FIRST LEGO League 2024/25 – Submerged
We are delighted to be launching another FIRST LEGO League season across the North East, as we dive deep into the new 'Submerged' theme. Students aged 4 to 16 will explore this year's ocean theme as they take on one of the biggest and best STEM programmes in the world.
What is FIRST LEGO League?
FIRST LEGO League is an exciting global, hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) programme for 4-16 years olds. Its purpose is to give children a love for STEM learning and inspire the next generation of engineers and technicians.
It's delivered in the UK and Ireland by The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), and by regional delivery partners around the county, like our team at Education North Tyneside. Take a look at this short video from the IET, which explains a bit more:
The programme is split into three age divisions:
FIRST LEGO League Discover
A play-based introduction to STEM concepts for children aged 4 to 6. Students work in small groups to find out about an annual STEM theme, build LEGO Duplo models and develop skill such as exploration, listening, teamwork and playful learning
FIRST LEGO League Explore
An introduction to research and coding for children aged 6 to 9 years old. Students work in teams of up to 6 to investigate an anual STEM theme and design, build and code a moving LEGO model. All while learning about and developing the FIRST Core Values.
FIRST LEGO League Challenge
A robotics and life skills competition for students aged 9 to 16 years old. Teams of up to 10 investigate an annual STEM theme and then take on four equally weighted strands to the competition: The Innovation Project, The Robot Game, Robot Design and Core Values.
In the Robot Game, teams design, build and code a LEGO robot to complete a series of missions on a custom built LEGO competition field.
Teams finish the season by competing at a regional tournament.
We support schools to run the Discover age division in schools, at any time throughout the school year. We also run set seasons for the Explore and Challenge age divisions, which both culminate in end of season events for the schools to attend.
The Submerged Season
More than 70% of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans. Explorers throughout history have searched and studied the oceans to understand the impact on our lives. Society’s interest in the oceans has led to innovations in technology and a greater appreciation for the complex relationship between life on land and under the sea. There is so much more to learn about marine life, ecosystems, and the effects humans have on ocean health. In this season's Submerged theme, teams of all ages will be exploring the depths of our oceans, learning about life under the sea and the people who study and take the lead in looking after our oceans. Teams will be researching, designing and creating innovative solutions to real-world problems in this area.
FIRST LEGO League Challenge
Our FIRST LEGO League Challenge season is first to kick off. We are running separate events for schools in North Tyneside and Northumberland, Gateshead and Teesside this year. Participating schools will receive their challenge kits and LEGO robots in September and work on the four challenges over the coming months, before our end of season tournaments take place in March 2025. Regional tournament winners progress onto the national finals in Harrogate in April and beyond that, international tournaments take place all around the world for successful teams.
Our Amazing Partners!
As regional delivery partners for FIRST LEGO League, we have always tried to take away financial barriers for schools wishing to participate. We have been able to do that with fantastic support from a number of key partners. Sage have sponsored our North Tyneside and Northumberland events since 2017. They generously pay entry fees for all our competing teams, provide a fantastic venue in the Village Hotel, and also provide an army of volunteers through their fantastic Sage Foundation.
North Tyneside Council, Northumberland Council, Equans and Getech Education have also recently supported these events with volunteers and Capita have kindly funded a number of new LEGO robot kits for schools to loan for the season.
Our new Teesside event this year will be sponsored by Johnson Matthey. They have funded entry fees and brand new LEGO Spike Prime robot kits for all 20 schools, and will also be supporting the event with volunteers from their team. Redcar and Cleveland College are kindly hosting the event and will be providing student helpers for all the teams.
Our new Gateshead event this year will be supported by Aspire Technology solutions, who will be letting us take over their lovely quayside offices and running a tournament there in March. Colleagues from Aspire will also be volunteering to support the event. Aspire have also funded a number of new LEGO robot kits for schools to loan.
If you are interested in finding out more about our work with FIRST LEGO League, or getting involved yourself as a team or volunteer, please get in touch.
Contact: neil.brown@northtyneside.gov.uk
