The children in 4th and 5th class took part in VexIQ Robotics this year with the support of Laois County Council. 

We received a Vex Robotics kit in September and set to work to build our robot “Huey”. 

The children used construction, engineering and coding skills to prepare to compete alongside other Laois Primary Schools. 

The children took part in three events over the year where they competed in the “Mix and Match” game to score points and to showcase their learning through the engineering book which was presented to judges on the days of the events. 

Despite it being our first year getting to grips with the competition, the children received two awards which were presented by Laois County Council’s Seanie Morris (STEM Engagement Officer).

A fantastic display of team work and problem solving was shown by the team “Swooping Swans”, most notably an incredible success in our autonomous coding where we efficiently made a scorable stack, something that proved challenging for all competitors. 

The children have worked on the Vex IQ programme in after schools robotics club and in class as part of the STEM curriculum. 

In May we received the prestigious “Excellence Award” which is awarded to the team who shows consistency in team alliance, driving skills, autonomous coding and design, as well as displaying the positive teamwork culture which VexIQ prioritises. 

We look forward to continuing to improve on our skills in 2026/2027. 

Following on from our successful Silver Award last year, we are delighted to announce that The Swan NS has received a Gold Award in this year’s Curious Minds Awards ceremony which took place on the 12th June 2026.

To earn the Gold status, schools must take their STEM education a step further than the introductory Silver tier. A school must meet the following criteria: 

• High Participation: More than half of the classes in the school must actively participate in the STEM program. 

• Hands-On Science: Evidence is required for at least one hands-on investigation in four core strands: Living Things, Energy & Forces, Materials, and Environmental Awareness. 

• Informal Learning: Students must engage in two or more outside-the-classroom activities, such as visiting Discover Centres, participating in Science Week, or hosting STEM guest speakers. 

• Technology & Engineering: Pupils must demonstrate that they use ICT, coding, or robotics, and complete at least one engineering design-and-test project. 

• Applied Maths: Students are evaluated on how they apply mathematical operations and reasoning to solve real-world problems or analyze their science results. 

The children put a huge effort into developing their STEM skills and received well-deserved praise from the judges. 

Hopefully 26/27 will bring a Platinum award to The Swan!