We Are The Robots Workshop

If computing is the brain of a robot, design and technology (DT) is the body. Pupils don't just programme robots, they design, build, test and improve them, which is exactly what the DT curriculum is about.

1. Designing with a purpose. Pupils are given a challenge, such as moving an object, crossing a course or solving a problem, and have to plan a robot that can do it. This mirrors the DT cycle of identifying a need, planning and generating ideas.

2. Building and making. With kit like VEX GO, VEX IQ and LEGO SPIKE, pupils construct real mechanical systems using beams, gears, wheels, axles and motors. They learn how structures are made strong and stable, and how parts work together to create movement. This is hands-on making with real components rather than just a screen.

3. Understanding mechanisms. Gears, levers, pulleys and wheels aren't abstract ideas in a robotics session, because pupils see how a gear ratio changes speed or how an arm design affects what a robot can lift. This links directly to the DT focus on mechanical systems, and to Science topics like forces.

4. Testing and evaluating. A design rarely works first time. Pupils test their robot, spot what isn't working (too heavy, unstable, wheels slipping) and make changes, then test again. Evaluating and improving a product is a core DT skill.

5. Working to a brief and with constraints. Limited parts, time and space mean pupils have to make choices and compromises, just as real engineers do. It builds creativity within limits.

6. Teamwork and communication. Pupils share roles as designer, builder, tester and programmer, and explain their decisions to others, which develops collaboration and presenting skills.

7. Linking to the real world. Pupils see how engineering design shapes the machines used in industry, medicine and exploration, which helps them connect classroom learning to future careers.
Pupils don't just code robots, they design, build, test and improve them like real engineers !

Engineering is the thread that ties everything together. Pupils work the way real engineers do: they take a problem, design a solution, build it, test it and keep improving it. Computing and DT are both part of this, and the workshops put them to work on a real challenge.

1. Starting with a problem. Every session is built around a challenge, such as moving an object, following a line, navigating a course or completing a mission. Engineers begin by understanding what they need to achieve, and so do the pupils.

2. Planning and designing solutions. Before building, pupils discuss ideas, sketch or plan, and decide on an approach. They learn that there is rarely one right answer, and that different designs can solve the same problem in different ways.

3. Building with real engineering components. Using VEX GO, VEX IQ and LEGO SPIKE, pupils work with gears, motors, wheels, axles and sensors. They see how mechanical parts, electronics and software combine into one working system, which is the heart of robotics engineering.

4. Testing and measuring. Engineers don't guess, they test. Pupils run their robot, watch what happens, and use evidence (did it reach the target, how far did it travel, did it stay stable?) to decide what to change. This builds early scientific and mathematical thinking.

5. Iterating and improving. The first design is almost never the final one. Pupils learn that failure is part of the process, and that fixing a problem is a success rather than a setback. This builds resilience and a growth mindset.

6. Working within constraints. Limited parts, time and space force pupils to make trade-offs, such as speed against stability or strength against weight. Real engineers face exactly the same decisions.

7. Working as a team. Engineering is collaborative. Pupils take on roles such as builder, programmer and tester, share ideas, listen to each other and present what they've achieved.

8. Meeting advanced engineering ideas. With kit like VEX IQ and VEX AIM, older pupils explore sensors, autonomous navigation and even AI vision, giving them a taste of how modern robots are engineered and the careers that go with them.

Every pupil who builds and programs a robot to solve a problem is working as an inventor. The workshops treat invention as a way of working: spot a problem, come up with an idea, make it real, test it and improve it.

1. Pupils become inventors. Challenges are open-ended, such as "build a robot that can move an object" or "design a machine to complete a mission". There is rarely one right answer, so each group's robot is its own invention.

2. Inventing starts with a problem. Real inventions come from a need. Pupils learn to ask what the robot has to do, what could go wrong and how to solve it, which is where good ideas begin.

3. Ideas become working prototypes. With VEX GO, VEX IQ, LEGO SPIKE and the rest of the kit, pupils turn an idea into a physical, programmable prototype within one session, which makes invention feel achievable rather than abstract.

4. Failure is part of inventing. Inventors rarely get it right first time. When a robot doesn't work, pupils test, rethink and rebuild, learning that persistence and trial and error are how great inventions happen.

5. Creativity within constraints. Limited parts, time and space push pupils to be inventive with what they have, just as real inventors work with materials and budgets.

6. Sharing and improving ideas. Pupils present their robots, explain their choices and see how others solved the same challenge, learning that inventions improve when people share and build on each other's ideas.

7. Linking to inventions in the real world. Sessions can connect pupils' work to real robots and inventions in medicine, manufacturing, exploration and rescue, helping them see themselves as the inventors of the future. With VEX AIM, older pupils even work with AI vision, one of the newest inventions of all.

Robotics is a team activity by nature. A robot needs a design, a build, a program and a test, and no single pupil has to do all of it alone. The workshops use that to build teamwork naturally, with no separate "team-building exercise" needed.

1. Small groups, shared kit. Pupils work in small groups around a robot or kit, so everyone gets hands-on time and nobody is left watching. The group shares one goal: make the robot complete the challenge.

2. Everyone has a role. Pupils can take on roles such as builder, programmer, tester and presenter, and swap them during the session. This lets confident and quieter pupils each contribute in a way that suits them, and shows that every job matters.

3. A shared challenge. Missions and mini-competitions give the whole group a clear target. Pupils quickly see that they do better by pooling ideas than by working against each other.

4. Communication is built in. To build and code a robot, pupils have to explain their ideas, listen to others, agree on a plan and describe what went wrong. Clear communication becomes the quickest route to a working robot.

5. Disagreements get solved with evidence. When pupils disagree about a design or a line of code, the robot settles it: they test both ideas and see which works. This teaches them to resolve differences constructively rather than by arguing.

6. Learning from setbacks together. When something fails, the group debugs it as a team. Pupils learn that mistakes are shared problems to solve, not individual failures, which builds resilience and support for each other.

7. Celebrating and presenting results. Groups show what they've built, explain their choices and see how others tackled the same challenge. This builds confidence, respect for other people's ideas and pride in shared success.

8. Mixed abilities work well. Because the tasks combine building, coding, testing and presenting, different strengths are valued. Pupils who struggle with one part often shine at another, which helps with inclusion across a whole class or year group.