Robots to the Rescue: Norfolk Pupils Tackle Tech in Primary Hackathon

This week, pupils across eight primary schools in Norfolk came together to compete in our annual Primary Hackathon, with this year's theme of ‘Robots to the Rescue’ - sponsored by Norfolk Developers.  

This event brought together over 60 young minds to explore the world of robotics, teamwork, and problem-solving in a fun and inclusive environment. The day saw pupils working in teams of four to observe, plan, and program LEGO Mindstorms robots to navigate a challenging obstacle course. The event was designed not just for budding tech enthusiasts, but to spark curiosity and confidence in all students - especially those in Years 4 to 6, a critical age for shaping attitudes toward Computer Science. 

Sponsors Norfolk Developers have enabled Inspiration Trust to scale up this amazing event, providing fantastic technology opportunities to more schools in the region. 

Richard, a member of Nor Dev said: 

“It was a really fun day and the pupils were great, they really enjoyed it and some were super enthused which was great to see. They all did really well to learn a lot of this stuff on the day from scratch. 

 

A lot of the kids haven’t actually interacted with any of this kind of thing before, it was a new experience for them and they did really well. The students from Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form were amazing, and for all the planning that has gone into it, it has been a really impressive day. It was really nice to see the younger kids learn from the sixth formers, and the sixth formers learn things too! Hopefully they’ll continue to get involved and do it again!” 

Adding to the excitement, the Norfolk Fire Service Drone Team made a special appearance. They demonstrated how drones are used in real-life rescue missions by flying a drone over the school fields to simulate a search for a missing person. 

Emily Banks, Computer Science Subject Specialist Lead at Inspiration Trust said:  

“The primary hackathon is always a highlight of my year. It is fantastic to see pupils throw themselves into the true spirit of Computer Science where resilience often brings rewards.  

 

We've already got new robots, and a new theme planned for next year so watch this space for a date!” 

A highlight of the day was a keynote speech by Tash Buckley, a leading voice in AI research and disaster response. Tash shared with pupils about the future of AI and invited pupils to think about what ethical things in the future AI could influence, and what their role in that could look like. Tash said: “It was an absolute joy to meet such bright, thoughtful young minds and hear their ideas on how technology could help both humans and animals live better together on our shared planet in the future. From protecting animal species to supporting people in need, their creativity and compassion were truly heartwarming.”   

Whilst there were many times tied at the top, St Nicholas Priory’s team pipped to the post based on their teamwork, resilience, and creative solutions.   

Their teacher said:

“I really appreciated the day; it was fantastic to see them work so cohesively together. They truly excelled.” 

Norfolk Developers are a local tech enterprise in Norwich that promotes talent in technology in Norfolk. They host regular events and foster ongoing engagement through platforms like Discord, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Their inclusive network supports everyone from beginners to experienced developers, creating a space for learning, collaboration, and professional growth.