The 10 London schools that will field teams of students to take part in the FIA Formula E motor racing event in the Capital this summer have been named by Formula E School Series organiser, Greenpower Education Trust.
The Formula E School Series mirrors the domestic championships run by West Sussex-based charity, Greenpower, by inviting students to build and race their own all-electric racing cars.
London’s Battersea Park will host Formula E’s inaugural season finale on June 27/28, with a crowd of several thousand expected to watch.
The schools selected are:
- Elutec – a University Technical College (UTC) in East London
- Highgate School
- Greenwich UTC
- Colfes School, Horn Park in Greenwich
- Chelsea Academy
- Rokeby School, supported by the charity, Kids Company and based in Canning Town
- All Saints Catholic School, Dagenham
- Greig City Academy, Haringey
- The London Nautical School, Lambeth
- Little Illford School, Newham
Designed to get young people engaged in engineering, particularly sustainable engineering, at an early age, Greenpower currently works with 500 schools, colleges and universities across the UK and the FE School Series began in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in January.
Greenpower CEO, Jeremy Way, said: “It is very exciting to be able to name the schools from our Capital that will get to be part of an event that will make motor racing history.
“Our work is all about getting young people enthused about being involved in engineering and sustainability, which is a core theme of the School Series. What better way to showcase where engineering can take you than a ground-breaking international motorsport event, where you also get to race in front of thousands of visitors and fans.
“I hope the experience is one that the students at each of our 10 selected schools treasure forever but, more than that, I hope that at least some of the young people who take part consider engineering as a serious career option as a result.”
The 10 schools will now go about selecting the students who will form their team in the School Series. Students across London are taking delivery of their electric race car kit and will be able to begin the build process and plan testing programmes.
Tim Gilchrist, physics teacher and School Series team principal at the Chelsea Academy, said: “The students at Chelsea Academy are really excited to be given the chance to compete in the Formula E School Series.
“As a local school, we normally have to rely on our legs at Battersea in our sports day, so it will be fantastic to have an electric motor taking the strain.
“Our school was built using sustainable technologies, so the series gives us the chance to extend our understanding of the relevant science and technology to transport as well.
“As a Science Specialist academy, we are focused on STEM subjects and we already compete in the Greenpower series as part of our senior pathway to give our older students experience in the full engineering life cycle. Engineering is seen as an aspirational career by many of our students and taking part in competitions like this builds visibility and interest all the way down the school.”
