What is FIRST Tech Challenge?
A quick introduction to the global FTC programme: teams design, build, programme and compete with robots in a head-to-head alliance challenge.
FTC Programme · Years 8–10 · Lunchtime Club
StarBourne Robotics
The competition engine of BSG Robotics.
StarBourne is BSG Robotics’ FIRST Tech Challenge programme: three FTC teams where students design, build, code, drive, present and compete with real robots while developing confidence, technical skill and team identity.
Three FTC Teams
Mechanical design, coding, judging, strategy, outreach and competition pressure.
Y8–Y10
3FTC teams in the StarBourne pathway
ClubRegular lunchtime robotics club for Years 8–10
BuildDesign, fabricate, test and iterate
CodeAutonomous, drivers, sensors and systems
StarBourne runs as a lunchtime robotics club.
Students meet during school lunchtimes to design, build, code, test and prepare for FTC. The regular club format makes robotics visible, accessible and sustainable, while still giving students a serious competition pathway with real deadlines, judging and regional events.
System 01 · What is FTC?
Real robots. Real engineering.
FIRST Tech Challenge is a global robotics competition where teams design, build, programme and compete with robots on a themed game field. It is the perfect middle step between early robotics and the industrial scale of FRC.
The FTC challenge
Students work through a full engineering season: reading the game rules, understanding scoring, designing mechanisms, building a robot, coding autonomous and driver-controlled movement, testing under pressure and presenting their process to judges.
Design and build a competition robot within real constraints.
Programme autonomous and driver-controlled systems.
Develop strategy, scouting, judging and outreach.
Compete as part of a wider FIRST community.
FTC in action
What is FIRST Tech Challenge UK?
FIRST Tech Challenge UK connects school teams across the country through local hubs, regional tournaments, judging and national championship opportunities.
System 02 · Annual game challenge
A new game. Every year.
Each FTC season begins with a brand new challenge. Teams keep developing their core kit, skills and engineering process, then respond to a fresh game with new rules, scoring tasks and design problems.
Last season: DECODE
DECODE shows how each season brings a new game, fresh engineering problems and a reason for teams to rethink mechanisms, code, strategy and judging evidence.
Next season: BIOBUZZ
BIOBUZZ is released in September. When the game drops, StarBourne teams analyse the rules, study the field, prototype mechanisms and begin designing around the new biodiversity-themed challenge. Same core kit, new mission - let’s get designing.
Game release
Students analyse the annual game, scoring opportunities, field layout, constraints and likely match strategies.
September kickoffPrototype
Teams test mechanisms quickly, compare ideas, learn from failures and choose designs that can be built reliably.
Design thinkingBuild
Students assemble the robot, wire electronics, refine CAD, tune mechanisms and prepare for driver practice.
Mechanical systemsCode
CONTROL students develop driver controls, autonomous routines, sensors, telemetry and debugging habits.
Software & systemsCompete
Teams drive, scout, repair, present to judges, collaborate with alliance partners and improve between matches.
Pressure & teamwork
System 03 · Events and competitions
Practice. Careers. Qualification.
Each year, StarBourne students take part in two major FTC moments hosted through our regional hub: a November scrimmage and STEM conference, followed by the regional qualifying tournament later in the season.
Roots and Robots: South West STEM Conference and Scrimmage
Our annual Regional Scrimmage has grown into the South West STEM Conference: a full opportunity for teams to practise on the game field, test robots under match pressure and spend half a day engaging with high-quality STEM careers talks and activities at Bournemouth University. This year, Roots and Robots links directly to the FIRST CANOPY biodiversity theme.
Hub regional qualifying tournament
Later in the season, BSG hosts the regional qualifying tournament where StarBourne students compete formally against other teams. This is the route into national progression, with robot performance, judging, teamwork and awards all contributing to the full FTC competition experience.
System 04 · Our three teams
Three teams. One StarBourne identity.
StarBourne gives more students meaningful roles by running three FTC teams. Each team has its own robot, identity and leadership opportunities, while still sharing the same BSG Robotics culture and support.
Team 01
StarBourne Nova
FTC competition team
Team 02
StarBourne Eclipse
FTC competition team
Team 03
StarBourne Orbit
FTC competition teamSystem 05 · #MoreThanRObots
It's More THan just robots.
Being parts of a FIRST Team is about being ambitious for yourself and your community
System 06 · How students contribute
Build. Code. Drive. Present.
FTC works because there is a real place for different strengths: technical design, coding, strategy, communication, project organisation and creative problem-solving.
Mechanical
Students design mechanisms, assemble parts, test prototypes, repair systems and learn how physical design choices affect performance.
Control
Students programme the robot, develop autonomous routines, tune driver controls, use sensors and debug under time pressure.
Impact
Students prepare judging, outreach, engineering notebooks, media, scouting, strategy and team operations.
System 07 · Student skills
The robot is the challenge. The growth is the point.
StarBourne helps students practise the kind of skills that make them braver learners, stronger teammates and more confident future engineers, coders and leaders.
Design
CAD, sketching, mechanisms, testing, design trade-offs and iteration.
Coding
Autonomous movement, driver controls, sensors, debugging and logic.
Strategy
Game analysis, scoring choices, match planning, scouting and alliance thinking.
Judging
Explaining engineering decisions clearly and presenting as a confident team.
Leadership
Roles, deadlines, communication, mentoring and looking after the team.
System 08 · FTC awards
More ways to win than the robot.
FTC recognises the whole team: engineering thinking, creativity, control systems, outreach, sustainability, communication, leadership and the way students represent the values of FIRST.
All-round excellence
The top judged award, recognising a team that is strong across engineering, outreach, judging, teamwork and gracious professionalism.
Engineering journey
Celebrates clear engineering thinking, design process, reflection, documentation and evidence of how the robot developed.
STEM links
Rewards teams that connect with engineers, organisations and the wider STEM community to deepen learning and ambition.
Creative solutions
Recognises imaginative robot design, inventive mechanisms and clever approaches to solving specific game challenges.
Robot design
Celebrates thoughtful, efficient and elegant robot design where form, function, reliability and strategy work together.
Coding and systems
Recognises strong programming, sensors, autonomous routines, driver control and software decisions that improve performance.
Team culture
Rewards enthusiasm, identity, spirit, inclusion, promotion of FIRST values and the way a team motivates others.
Community impact
Celebrates teams that reach beyond themselves through outreach, engagement and visible positive impact.
Long-term programme
Recognises planning, resilience, fundraising, team operations and the work that makes a robotics programme sustainable.
Judging mattersFTC rewards the full engineering journey: robot, process, teamwork, outreach and impact.
System 09 · More than the robot
Technical work with a voice.
FTC gives students a powerful reason to communicate. They do not just build a robot; they explain design choices, reflect on mistakes, evidence improvements and show how their work affects others.
Engineering portfolios help students capture the story of their design process.
Judging interviews develop confident speaking and technical explanation.
Outreach and team identity help students see robotics as a community, not just a machine.
Awards recognise design, control, innovation, connect, motivate, think, inspire and impact.
System 10 · The pathway
The bridge to ReBourne FRC.
StarBourne is the middle of the BSG Robotics pathway: big enough to feel serious, structured enough to train students well, and ambitious enough to prepare them for Sixth Form FRC.
AirBourne
Year 7 students begin with accessible robotics, coding, research, teamwork and presentation through LEGO-based challenge work.
StarBourne
Years 8–10 students progress into FTC: metal, motors, mechanisms, coding, game strategy, judging and regional competition.
ReBourne
Sixth Form students move into FRC: industrial-scale robotics, university-linked mentoring and international competition ambition.
System 11 · Partners
Support the teams that build the future.
StarBourne gives partners a direct way to support young people developing engineering, computing, communication and leadership skills through real competition robotics.
Sponsor parts, tools, kit, travel, registration or event costs.
Provide mentoring, technical feedback, visits, talks or judging practice.
Help students connect school robotics with real STEM careers.
Support a visible girls’ robotics pathway across Dorset and the South West.
Partner with StarBourne