Pupils from Ormiston Hunnyhill Academy have been recognised for their creativity, innovation and engineering talent at a special awards ceremony hosted by Southampton University.
As part of Hunnyhill’s ‘DT Days – Inspiring Future Engineers’ programme, pupils from pre-school to Year 6 were encouraged to think creatively about how engineering could improve everyday life. Children designed a wide range of inventions aimed at solving environmental, social and practical challenges, demonstrating impressive problem-solving skills, imagination and innovation.
These projects were entered into the Primary Engineer “If You Were an Engineer, What Would You Do?” competition, a national challenge that encourages children to identify real-world problems and design innovative engineering solutions. The competition is run nationally by Primary Engineer in partnership with science and engineering organisations across the UK, with more than 70,000 pupils entering the challenge each year and divided into their region.
Each year, Primary Engineer works with university and industry partners across the UK to select just 20 designs from tens of thousands of entries to be transformed into fully functioning prototypes by specialist engineering teams. This year, Year 2 pupil Mylah’s invention – ‘Sea Bed Filer’ – was chosen. Designed to help remove rubbish from the ocean, her imaginative idea was developed into a working prototype called the “Waterborne Waste Collecting Boat” by final-year Engineering students at Southampton University.
Earlier this year, a team of five Southampton University students visited Mylah and her classmates to present their plans for the project. Pupils took part in a range of engineering activities and helped design the exterior appearance of the boat.
The completed prototype was officially unveiled at the Primary Engineer Regional Leaders Award Exhibition and Awards Event in June, where Mylah and her fellow award-winning pupils had the opportunity to see her invention brought to life. The event was fully booked, with all places allocated. Awards were presented by three distinguished guests representing the University of Southampton and two Regional Industry Partners. It was a memorable occasion for every student who achieved a Highly Commended or Winner’s position, with each child individually recognised and celebrated for their success.
Hunnyhill pupils have enjoyed growing success in the South England region in recent years. In 2024, Reception and Year 1 pupils received Highly Commended awards for their designs. The following year, a Reception pupil secured a winning entry, while pupils in Years 1, 2 and 4 achieved Highly Commended recognition. Building on this success, 2026 marked the school’s strongest performance yet, with four winning entries across Reception, Year 3 and Year 6, alongside a Highly Commended award in Reception.
Pupils report feeling inspired and excited by the opportunities available to them, while staff have seen a growing interest in engineering and STEM-related careers.
Through projects such as Primary Engineer, children at the school are developing a stronger understanding of the wide range of pathways available within the profession and the positive impact engineering can have on society.
Mylah said:
“I was really excited when I found out they picked my idea. It was amazing seeing my invention turned into a real boat. I loved meeting the university students and helping with the design, and it made me feel like a real engineer.”
Lisa Steedman, Principal at Ormiston Hunnyhill Academy, said:
“We are incredibly proud of every pupil who took part in this year’s Primary Engineer competition. The creativity, imagination and determination shown by our children has been truly inspiring, and to achieve 4 winning entries, a Highly Commended award and have Mylah’s design selected for development is an exceptional accomplishment.”
Well done, Mylah! This is a brilliant programme and it’s great to see girls doing well.
Remember that engineering isn’t just about invention: it’s about making science useful and that means having a sound understanding of physical and mathematical principles as well as a flair for thinking outside the box. You also need to be able to communicate well with collaborators and customers, so language skills are also essential
Congratulations, Mylah. I hope your engineering career blossoms!