This afternoon I attended the Formula Schools event at the South Leeds CLC...

Pete Thurlow had invited me to the pre-judging session of this national engineering/design event where secondary students design and build a small scale radio controlled racing car. The teams go on to compete in a national event at Silverstone on 12 June. The teams have to raise sponsorship, show how they have designed and built their car and develop their own team branding.

Last year teams from Bruntcliffe and Woodkirk High Schools attended for the first time and both came away with trophies. This year, teams from Allerton Grange, Bruntcliffe, Cockburn, Horsforth, Temple Moor, Wetherby and Woodkirk High Schools are taking part with Wetherby setting the standard by fielding an all girls team!

This is a brilliant initiative which Pete Thurlow and his colleagues at the South Leeds CLC have pioneered here in Leeds. The national Project Director Rob Austin told everyone at the event that this was the best display he had seen at any of the pre-judging events he had attended across the country. In case you missed this wonderful initiative, where every team gets to go to Silverstone for a fantastic day's racing, you can find out more at www.formulaschools.com.
Chris