Moor End wins tech challenge

A team of 15- and 16-year-old students from Moor End Academy in Huddersfield has won Land Rover 4×4 in Schools Technology Challenge.

Its radio-controlled vehicle tackled rocks and water to win the challenge, a project-based education programme for teams of six students aged 11-19 who design, test and build scale-model remote control vehicles in lessons or at after-school STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) clubs.

The UK champions received an Arkwright Engineering Scholarship from Land Rover, a well-respected programme which nurtures high-potential future engineering leaders. The two year programme supports scholars throughout their A-levels and includes financial support towards their STEM studies as well as guidance from a Jaguar Land Rover mentor and work experience placement at Jaguar Land Rover. The students also won a £1,000 scholarship for Harper Adams University and a place at the Land Rover 4×4 in Schools World Final 2017.

Team captain Zain Anjam, 16, said, ‘Good teamwork, friendship and perseverance are the secret to our success. We’re now all very interested in engineering careers in the automotive industry. We’ve got lots of work ahead of us as we prepare our vehicle for the World Final in Abu Dhabi later this year. We can’t wait to represent the UK and will do our best to bring the trophy home.’

English champions Epsilon Engineers and Scottish champions The Docs, from Woodfarm High School in Glasgow will join Team Robust and Team Pinnacle to represent the UK at the Land Rover 4×4 in Schools World Final in Abu Dhabi in December, where they will compete against the teams from 17 other countries to become world champions.