity to connect with VEX directly after the event.  
 
Pupils and staff from 2 local primary schools benefitted from the event.  
 

Background

Nottingham High School hosts an annual programme of STEM outreach events, run by our Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Maths departments. Part of the schools’ ethos is to share its facilities and STEM opportunities with other schools in the local community. This was the inaugural VEX Robotics Day.  

Resources

For this project to succeed, we needed free access to the school’s Physics classrooms, as well as 2 members of teaching staff to support the children on the day.  
 
We arranged guest log-in details for the VEX VR software, and we provided the building materials and coding equipment.  
 
The schools’ Head of Admissions and Partnership oversaw the invitation and booking process.  
 
The catering staff provided lunch free of charge for visiting children and school staff.  
 
The event itself ran for 6 hours, with approximately 3 days of preparation time.  
 
The winners of the challenges were given a certificate to recognise their achievements.  

Impact

We connected all visiting schools to the UK Education Manager at VEX, to give an opportunity to build on the legacy of the day.  
 
After each event, visiting teachers are asked to summarise what their pupils learned and enjoyed about the competition, along with any suggestions for improvement.   

Pupil Involvement

6 girls and boys aged 9-10 from 2 local state primary schools, and 2 members of staff. 

Frequency

This was the inaugural VEX Robotics Day, which we hope to host annually going forward.