Chiswick School Hosts Race to the Line Regional Final

On Thursday, 2nd July, the Design and Technology Department was proud to host the Regional Final of the Race to the Line Challenge. Organised by The Learning Partnership, the event was an exciting follow- up to our whole-year 7 cohort event held in December 2025.

The competition brought together teams of students from Chiswick School and Hammersmith Academy. We were delighted to welcome representatives from our sponsors: local lighting company Delmatic, who supported Chiswick School, and Octopus Energy, who sponsored Hammersmith Academy.

Working in teams of three or four, students designed and built sustainable model rocket cars using bio-compostable cornstarch foam. To maximise performance and stability, students developed their own aerodynamic fairings and stabilising fins, while also customising their cars with vibrant, innovative designs.

The atmosphere was a perfect balance of friendly competition and collaboration. It was wonderful to see our Chiswick students sharing their expertise with Hammersmith Academy pupils, teaching them how to use a wind tunnel simulation app to analyse airflow and stresses on their car designs.

The afternoon testing session, powered by CO₂ propulsion, was the highlight of the day. Chiswick students took the lead on the technical side, managing the video recording, radar gun measurements, and data logging.

The day concluded with inspiring talks from our sponsors regarding their businesses and the critical role of sustainability in modern product design. Following the presentations, the sponsors judged the entries and awarded the following prizes:

● Innovation Award: Chiswick School’s ‘Tidal Shock’ (Roman A, Sebastian D, Marlowe W, and JJ S).

● Creative Award: Chiswick School’s ‘Sugar Rush’ (Josie W L, Majid H, Otto J, and Lucia D L).

● Creative Award: Chiswick School’s ‘Furious Flames’ (Cordelia F, Aurelia P, and Ken L).

While Hammersmith Academy took the honours for the fastest car—well done to them —it was a fantastic day of engineering, teamwork, and innovation for everyone involved.