Scalextric4Schools National Final
Published 24th June 2026
Students from across the UK gathered at Stoneleigh Park for the Scalextric4Schools National Final, showcasing their creativity, engineering skills and teamwork in a competition that brought classroom learning to life.
The event challenged teams to take a project from initial concept through to CAD design, manufacture, testing and refinement before competing against other schools in a national race environment. Throughout the day, pupils presented their work, raced their cars and demonstrated the design thinking and problem-solving skills developed throughout the project.
The atmosphere was one of excitement, determination and collaboration, with students proudly sharing their ideas and learning from teams from across the country. While lap times and race performance were important, the competition also celebrated resilience, innovation, communication and teamwork, highlighting the wider skills that Design & Technology and STEM education help to develop.
A huge congratulations goes to all of the schools and students who took part, including the overall winners from Eltham College, whose impressive designs and outstanding lap times earned them national success.
The Design & Technology Association was delighted to attend the final and see first-hand the impact that programmes such as Scalextric4Schools can have on young people. The competition provides a valuable opportunity for pupils to apply classroom knowledge in a practical setting while gaining insight into engineering, manufacturing and design careers.
The event would not have been possible without the support of the teachers, judges, scrutineers, volunteers and industry partners who generously gave their time and expertise throughout the competition. Particular thanks go to the team behind Scalextric4Schools, including Ant Cross and Simon Hooker, whose commitment continues to inspire young people through hands-on engineering and STEM learning opportunities.
Speaking about the value of the programme, Ant Cross, co-founder of Scalextric4Schools, reflected on the learning opportunities it provides for students.
What makes Scalextric4Schools so powerful is that students experience the full design process, from initial ideas through to CAD, manufacture, testing, racing and iteration. They learn that the first design is rarely the final design, and that real progress comes from testing, analysing performance, making improvements and refining their ideas. That iterative approach is exactly what Design & Technology should be about.
Congratulations also to event sponsors and partners including Onshape by PTC, PDSVISION UK, Boxford, Triumph Motorcycles, DEVELOP3D and KeyShot for their support of the event and their ongoing commitment to developing the next generation of designers, engineers and innovators.
Scalextric4Schools continues to demonstrate the power of Design & Technology education, giving young people the opportunity to think creatively, solve problems, test ideas, learn from setbacks and experience the satisfaction of seeing their designs perform in a real-world competitive environment.
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