In a recent BBC article, students from Langley Park School for Boys in Beckenham were celebrated for qualifying to represent Great Britain at the FIRST® Global Challenge in Panama City.
Often described as the "Olympics of STEM", this international robotics competition brings together teams from over 190 countries to tackle real-world challenges through engineering and innovation.
What makes their achievement even more remarkable is that Langley Park is a comprehensive school, and their robotics journey only began two years ago. With the support of teacher Matt Fry, the students went from losing their first competition to becoming UK champions.
As one student put it:
“None of us thought when we started that we would become UK champions and represent our country in a global competition.”
Their story is a powerful example of what happens when young people are given the tools, mentorship, and opportunity to explore STEM. And it’s exactly the kind of journey that begins with in the UK wide, IET delivered FIRST® LEGO® League.
What Is FIRST® LEGO® League?
FIRST® LEGO® League is a hands-on robotics programme for children aged 9–16. It introduces robotics coding, mechanical engineering, as well as developing softer skills like teamwork, resilience, and problem solving. It additionally provides some of the practical skills that can be helpful for young people who then want to go on into the Engineering workplace, such as presenting, research skills and coming up with innovative ideas. Most importantly the programme creates fun, accessible challenges using LEGO® Education kits to spark interest in young people about the beauty of engineering. It’s not just about building robots—it’s about building confidence, creativity, and collaboration and fostering those that want to use their involvement in the programme to help plug the ever increasing STEM skills gap in the sector.
This short introductory video and deeper dive give an overview to show how teams develop through the programme:
Each season, teams explore a different real-world theme. This year’s theme, “UNEARTHED”, focuses on archaeology—challenging students to think about how technology helps us uncover the past and preserve cultural heritage. A bit more information about the current season is in this video:
How FIRST® LEGO® League Fits into the Bigger Picture
It’s important to distinguish between FIRST® LEGO® League and the FIRST® Global Challenge. While FIRST® LEGO® League is an entry-level programme focused on foundational STEM skills, the FIRST Global Challenge is an advanced international competition for much older students, tackling global issues like sustainability, energy, and food systems.
Both are part of the wider FIRST® Robotics ecosystem provided by FIRST®: The world’s leading youth robotics community that delivers hands-on STEM learning that inspires innovation, builds confidence, and prepares kids and young people for life and can breed the engineers of the future. Whether it's FIRST® Global Challenge or FIRST® LEGO® League, these are pathways that support learners from primary school right through to sixth form and beyond. The IET as one of the world's prominent delivery partners of FIRST® LEGO® League looks to engage with 40,000 young people in FIRST® LEGO® League this year.
Why It Matters
Langley Park’s success in FIRST® Global Challenge shows how early engagement in STEM can lead to international opportunities, global friendships, and real-world problem-solving. It also highlights the importance of making these programmes accessible to all schools, youth clubs, after school clubs and community settings—not just those with existing STEM infrastructure. In FIRST® LEGO® League we still have nearly 100 unfunded teams who still looking for support and funding to take part in FIRST® LEGO® League this season.
Get Involved
If you’re a educator, mentor, or STEM advocate, now’s the time to get involved. You can register a team for a regional tournament and help young people begin their own journey into robotics and innovation.
Equally, If you're a business leader, team manager, or STEM-focused organisation, now’s the time to get involved and perhaps you could fund an unfunded team to take part this year. Equally regional tournaments are happening everywhere, these present a unique volunteering workplace opportunity to help young people take their first steps into robotics, innovation, and STEM future-ready skills.
Final Thoughts
Langley Park’s story is proof that with the right support, any school can nurture future engineers, coders, and problem-solvers. The robot may be the smallest part of the journey—as Matt Fry says—it’s the leadership, project management, and teamwork that truly shape these young minds.
Let’s keep investing in these early-stage programmes. Because today’s LEGO® builders are tomorrow’s global innovators.
Happy to hear your thoughts?