The Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge At The 2011 Imagineering Fair

During the 2011 Imagineering Fair at AIRBASE, Conventry Airport, Jaguar Land Rover will showcase the Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge.

The programme is the latest in a line of successful schools challenges and part of the National F1 in Schools and Engineering in Motion (EIM) supported programmes. The challenges are all specifically designed to provide school children with the opportunity to apply STEM subjects to projects which are engaging, complex and emulate the type of challenges which engineers might encounter.

The Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge, aimed at children between 5 and 11 years old, involves deisgning and creating the fast car possible in either the 2D or 3D challenge. Younger children who compete in the 2D challenge will have to create a team of four to design a race car out of card including wheels, body and a mini driver. The desig nis then printed and assembled to be raced. The 3D Challenge, for the older children, reuires a similar race car to be designed and manufactured, but the car will have to be tested and raced by the children, driven by compact compressed air. The teams of three and six pupils will use SolidWorks CAD software to design the car befor creating the 2D model out of balsa wood.

Commenting on the Jaguar Primary School Challenge, Les Ratcliffe, Community Relations Manager for Jaguar Land Rover said: "Encouraging young people to realise the importance of STEM subjects and the positive future opportunities they can facilitate has long been a priority for Jaguar Land Rover. Our business is founded on developing class leading vehicles using the latest engineering solutions and technologies and we can only continue to do that if there is a new generation of engineers and innovators out there to drive our business forward. Programmes like the Jaguar Primary Schools Challenge are just one way in which we are trying to create a spark in young people that will hopefully see them continue on to professions like those offered at Jaguar Land Rover."

The 4x4 in Schools Technology Challenge will also be showcased by Jaguar Land Rover. This year's challenge, which is now in its sixth year, saw 12 teams from across the UK compete in the finals which took place at the Coventry Motor Museum. Each team had to design, engineer and build a remote controlled 4x4 vehicle to precise specifications which had to be able to navigate a variety of obstacles such as tunnels, steep hills and rock roads. The teams also had to produced a graphic display of work as well as presenting their business knowledge to a panel of judges.

Jaguar Land Rover's Education Business Partnership centres will also have a presence at the 2011 Imagineering Fair. The centres are located close to Jaguar Land Rover's manufacturing plants and engineering facilities to provide learning and resources for children ranging from primary school age to 16+. Groups of students visit the centre for either a day or part of a day to learn more about engineering, manufacturing and automotive related activities.

The 2011 Imagineering Fair opens on 27th August 2011 and will feature a number of hands-on engineering and technology activities from robotics, flight simulators, pneumatics and IT to mechanical and electrical challenges, aviation and automotive engineering.

AIRBASE's collection of 30 classic aircraft - such as the Nimrod and Dakota DC3 and the Gloster Meteor T7 - will also be displayed for visitors to view up close.