What happens when you combine 60 enthusiastic Year 8 pupils, a British Touring Car Championship racing car, and a day of hands-on STEM challenges? The answer: an unforgettable learning experience that brings classroom theory roaring to life.
On 3rd October, pupils from Oakmoor School, part of the University of Chichester Academy Trust, spent the day at Brands Hatch race circuit as part of the Race Team of the Future project. Hosted by Laser Tools Racing with MB Motorsport, MBP, HP with Intel and RM, the event demonstrated how the subjects students study daily can translate into exciting career opportunities in motorsport and engineering.
The right moment for the right message
Timing proved crucial to the event's success. Year 8 pupils stand at a pivotal moment in their education, approaching decisions about GCSE subject choices that will shape their academic futures.
"The intention was to provide an opportunity to show various career paths that provide a real-life link for STEM subjects."
Amy Ferris,
Co-lead of enrichment and Y8 tutor, Oakmoor School
The groundwork began before anyone arrived at the circuit. MBP delivered an assembly to the school over Teams, generating genuine enthusiasm and helping students understand what they would experience. This pre-event engagement meant pupils arrived primed and ready to participate.
From pit lane to presentation
The day opened with a rotation through three morning activities. Divided into 10 groups, students toured the pit lane, seeing an actual British Touring Car Championship racing car up close. They planned a race test session, learning how teams balance data collection and vehicle setup. The driver protection challenge, using an egg to represent their driver, required them to apply principles from their design and technology curriculum to create effective crash protection.
These activities developed understanding and context for the main challenge, creating their own Race Team of the Future. Students tackled various stages in the process of establishing a racing team, from devising team names and designing logos to establishing core principles and deciding on driver profiles. Each team had to develop an innovation to distinguish themselves from competitors and create their car's livery.
The structure helped maintain engagement. As Michael Hartley, Relationship Manager at RM, observed: "The activities were ideally structured in content and duration and the fact that they were highly varied kept the children engaged and on task throughout." Each team prepared a presentation explaining the reasoning behind their decisions, which they delivered to a team lead from another group. Tasks were scored out of ten, with overall engagement and attitude also assessed. The competition ended remarkably close. Three teams couldn't be separated, each achieving 55 points out of a possible 60. Students in these winning teams received tickets for themselves and their families to attend a race day of in next season’s British Touring Car Championships.
The professionals who made it personal
What transformed a good event into an exceptional one was the involvement of motorsport professionals who treated students as equals. Jake Hill and Craig Porley, the lead driver and lead engineer from the MB Motorsport team, spent valuable one-to-one time with every group of students. Their approachable manner made complex concepts accessible without diluting the content.
Students also witnessed an expert using design tools, demonstrating the advanced capabilities of software similar to what they use in computing lessons. Senior figures from MBP guided the teams through the more business-oriented elements of the tasks.
When every student finds their moment
Perhaps the most striking feedback concerned student participation. This wasn't an event where extroverts dominated whilst others faded into the background. The variety of activities meant different students excelled at different moments.
Hartley particularly noted this dynamic: "I have to say that I was especially proud of the black team, they had a great work ethic and every one of them took ownership of and participated in their presentation."
The students' behaviour impressed everyone involved.
"What impressed me most was their attitude throughout. The students were engaged, excited, and extremely well-behaved. A real credit to the school."
Ben Gowland,
Head of education, HP
The impact has extended beyond the day itself. Mrs. L Smith from Oakmoor School later shared feedback that captured the experience perfectly: "As I've walked around school over the last couple of days, I've overheard several students saying it was 'the best day ever at Brands Hatch'—it's been so lovely to hear."
What makes these experiences work
Several elements came together to create the event's success. The seamless flow from one activity to the next prevented dead time that can derail school trips. Behind this smooth delivery lay extensive planning and coordination between partners.
The competitive element mattered too. The day’s activities showed students how they can channel competitiveness in a positive way and into a career. Rather than competition for its own sake, students competed whilst learning about collaboration, presentation skills and strategic thinking.
The partnership approach brought together different areas of expertise—technology companies, motorsport teams and education specialists—creating something richer than any single organisation could deliver alone.
Opening doors to possibility
Events like Race Team of the Future succeed because they offer genuine insight into careers many students might never have considered. The maths, physics, design and computing they study aren't abstract exercises—they're the foundations of exciting, dynamic industries.
Ferris summed up the educational value: "It provided something different to a regular day at school for the pupils, to experience things that they otherwise wouldn't be able to. The links with STEM subjects were great."
At RM, we're committed to working with partners to create opportunities that connect curriculum learning with real-world applications. Whether through motorsport, technology or industry, students benefit from seeing where their education can take them—especially at those crucial moments when they're making decisions about their future.