Barker's Robotics program continues to go from strength-to-strength with the Redbacks team currently ranked in the top 10 schools in the world.

Robotics at Barker

Barker Robotics provides a rounded educational experience, equipping students with skills that few other high school programs can offer. Teaching communication, teamwork, leadership and initiative, whilst having fun and pursuing their passion whether technical, business or artistic. Students are taken through an engineering process that involves designing, prototyping, constructing and testing their robot so that it can complete the tasks required to be a competitive player.

Barker has adopted a whole-school approach to its Robotics program with students able to participate in Robotics from Year 5. A dedicated Robotics Centre has been created for students to work together in a team-oriented environment. Through a rewarding and enriching program, we aim to maximise the creative and intelligent capacity of the students, challenging them to become better so they have the skills and confidence to do what they never thought they could.

Barker's Robotics program has attracted a lot of attention globally, as the Redbacks team are the only team in the world to have won four regional competitions and are currently sitting in the top ten of robotics teams in the world.

No previous skills are required to join the program - just curiosity, enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Training, support and guidance are provided by Barker technical staff, teachers and industry mentors.

Our Awards

From Around the Globe

2013 World Champions, Team 610 from Canada, on Barker's (Team 4613) 2015 Regional Finalist win - "Team 4613 is already incredibly well known, and for this reason. They definitely have one of the best robots we've seen in the world so far. It will be interesting to see where they now rank on the world rankings. I'm sure they'll crack the top 25, if not the top 10. They've built a phenomenal robot!"

Team 971 from Mountain View, California - "We had a great time watching your robot throughout the playoffs. We were all sitting around the projector checking out the webcast! We were rooting for you! You guys have a super creative solution to the game, that is clearly incredibly powerful... You are a world class team that I'm sure will have lots of great years to come. We would love to see you at the championship and hope to get the chance to compete with you guys!"

What is FIRST?

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) was started in 1989 by Segway inventor, Dean Kamen and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. They had a vision to make Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (or STEM) attractive career paths that young people wouldn't take for granted. Since its beginning, FIRST has significantly improved students' attitudes towards math, science and teamwork. Students who participate show increased interest in pursuing internship and employment opportunities in science and engineering.

Every year a new game is released. Teams strategise and build a robot that can play the game in the most efficient and effective way, learning leadership, team work and communication skills along the way. Students work together as part of an elite international program, with thousands of teams competing around the world. You can learn more about the FIRST competition here.