Risedale School pupils once again demonstrated their ingenuity and technical prowess at the 2026 Rotary Technology Tournament, held on Tuesday, 10th March. Hosted through the continued partnership between the Rotary Club of Northallerton and the 1st Close Support Battalion REME, the competition remains a highlight of the school’s STEM calendar.

This year’s brief pushed our pupils to the limit: designing and building a bridge that had to go up and down and also withstand the weight of a small boat, using only limited materials and their collective brainpower. Risedale was represented by 12 talented pupils who competed against dozens of teams from schools across the region.

The tournament, which promotes the critical fields of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), challenged the pupils to think like real-world engineers. Whether it was mastering the physics of the challenge or perfecting their final build, the Risedale Family spirit was on full display.

"I am incredibly proud of how our pupils conducted themselves and of everything they achieved," said Mrs Vizor, Teacher of Design & Technology. "While the technical skills were impressive, it was their RESILIENCE in the face of a difficult challenge that truly stood out. They worked together with such RESPECT for one another’s ideas; it was wonderful to see them having such thoughtful conversations and collaborating so effectively to solve the problem.”

By bridging the gap between the classroom and practical problem-solving, our pupils are seeing firsthand how being RESILIENT, RESPECTFUL, and RESPONSIBLE helps them grow. Events like these ensure our pupils are well-equipped to take the next steps on their journey, supported to be the BEST version of themselves and ready to thrive as citizens who can embrace change and learn from their mistakes.

Well done to all the pupils who took part and represented #TeamRisedale!

#TeamRisedale 💙💜🧡❤️ #BEST

RESPONSIBILITY  RESPECT  RESILIENCE  RELATIONSHIPS