Cornwall’s Young Engineers Shine at FIRST LEGO League

Kernow Koders

This year hundreds of pupils from across Cornwall put their coding and engineering skills to the test. They were all involved in the FIRST LEGO League Challenge. Around 450 primary school pupils took part in this year’s Regional Final. All pupils used robots they had built and programmed to complete a series of timed missions.

This year’s theme focused on archaeology, and the event was hosted at RNAS Culdrose in Helston. Pupils took part in two full days of teamwork, problem solving, and technical thinking. A huge congratulations to teams from Bishop Bronescombe School in St Austell, Porthleven School, and Camborne’s Trevithick Learning Academy, who went to compete in Harrogate last week for the finals.

This competition is designed to improve STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) skills. It gives pupils a clear insight into what engineering can achieve. Schools received LEGO kits in September, giving them months to prepare. They plan, test ideas, and build confidence before the final event. On the day they were challenged to complete as many missions as possible in a three‑minute window. This needed accuracy, creativity, and resilience.

Staff shared how valuable the experience was. A teacher from Porthleven School said the programme had strengthened pupils’ coding skills. She also saw improvements in teamwork. Her team included pupils from different classes. She said it helped them build confidence by working together.

St Newlyn East School also took part and Mrs Carter who won the Coach award and is still wearing her medal with pride.

One of their pupils said,

"It was a great experience because you can learn and still have fun." - Edith

Janine Bisson from Cornwall Council said the competition is so much more than Lego robotics.

"The robots do not always work as planned, so pupils learn to keep trying. They learn to solve problems and support each other along the way." - Janine Bisson

Janine has been involve in the organisation of the FIRST LEGO League for many years. She has seen first‑hand how children’s confidence grows and how their communication skills improve.

We know that the impact of the FIRST LEGO League goes far beyond competition day. Research shows that pupils who take part are more likely to develop long‑term interest in STEM. Taking part in the competition also helps them build communication, resilience, and collaboration skills. These skills continue to develop in later education and can influence future career choices.

We are grateful to RNAS Culdrose for hosting the event during a very busy time. Our thanks go to Cdr Matt Turfrey and his team. Their support helped create a memorable experience for Cornwall’s young people.