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STATWARS: Climate Change Challenge

A challenge that empowers and educates pupils to tackle climate change using data they capture themselves.

STATWARS: Climate Change Challenge

The STATWARS® Climate Change Challenge is an immersive, real-world competition that empowers pupils to take the lead in driving meaningful environmental change. Designed for both primary and secondary students, this challenge is free and combines data, creativity, and action to make sustainability a reality.

Students will calculate their personal carbon footprints, identify practical steps to reduce emissions, and present their findings in innovative ways to inspire real-world impact. It’s a hands-on experience that blends learning with purpose.

Every pupil who takes part receives a graded certificate, and there’s up to £5,000 worth of eco-prizes to be won. Teachers select one team from each class to submit their entries to Primary Engineer HQ, where they will be graded and judged by experts.

From all entries, 60 teams are shortlisted for final judging by engineering professionals at our funding partners. Four winners are chosen in total – two from Primary and two from Secondary. All shortlisted teams receive £30 to spend in our Eco-store, while winners receive £300, giving schools the flexibility to choose prizes that best suit their community and make a lasting difference.

The submission deadline is the end of the summer term:

  • 27 June in Scotland and Northern Ireland
  • 18 July in England and Wales

Learning outcomes

  • Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects

  • Learning what the engineering workplace is like

  • Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers

  • Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering

Subjects and topics

    • Computing
    • Design and Technology
    • Engineering
    • Maths
    • Physics
    • Agriculture and food
    • Biotechnology
    • Chemical engineering
    • Electronics, robotics and programming
    • Energy and environment
    • General engineering

Gatsby benchmarks

The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:

  • Learning from career and labour market information
  • Addressing the needs of each pupil
  • Linking curriculum learning to careers
  • Encounters with employers and employees

Essential skills

The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:

  • Creativity - Using imagination and generating new ideas

  • Listening - Receiving, retaining and processing information

  • Problem solving - Finding solutions to challenges

  • Speaking - Transmitting information or ideas

  • Teamwork - Working cooperatively with others to achieve a shared goal

What the teachers say

We would love to read all about your time with this experience!

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Competition

The Big Bang Competition 2025/26

Inspire inquisitive minds to think big, challenge facts, ask questions, and invent solutions with the UK’s top annual science and engineering competition!
  • Ages 11 to 18+
  • In-school
  • Flexible project work
  • Free
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Project

Project Earth

Project Earth empowers and showcases young innovators keen to tackle climate challenges with expert support and real-world impact.

  • Ages 11 to 18
  • In-school
  • Flexible project work
  • Free

Careers resources