Local children’s engineering ideas celebrated at The University of Edinburgh

These pupils had taken part in a national competition, run by educational not-for-profit Primary Engineer, where they answered the question “If you were an engineer, what would you do?”. Pupils interview an engineer, learn how to think like an Engineer and are tasked with identifying a problem in the world around them and coming up with a creative solution to that problem.

Entries were then graded by local industry professionals before going to a regional judging panel where they picked two winners and two highly commended for each year group.

The highly commended and winning pupils were awarded trophies and framed certificates of their ideas, with 26 pupils from schools in the area being celebrated.

Libby, the ProtoPupil, with The Bench Bed prototype brought to life by The University of Edinburgh

Congratulations to all the pupils, including Primary 7 pupil Malina from St David’s Primary School, whose idea “Memory Giver Alzheimer's watch” stood out for the judges and won the special ‘Judges Award’.

Every year University and Industry Partners of Primary Engineer select an idea to turn into a working Prototype from the previous year’s winning designs. The Bench Bed prototype was unveiled at the ceremony, brought to life by The University of Edinburgh, School of Engineering, based on the idea of Libby, from Cockenzie Primary School.

“If you were an Engineer, what would you do” is an annual, national competition free to enter for all 3-19 school pupils. Entries are open now for 2025-2026 and schools can register now at leadersaward.com

Primary Engineer Public Exhibitions and Award Ceremonies continue all over the UK through to July, with thousands of pupils engineering ideas being displayed for all to see. Find out more: leadersaward.com/exhibitions-and-events/