Every Wednesday afternoon at The JCB Academy, all staff and learners participate in an ‘Extension Activities’, these activities include: Go-karting, Airsoft, Hair and Beauty, Robot Building, Photography, Golf, Ten Pin Bowling, Fishing, Mountain Biking, Clay Pigeon Shooting, 3D Design and many more. One of the activities is the ‘Landrover 4×4 In Schools’ Challenge, where teams of 4-6 learners work together to design and make remote control cars which are able to tackle ‘off road’ tracks. As part of the challenge the teams are also expected to market their product and to produce a portfolio of their work. They should also produce a power point /media presentation.
This year, two teams from The JCB Academy, ‘The Potters’ and ‘Gear Head’ entered their cars into the Landrover 4×4 in Schools Challenge Regional Finals on 25th January at Shirelands Collegiate Academy, Smethwick.
During the day, their cars were scrutinised against technical requirements. Their ‘Pit stop’ display stands and portfolios were also judged. Each team gave presentations and were interviewed by panels of judges. Finally, each team had to drive their cars over specially designed tracks within time allocations.
At the end of the day, ‘Gear Heads’ were presented with an award for exceptional team work, evident during the track trial, when they worked calmly together to deal with a technical problem which had developed on their car. They persevered with the task in hand.
It was a great day and both teams represented themselves and the Academy very well.
