Home > News and Events > 2017 > Robotics at St Augustine’s  

07 September 2017

Since beginning its robotics program five years ago, St Augustine’s Primary School, Keilor, has achieved a first place in either the Melbourne or Victorian RoboCup Junior Championships each year.

At this year’s Melbourne Championships, two Grade 4 students became RoboCup Junior Soccer Champions. It was also the first year the school competed in all three RoboCup disciplines: Soccer, Dance and Rescue, in the Victorian finals.

Students work in teams on their robots design and programming in a Lunchtime Club run by Chris James, IT and Digital Technologies Coordinator at St Augustine’s. He is passionate about the robotics program, ‘Robotics encourages students to use their coding and programming skills. It also requires them to integrate their knowledge of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). I love giving students the opportunity to be involved in robotics to see them engage with open-ended tasks that requires relentless problem solving. It is amazing what primary students can achieve.’

The dedicated Lunchtime Club students work on their robotics projects for most lunch times over a 20-week period to prepare for RoboCup. Una Rose in Grade 4 said ‘Robotics helps your mind learn programming and understand computers better’ and her classmate Johnny added, ‘It’s fun and intense. It is really good to develop your teamwork skills’.

Deputy Principal, Denise Kelly, said ‘Robotics is a perfect example of deep learning connected to real life. It ensures a worthwhile and enduring passion for learning’.

RoboCup Junior is a project-oriented educational initiative that sponsors local, regional and international robotic events for young students.