Students' success at global robotics competition

June 4, 2026

Two Bristol sixth form students, Adil and Kacper, achieved remarkable success by placing sixth globally at the VEX Robotics World Championships in Missouri, competing against thousands of participants from over 50 countries. Despite starting their robot construction six months later than other teams in November 2025, they dedicated over 1,000 hours of work during breaks and weekends, secured £20,000 in funding, and won nine UK regional competitions in just four months. As the only British state school team to qualify for the world championships, they earned recognition for building the most consistent and durable robot, which was designed to rapidly pick up and move objects around an arena.

Who is affected

Adil and Kacper (the two Bristol sixth form students)
The Bristol sixth form school and its community
Other state school students in the UK (as the only state school team to qualify)
Younger students who will be mentored by the pair
Thousands of students from more than 50 countries who competed

What action is being taken

No explicit ongoing actions are described in the article. The competition has concluded, and the mentoring of younger students is described as a future plan rather than a current action.

Why it matters

This achievement is significant because it demonstrates that state school students can compete at the highest international levels in robotics despite resource constraints and time disadvantages. Their success as the only UK state school team to qualify challenges educational inequalities and shows what dedication and resourcefulness can accomplish. The students serve as role models within their school community, proving that state-funded education can produce world-class results in STEM fields, potentially inspiring more students to pursue robotics and engineering.

What's next

The pair plan to mentor younger students to keep the robotics project going next year.

Read full article from source: BBC