We are passionate about bridging the gap between industry and education and are always on the lookout for opportunities where we can give young innovators and engineers the chance to experience real life design and technology. So, when Shanta Hurford of the St Augustine of Canterbury Catholic Primary School’s Lego Club phoned to ask if we could help the children prepare for the last round of the Lego League finals, we jumped at the chance!

Each year, children between the ages of 9 and 11 are given the opportunity to sign up for the club where design and technology is the only learning objective. Lego Club is not only an outlet for their interest in engineering but also teaches them valuable skills for the world of work and further education, such as teamwork, leadership, communication, and presentation.

The Lego League is an international competition consisting of three key parts: a Lego robotics challenge including programming, a unique innovation project using a specific brief set out by Lego and reported evidence of the club working as a team.

Flying the flag for North-East Bristol, St Augustine’s Clever Lego-ers triumphed at the semi-finals for their innovative Tap Listen Blend Pen. The design answered the brief of producing a world class learning aid but pushed the boundaries further by aiming it directly at helping people in the UK who suffer with dyslexia. The pen works by phonetically sounding words as they are scanned over, but unlike the product’s hypothetical competitors is designed to work on all types of publication and writing.

In February, the final will involve a Dragon’s Den style presentation, delivered to leading experts in the field of technology and business, on how the product could be brought to market in real life terms and will include a session of quick-fire questions on cost and manufacturing.

Here’s where Cubik stepped in! Taking a concept from initial idea to specification, design through to prototype, and eventually on to the market is our speciality. We couldn’t wait to help the kids get started!

The day began with an excellent presentation from the Lego Club’s which included props and some very convincing acting. The Cubik team, consisting of Paul Mullen (Director), Sophie Adams-Foster (Project Manager) and Lianne Barnard (Office Coordinator), had the chance to ask some important questions: How much would the product cost? How would the product be made? What would it be made from? We were extremely impressed with the level of research and planning that went into designing such a unique and worthy product.

Following the session, we delivered an informative presentation on how Cubik would take this product to market using our five-phase prototyping service, which in a real-life application, would be perfect for the Lego Club’s invention.

The day ended with a tour of our labs and a look at some of the projects we are currently working on.

Lego Club leader, Jess Scott, said:

“The group will certainly be better equipped to deal with the grilling they will get in Loughborough. In fact, I think the judges will get a shock at how well informed they are”

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Following the visit, we received letters of thanks from the children including one from Grace, one of the club’s project coordinators:

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“You gave our teams advice and what you said we'll certainly put into action. I loved the experience and will remember it for the rest of my life.”

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The children were so impressed by the Bristol and Bath Science Park building, with Barnaby adding:

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“I thought it was an amazing building, so good I built it on Minecraft.”

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We were delighted to help and left the experience with the sense that the future of our industry is in safe hands with such bright innovators in our schools.

We wish the Lego Club all the success and luck for the final.