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Competition

VEX IQ Robotics Competition

Get involved in the world's largest robotics competition and bring your students' STEM skills to life!

VEX IQ Robotics Competition

The VEX IQ Robotics Competition brings STEM skills to life by tasking teams of students with designing, building and coding a robot to play against other teams in a game-based engineering challenge.

Using a VEX IQ robotics kit, teams analyse the season's game and design a robot to meet its challenges. The competition includes both fully autonomous and driver-controlled matches, allowing participants to showcase their engineering and programming skills.

Classroom STEM concepts are put to the test as team members learn skills which can help them in the classroom and beyond - such as teamwork, leadership, resilience and communication.

Another key aspect of the competition is the Engineering Notebook, which is presented to a panel of judges. The Engineering Notebook is just as important as the robot itself, allowing judges to look 'under the hood' of the robot, and delve in to learn more about the team, the robot and their design processes.

Dates & locations

Tournaments are held year-round at local, regional, and national levels (around 40 in the UK alone) that culminate at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas each April! Every tournament is supported by a team of volunteers along with the Robotics Education & Competition Foundation Regional Support Manager.

STEM Ambassadors can work with teams to support teachers and also judge at events to give inspiration and guidance to attendees.

The competition is open to all, globally, including school teams, clubs, and independent teams.

Duration

The season runs from May to the following March, and teams can attend as many events as they wish during that season.

Teams currently taking part will typically meet weekly (or fortnightly early in the season) after school or during lunchtimes, this frequency can increase closer to events.

The programme is designed to be student-led so work can take place away from school by students.

A typical team will spend a minimum of 6 sessions prior to an event working and developing their robot, but the team may spend as much additional time as they wish in preparation for an event.

Cost

There is an annual registration fee of £125+VAT for the season, which allows teams to attend as man qualification events as they wish, both locally and across the country.

Teams also require a VEX IQ robotics kit to build their robot with - this is available from VEX Robotics and can be used year-on-year, so not an annual fee.

Grants are available throughout the season from various organisations and - for the 2024/25 season - the REC Foundation Grants for new school teams starting in the UK.

Learning outcomes

  • Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects

  • Improve attainment and progress in STEM subjects

  • Learning what the engineering workplace is like

  • Develop engineering employability skills

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

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

Topics

  • Materials
  • Computing
  • Structures
  • Mechanisms

Working scientifically

Whichever curriculum your school follows, pupils should have the opportunity to carry out practical investigations in science that help them to develop their scientific skills. This experience builds the following enquiry skills:

  • Asking questions
  • Making predictions
  • Setting up tests
  • Observing and measuring
  • Recording data
  • Interpreting and communicating results
  • Evaluating

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:

  • Aiming high - the ability to set clear, tangible goals and devise a robust route to achieving them.

  • Creativity - the use of imagination and the generation of new ideas.

  • Leadership - supporting, encouraging and motivating others to achieve a shared goal.

  • Listening - the ability to listen and understand information.

  • Problem solving - the ability to find a solution to a complex situation or challenge.

  • Speaking - the oral transmission of information or ideas.

  • Staying positive - the ability to use tactics to overcome setbacks and achieve goals.

  • Teamwork - working cooperatively with others towards achieving a shared goal.

Good for a career in...

  • Computing
  • Construction
  • Design
  • Electronics
  • Sport
What the teachers say

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