A team of five learners from the Reddford House The Hills school in the east of Pretoria, has claimed first place in the 12–13 age category global robotics competition.

The competition this year saw 111 schools from 24 different countries across five continents participating.

The school claimed victory in the Inspired Builds challenge, with its ‘GCR3000’ after building a claw-armed robot that navigates, picks up litter, and deposits it neatly into a bin.

Inspired Builds is a global inter-school technology challenge in which students design, build and code solutions to everyday problems, with entries judged on creativity, functionality and real-world relevance across age-group categories.

The Grade 7 team – Vihaan Pretorious, Tlhalefo Ramutloa, Tumi Moteane, Sazi Kapa and Lwazi Nhlapo – chose land pollution as its problem to solve, pointing to the impact on their school environment and the wider community.

An early misstep saw them build the robot incorrectly; they rebuilt it from scratch, an experience they say taught them patience and perseverance.

Explaining how the GCR3000 works, the learners describe a movable claw that grips and lifts pieces of rubbish before depositing them into a bin, a deliberately simple, functional mechanism aimed at keeping spaces clean.

Team roles ranged from coding and building to testing and presentation, with guidance from robotics teacher Brandon Frohling and support from fellow learner Jason Annor.

“This project showed amazing innovation and reflected an aspect that the learners encounter every day. The word I would use is ‘resilient’,” said robotics teacher Brandon Frohling.

Head of school Grant Ferreira said the result speaks to Reddford House The Hills’ wider culture. “Winning the international robotics competition is a powerful reflection of our school’s thriving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) culture.”

Ferreira said the win highlights the students’ ability to think critically, innovate creatively and collaborate effectively.

“This achievement shows how our commitment to hands-on learning and problem-solving prepares students not only to excel in competitions but also to embrace the challenges of the future with confidence.”

For the learners, the recognition was a proud moment and a springboard for what comes next – according to them, they would love to build a drone.

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