A state secondary school in south London has made UK history by qualifying for an international “Olympics-style” robotics competition.
Students from Langley Park School for Boys in Beckenham won the UK robotics championship earlier this year. They will now fly to Panama City on 29 October to represent Great Britain at the First Global Challenge, which brings together teams from 190 countries.
Maths teacher Matt Fry founded the school’s robotics club only two years ago. He says becoming the first comprehensive school to represent the UK is proof that robotics is not just for private or specialist institutions.
Team member Adrian said they joined the club with no expectations. Their first competition ended in a heavy defeat, but they trained harder and later won the national title. “It has been life-changing,” he said.
Another student, Kieran, said the team is excited to meet competitors from around the world and is proud to travel abroad with a robot they engineered themselves. The theme of this year’s challenge is sustainable food networks.
A third teammate, Teddy, praised Mr Fry for opening the world of robotics to them:
“Without him, none of this would have happened. We owe it all to him.”
Mr Fry says the biggest impact of robotics is not the machine itself but what students learn through it — leadership, planning, and problem-solving. He hopes their success will inspire other comprehensive schools to enter future competitions:
“If we can, you can.”
